Thankful Thursday | time to exercise!
New here? Thankful Thursday is something we’ve been doing in these COVID times; an exercise to help us hunt for the good that is in our lives and in the world, even in the midst of a pandemic.
Ready for our weekly gratitude muscle workout? 🙂
This week I am thankful:
for library books to read
I finished two this week and am working on a third and fourth.
for a sunny day instead of rain
Sunny days are great in any circumstances but they're particularly sweet when rain was promised and then you get sun instead!
That happened this week and it made my heart happy.
for dry air
I will never not be grateful for low-humidity air in the fall. NEVER.
(in other words, my delightedness over the dry air may reappear in future Thankful Thursday posts.)
for plentiful food and safe housing
One of the books I'm reading right now is Evicted, and it has reminded me again that there are people in the world for whom food and housing are not a given.
for the many privileges I've had
Reading the stories of the people in Evicted is making me think about how many hardships some people face. Like, the odds are terribly stacked against some people from the start of their lives and my goodness, I just have never faced the level of challenges that they do, even in my most penniless days.
Part of me feels guilty about this, but that's probably not a super helpful reaction. Better to let this make me thankful, give me compassion, and inspire me to help others.
that I got to learn how to cook as a teenager
Being comfortable in the kitchen makes life much easier in a lot of ways. So I am grateful that my mom let me make daily messes in the kitchen while I was a teenager.
that I usually sleep pretty well at night
I have occasional sleep issues, but for the most part, I get a decent amount of sleep each night.
I know that makes even the hard days much more manageable.
that I am able to help Sonia and Zoe with their math
I am glad that I can understand what they're doing and help them with it.
Happily, this gets easier and easier for me as I homeschool, because by the time Zoe gets to a particular math level, I've already gotten a refresher on it three times with her older siblings.
Now, anything beyond Algebra 2? Nope. Not doing it. The college professors can handle it from there. 😉
that Sonia and Zoe have each other
Sonia is a very social person, and now that one older sibling has moved out and the other is very busy with work and college, she would be pretty lonely if she were the baby of the family.
So, it's a mercy that Zoe is here! Zoe's pretty introverted, but still, she and Sonia have some fun times together, and Sonia is much less lonely than she'd be without Zoe.
Zoe will probably eventually be the sole kid at home, but since she's an introvert, she's gonna be fine with that situation. 😉
that I live in a world where there are Octobers
As Anne from Anne of Green Gables says. 😉
-mail-in ballots.Voting is done. phew.
-cool mornings. I could say this every day and all day long. Outside seems more peaceful and refreshing now that hot temperatures aren't greeting as in the morning. I love my morning moments outside.
-quiet mornings without children. Getting up earlier has been such a good choice for me.
-My son (5 years old) greeted me sitting up in bed. This is incredibly hard because he has a bar connecting his feet at 45 degrees, and he has no ability to flex or extend his knees, wrists, or elbows. Basically he did it all with core strength, head momentum and probably some help from the ladder to the higher bunk. He hasn't had consistent therapy in almost a year due to the pandemic following a really bad sick season for him, and he's still growing. So thankful.
Kaitlin--
Kudos to your son! A friend of mine has a young adult son (19) who has cerebral palsy with many issues, including decreased mobility. This has been such a tough year for her; the pandemic has limited so many of the opportunities she normally takes advantage of for him. I think there's a huge group of parents out there who have had struggles that the rest of us don't even consider who quietly give it their all.
With that in mind, I am thankful for parents like Kaitlin and my friend Deb who persevere in difficult circumstances to give their children the best that they can.
Thankful for getting to see my friend Deb over the weekend--she brought her son with her for a mini-vacation and we had a wonderful day together at the blustery Lake Michigan beach.
Thankful for the pretty fall colors and cooler temps which allow me to pull out my soup recipes again.
Thankful I get to see my mom in person today for a virtual appointment (I'm not normally allowed in the building due to covid restrictions, but they are making an exception today due to the weather--we will meet virtually with the caregiver via a tablet).
Actually .... I guess that makes me thankful for the dreary rainy day as that is what will allow me to see mom!
Kris--thank you so much. Your kind words brought me to tears. I am thankful that you support your friend, Deb, and her son. You must be a tremendous blessing to her and her son.
Virtual hugs to you. My friend lives across the state from me and I haven't seen her in person in ages. We stay in touch and when life is normal (haha what's that?) we meet up a couple of times a year. I am not helpful to her on a practical level at all but we stay in touch and emotionally support each other. I hope you have a network of people supporting you. It's a big responsibility that you have.
I love these posts!
1. Fall. Cooler temps and changing colors. I love transitioning into any new season, but Fall is my favorite.
2. My husband. He pulls his weight with our boys/cooking/cleaning. And he’s an excellent dad.
3. Markdown meat. I found some whole chickens this week, and I already have chicken broth simmering away in my crockpot.
4. Coffee. Even though I mostly drink decaf, I love the flavor. Today I put cinnamon, ginger, and a hint of nutmeg in the grounds.
5. My job. Amazing boss and supervisor. Flexible enough that I can focus on my kids. A good wage. I’m very blessed.
I need this reminder to be thankful!
1. Thankful as well for the lower humidity. I have SUPER frizzy hair and the fall weather is when I tend to let my hair down (literally). Some family members who we only see in the summer time have never seen me with my hair down.
2. For my short commute. I only live about 6 miles from my work and my kids school. this really helps with gas and the amount of time spent in the car.
3. Back to school for my kids. My kids are in school full time. They really needed to go back. They needed to see and play with friends. They are doing great with the masks and all the new restrictions that are placed on them. Sometimes I think kids do better than adults.
4. Great co-workers. I am blessed that all of the staff in my office are amazing individuals. We function quite well together and rarely have bad days. If we do have bad days its because of something outside of our doing.
5. Ebay sales. Right now with our finances being so tight, I've been thankful that a few extra dollars are coming in from Ebay.
Evicted was the most depressing book I've ever read in my life. It was hard to read about so much suffering. But I'm thankful I have a compassionate heart that let's me feel empathy for the plight of others. And I'm thankful I've always had secure housing, even if it was sometimes very modest.
I'm finding it to be a little overwhelming, mainly in the sense that the problems seem unsolvable. Like, the people the book profiles have had trouble upon trouble, and their lives took so many wrong turns, it's hard to know where you would start to try to help. Or to try to prevent this from happening to other people.
You’re right. And it seems like there are so many systems in place designed to make it hard for them to get out of this hole. I think the question of the authors research is really interesting...which comes first, poverty or housing insecurity.
Such a lovely list!
1. I echo you in being thankful for dry air as we’re experiencing wonderfully cool temperatures for Fall in Texas. 2. Which in turn makes me thankful that I have the wherewithal to relocate to a temperate climate, hopefully next Spring. 3. That I have enough room to accommodate visitors, and got to welcome my son, daughter in law and twin toddler grandsons last weekend. 4. For the energy to keep up with 2 x 2 year olds! 5. For my health and being able to go about my daily activities and chores with ease.
When I saw your title Thankful Thursday/Time to Exercise, I thought, oh, all about exercise. No, it's time for the exercise in thankfulness!!! Silly me!
1) For my exercise I was able to change my bike tire and then able to take a bike ride this morning at one of my fastest paces -- 14 mph -- which is great for me.
2) Thankful that my husband is understanding and was able to fend for himself last night for dinner when I was up to doing nothing at all. We didn't even have food in the freezer that didn't require major cooking.
3) I am very thankful for food on my table and a roof over my head.
4) Thankful that I was able to start a sinking funds account in September for those big bills that come up once a year. I am glad I will not have to withdraw from my savings to pay these bills and my savings can grow.
5) Thankful for my health and the health of my family. Also thankful for my soon to be 4 year old granddaughter who is excited that her birthday is coming up and that we might be able to celebrate it with her and a cake. And yes, I spoil her rotten!
Haha, nope, no actual working out is necessary for today's exercise. 😉
So many this to be thankful for...
We finally had a couple of cool mornings in North Florida. Temperatures are in the 60 and the humidity is slightly lower the usual.
I have adopted a new dog and she is just wonderful.
I live in a community where people are kind and friendly for the most part.
I am strong and healthy enough to take long walks with my pup who needs to exercise.
Pumpkin season is here. I love fresh roasted pumpkin and I love the color of a pumpkin!
Pumpkin season is the best. Besides Christmas. So basically October-December are the best 3 months of the year. This weekend we bought pumpkin pie pumpkins, took out the pulp and seeds, roasted them, skinned them, pureed the flesh and made a pumpkin pie. Our kids thought it was better than Christmas.
I agree, October through December are the best three months of the year! We also have a birthday and anniversary to make them even more special to us.
1. For a fun day celebrating my daughter’s birthday this week. She and I went shopping and had lattes outdoors at a coffee shop. Then her favorite meal ordered in for dinner and cookie cake for dessert.
2. For my nursing degree. There are so many options in the nursing field and I have always been able to find a job for whatever season of life I’m in. Right now I am able to mostly work from home and I am very thankful I have this ability.
3. For reliable vehicles.
4. That it’s October! We put up a lot of decorations inside and outside for Halloween, plan costumes for us and our dogs, watch scary movies all month and it always just feels like a cozy month to me.
5. For lovely weather. It actually feels like Fall this year.
I love Thursdays now, because I get to think of good things.
1. I'm so thankful for this: the high today should be 82, which is 3 degrees below normal. We have had more cool weather in September here in North Florida than I can remember. Compare that to last year, second hottest on record - we had 101 deg. F on Sept 18, and the high for October 1, 2019 was 95. It stayed in the 90's for daytime highs for a record breaking period in the fall last year. This is one upside, at least, to 2020.
2. That I have only one more gift to buy, then the Christmas gifts that have to be mailed will be done and ready to go.
3. That the autumn sky is that gorgeous deep blue that lifts my spirits, and the leaves on the dogwood by my bedroom window are turning red now.
4. That my employers of 3 years, two partners, give us bonuses for the holidays and take us out to eat, unlike my last boss in my old job, who expected us to provide and cook a meal for our clients as our employee Christmas party. I'm so grateful to now work for employers who appreciate the employees.
5. That this blog and its comment section are places of calm and understanding.
Can we talk about books a moment? (I am thankful, oh so thankful, for books, and for a renewed interest in reading as my free-time choice of occupation (though free time is slim.))
Do you ever tire of reading stuff that's, y'know, generally acknowledged as good for you? Read complete and total fluff? I won't ask titles, lol. Just curious. I have a tolerance for both oatmeal and marshmallows, but it's a real balancing act. I prefer classics and newspapers/magazines to nonfiction books for the oatmeal side, myself. I couldn't make it through Educated and doubt I'd ever achieve Evicted, either.
Also, have you read LMM beyond Anne? The Blue Castle and Jane of Lantern Hill are so fantastic.
This comment made me laugh! I do tend more toward non-fiction than not; I like to learn about real-life stuff. It's not anything to do with trying to be noble...I just genuinely am more interested in titles like these.
I did read a funny memoir by Kelly Corrigan recently, though; that was a little bit on the fluffy side.
Sometimes I have read some truly fluffy novels (there was one about the secret of coconut cake? something along those lines) and I just felt annoyed while I read it. It seemed so predictable!
If you have some non-predictable fluff to recommend to me, fire away. 🙂
I'm seriously glad! Self-betterment is not something I'm good at so it makes me feel ... I dunno. Vaguely irritable? Jealous? Kind of both.
I'll offer my usual favorite recommendations, fluff with low predictability, and if it's murder mystery you're after, Anne, you may also like them. 🙂
Tony Hillerman ... start with The Blessing Way.
Craig Johnson ... start with Cold Dish.
These guys write (or wrote, in the case of the former) current/near-current-day Western sheriff fiction.
I loved the series "Longmire" that was based on Craig Johnson's books!
I'd recommend Kate Morton's books. My favourite is The Forgotten Garden. Her books often have multiple story lines weaving together and sometimes have completely unforeseen twists and turns. They often have a historical and /or mystery flavor.
I read voraciously, and lots of it is biography and psychology and stuff. But also I love, love, love a good murder mystery, especially if it's in a series by a really fine author. Then, when I finish one book, I know the next one is probably out there.
Depending on how "fluffy" your taste in mysteries is I'd suggest Rhys Bowen for both of her series and her stand-alones, and Krista Davis. Krista is an animal lover and it comes out in her books. Plus she's a lovely person.
I love that you refer to Lucy Maud Montgomery as LMM! A true fan! I love her Emily of New Moon books. There's a magic in them that is different than the Anne series (which I recently read straight throw, in snippets of 15 minutes while sitting with my children at night time.)
Emily is the one I re-read when I need a re-read! I adore her. I also love some of the short stories that have magic like that.
I like to vary my books. Reading too many "educational" ones in a row can be a bit much sometimes. It's good to read something fluffy every so often, something you can escape into for a little while. We used to have a book table at my office where people would drop their books when they were done with them and I picked up some chick-lit, (hate that term but it's the best descriptive I can think of right now), some lightweight historical novels, and a few odd, but good, choices. One was "From Here to Eternity" by Caitlin Doughty, about funeral customs around the world. It was a very interesting read!
It feels like fall! Which here means nights in the high 40s, but days in the 70s. Love.
I'm already done with my work "week" (all of two days), and today is the last day of the school week for my three older ones. Hooray for the three-day weekend.
Some of the mystery squashes we grew this year turned out to be very orange, sweet, and dense, and are a very nice substitute for sweet potatoes, which I love but can only get when I get to a store. Which is not often.
Still tomatoes in the garden. Amen.
I love mystery squashes!
Oh, I NEED this right now. Our refrigerator/freezer died this week. Probably won't be fixed until early next week (waiting on a part). Four of us, including two teens, who are home almost all the time (virtual schooling and work from home). It's been tough not to fall into complete pity party mode! Oh, and we are in SoCal, where we're having a run of temperatures over 100 degrees.
Okay, here I go:
1. I'm thankful that we have reliable technology, since we are all depending on it so much right now.
2. I'm thankful that my kids are in high school, and therefore almost entirely self-sufficient when it comes to distance learning.
3. I'm thankful for the various streaming services that allow us to have little escapes via quality entertainment (can't wait to watch Enola this weekend!).
4. I'm thankful that I can be a member of a huge library system (Los Angeles) and therefore get almost any ebook I want for my Kindle.
5. I'm salty about this one, but I have to keep reminding my self that I'm thankful we have the money to get the refrigerator repaired AND restock it. We lost bags and bags of food, mostly frozen. It's not what I would've chosen to spend that money on, but we will make it.
Ooooh, that is a hard one to swallow. I am so sorry to hear about your fridge! I have a terrible time being cheerful when appliances have broken on me.
I hope the part comes in promptly and that you are back in business shortly.
Enola was great fun!
I join you in being grateful I live in a world with Octobers . . . or should I say hemisphere? Grateful for this day and so many mercies and unmerited favors . . . even as there are pop-quizzes, and challenges.
I wish I had close ties to my siblings. We get along alright but none of them I feel particularly close to. I tend to be the one who reaches out and generally speaking my family don't contact me unless they want something. :-/
Let's see:
Still don't know anyone who has had Covid.
That so many movies are easily found online. There are so many I would like to see, particularly as the days get shorter and I can't spend as much time outside.
That I have some time off coming up (even though after taking off one day this week it turned the rest of the week into a mess!)
I wish October’s lasted longer. Love this time of year.
1) I’m thankful that after literally a year and one day of not being able to walk my surgeon cleared me to walk with the help of a walking boot.
2) For my sore body because it means I’m walking lol
3) That the cousins have finally mailed in the paperwork to let us buy the family property.
4) For bark collars that can be out on grumpy dogs at 5am when I’m desperately trying to sleep
5) did I mention the being able to walk bit?
I needed this today, as the smoke is back, & I believe we're on day 33 this year of Spare the Air (smoke warnings).
1) We are safe from fires. Sending good thoughts to all of those who are more directly impacted
2) That my younger son loves biking. It's been a hard transition for him to go from lots & lots of team sports to ... pretty much nothing during COVID. His soccer club has started up COVID friendly pods, but it's not the same amount of exercise. He's been biking 10+ miles a day on non soccer days & really enjoying it
3) For my garden, still putting out gorgeous tomatoes
4) That we invested in solar. It makes me feel like we've done one small step towards helping with climate change. There's still so much work to do, and it can feel overwhelming at times.
5) That I made myself a delicious breakfast out of fridge items this morning. A waffle topped with egg, a slice of cheese, & of course, garden tomatoes. Yum! I don't always take the time for anything beyond a smoothie, so this was a special treat
- finding new fun foods - Nerds Big Sour Chewy Candy is the latest hit at our house. Healthy? Not a bit, but I don't really care right now. 🙂
- a great big belly laugh the other day - it's been a while.
- a big haul of fruit and vegetables from a local wholesaler. It's so nice to have lots of options for healthy stuff. You know, to counteract all the Nerds. 😉
- grace. For giving it to others, accepting it from others, and the opportunity to remind others to do the same.
The big chewy Nerds are my favorite! My mom even got me two packs for my birthday! 🙂
TT, Peaceful Day at Home Edition:
Thankful for...
(1) The fact that DH and I can still manage a peaceful day at home now and then, when his Alzheimer's demons lie low and when the weather helps us. I've been hanging bird feeders, picking the last of the garden produce, and generally playing Domestic Goddess all day, under his benignly drowsy eye. Heaven send us a few more of these.
(2) The fact that I did have a few wins in the garden this year, despite heavy losses to critters and drought. I've just picked an October Surprise of Asian eggplant and basil, with which I will make the last ratatouille of the season tonight (along with bruised tomatoes and a zucchini purchased cheaply).
(3) The neighbor who gave us a bread machine about 15 years ago, as gratitude for DH doing a lot of snowplowing for her that year. It's the only single-use kitchen appliance I'm willing to give space to, as it saves my arthritic hands a good deal of work. Will make a focaccia dough with it this afternoon, to go with the ratatouille.
(4) The fact that we gave up TV altogether three years ago. Think of the aggravation I've saved us this year alone...
(5) And the fact that there may be a form of palliative care for DH's bad knee that I wasn't aware of. His orthopedist and I agree that another cortisone shots won't do him any good and that he isn't a good candidate for surgery (given the Alzheimer's), so the doc proposes to try an injectable gel. We're waiting for insurance pre-approval, but I hope we can get this soon.
I am glad to read that you are still having days where the demons lie low and you and your husband can enjoy a day together. I think of you often, wondering how you are doing at that moment.
Thankful for
1) beautiful weather - we're finally in the 70s with little humidity. I love this time of year!
2) that we finally have home health care coming in 3 days a week to help care and bathe Mom. She was just diagnosed with severe Alzheimer's and Lewy Body dementia and desperately needs help
3) being able to walk with my best friend on a regular basis. I need the exercise and she needs to get out of the house because her husband just passed away
4) Being able to use the gym at my office
5) that both of our kids this weekend will come home this weekend to help celebrate my birthday
1. Forest Bathing in 70 degree weather
2. Baking puff pastry sweets
3. A DIY project at half the cost
4. New library books to read
5. A new inexpensive toaster
Sad that our temps dropped but very glad that we have had several days of much necessary rain.
I got some awesome flowers to brighten the table.
I sold quite a few items on FB and took several other to a consignment shop.
I bought a small glass cabinet that I did not like and sold it for the same price within 2 days.
Got rid of my old huge china cabinet. A lot of what was in it I took pictures of, then sent the pics to my Frameo.
I am thankful for this exercise. I had kind of a slow week so this helps me to remember all the good:
A friend just stopped by for a patio visit. I hadn't seen her for a while so it was good to catch up.
I was able to get together with several charity stitching friends this morning. We have been meeting outside since late spring but next week will be allowed back into the church that originally hosted the group.
I was able to get everything on my grocery list this morning. I am able to buy the groceries we want each week, accessibility and funding are not an issue.
I am learning a lot reading Sitting Pretty. The author has been in a wheelchair since she was a young girl and she addresses some of the many issues surrounding disability. There is much for me take in.
I am thankful that the weather is perfect for sleeping and being outdoors.
I am grateful that our small-ish house is both paid for and in a decent neighborhood.
I have watched a couple who thought they were done at two kids have a third and then shortly after that they had a fourth. I look back at my third and last (now 6) and think, man they were smart! My six year old is 8 years younger than my second born... They don't really "play together" much. My six year old would love a constant playmate. Yes I know there would be bickering, but he wouldn't be an only.
This week I am thankful for:
My husband's work load picking back up. This makes it easier for me to focus on why I stepped down instead of the income we lost.
That we live in Michigan this time of year. So pretty when the leaves change color. Thanks for reminding me that we need to drive through the state park and take a road trip this weekend to admire the colors!
Again thankful for the library. We were able to get enough books on spiders for a two week study. Which leads into number four.
So thankful that I have the internet at my fingertips. I would not be able to homeschool without it. Sure, I know people all over do, but having access to the internet has made it possible for my youngest to stay home this trimester and it looks like next trimester as well now.
My husband.
Your kids are adorable!
I am thankful for:
1. Good health insurance-I see so many people struggle with the cost of their premiums and co-pays. We are lucky to have good insurance through my employer.
2. A safe neighborhood.
3. The financial ability to send my son to a private school. He is thriving there and I am very happy with our choice so far.
4. The ability to work from home some days. Not only does this help keep myself, my family, and others safe, but it is just more comfortable. Working from home also just works much better for my family.
5. Our garden-it has produced so wonderfully this year. It has saved us money, brought us enjoyment, and fed us nutritious food.
Thankful for: 1) PBS. Last night I watched a NOVA that we'd taped last week, on how we went from pictograms, like hieroglyphs where you had to memorize a zillion representations for a word, to using signs for sounds so that you need a much smaller number of symbols to express an unlimited number of ideas. I have always been fascinated by hieroglyphs, and had a poster of the Rosetta Stone on my dorm wall in college...which might partially explain why boys were not lining up to date me! Anyway, it was a riveting program that I got to watch for free. (you can still see it on PBS.org)
2. After a record rainy summer and frost a few weeks ago, a front is pushing 50 degree temps on us for a week or so. Usually we have snow and ice by now but not this week!
3. We continue to lose daylight. Today the sun rose at 8:02 and is going to set at 7:16. I hate sunlight. We used to live in a village at the top of the state, where the sun went down in November and did not come up until late January. I loved that time.
4. The northern lights are out every night now, and especially vivid at the pinks.
5. The husband, always the husband.
especially vivid are the pinks. Jeepers.
1. Being able to sit outside during lunch today as it was a beautiful day.
2. My meditation teacher is starting her weekly classes again tonight via Zoom. I have been doing it on my own but it will be nice to have her sharing her wisdom and insights again.
3. Hoping to see some of my friends from that class as well. It's been months and I miss them!
4. Was able to order a carving pumpkin from our online grocery service to make our jack o'lantern and enjoy fresh roasted pumpkin seeds. We are at higher risk and would not be able to get one otherwise
5. Having books to read.
I am thankful for my yard ,especially during COVID19
I am thankful for my family being well
I am thankful my grand dogs biopsy was contained as class 2 tumor..no other treatment needed.
I am thankful for fall ,love it.
I am thankful for long time friends
Thank you to the new friends here.
Just checked out Kindle version of Evicted. Thanks for suggestion.
Today has been a pretty stressful, grumpy day for me so I am grateful for this exercise, the chance to take part and perspective.
I echo the gratitude for a world where there are Octobers. I love the spring but there is something truly magical and so very unique to the month of October when the wind cools, and the skies are higher and a glorious blue color. It is a reminder of all the good in this world and during this time I am so grateful.
For my husband who works, helps care for our son, cuts grass, helps can, does dishes and generally whatever else I need his help with. I don’t know what I would do without him.
For our home and garden. This has given us a place to shelter, plant, grow, so projects, craft, be fed, rest and dream. I couldn’t imagine another place that I would rather live and the sense of true belonging here is strong.
For our Boxer, Luna Grace. She is a constant source of entertainment, calm and just pure joy. I love listening to her snore. I love that she is so protective of us. She loves leftovers And stays out of my flowers. Perfect. Dog.
For blogs that I can read and share on. For kind people. For grace. For prayer. For worship.
- That the weather is still nice enough for the littles and I to walk in the morning. They were bundled in winter coats today, but the sun was out and there was no snow. That's a win!
- Another week of no heat or air conditioning. Probably our last one.
- For a really fun group of staff at our library. And for the many, many resources available to me though the library.
- That my 6yo shares my love of Christmas music. We've bonded over singing Christmas songs in the car the last couple of days and it makes me oh-so-happy.
- That even though my 6yo and 2yo should be sleeping right now, I can hear them laughing and having a great time together. I'm so thankful for how much they love each other.
After reading my school roommate's excited FB posting about the upcoming visit she will have with her grandchildren who live several states away and I don't think she has seen them since before the pandemic took over, I am fortunate enough to live in the in law and see my grandchildren daily. And I have returned to intermittently caring for my toddler grandson in July. So I am fortunate.
I am also thankful that I am still able--I can care for the grandchildren, I can take care of myself, I can exercise, I can still learn.
I am thankful that I stumbled across your blog a few months ago.
Thanks for the book recommendation. Just finished Nomadland and it was very sad how many people are on the fringes.
On Monday I left my home not sure it would be here when I returned. We live in Santa Rosa, California and the wildfires are here again. We evacuated to a nice and clean but nondescript hotel in a not great part of the Bay Area to wait it out.
Today I was very grateful to return home. Outside burnt leaves and ash are a testimony to how dangerous things were when we left. A layer of ash covers everything inside too--it penetrated our closed windows. I've even found ash in my glass fronted china cabinet. The world looks dirty and dingy from all the ash in the air.
But I am thankful to have a home to return to--some of my friends were not so lucky. A dear friend lost her home and her photography studio. They barely escaped with their lives from the fire moving much faster than anyone could have anticipated. I am thankful they survived and will be able to rebuild.
It has certainly put these crazy times in perspective again.
So very glad for you!!
Aw your little girls are too adorable! And Anne always has much to teach us -- lots of scope there!
You are so right to remind us to be thankful for my family and modest home, and not having to live outside in this heat as I am seeing so many others doing all over the city As you point out, I am SO lucky. How are so many being left behind? How can that even happen here?
So, yes, I am so grateful and thank you for reminding me!
Some little happy things:
Library -- yes! and my book club meeting on zoom!
Happy that it is going below 100 degrees starting tomorrow. 98 will seem downright fall-like
Frozen pizza -- doctored up with extra veggies -- lifesaver. A happy, easy, cheap meal. I have a free one waiting in the freezer 🙂
A happy moment today when I met up with an ex-student (now 10) and his little brother, while I was trying to get materials out of my car to deliver to another student. "Hey,' yelled little bro, "I thought you were just another old lady!" 🙂 The ex-student had arrived as a kinder with so many challenges- intellectual disability and anger issues. Now, at 10, he is another boy entirely! He current teacher has done a marvelous job and he is learning to read and be part of the larger school community (when it's in session) and he is HAPPY. And this old lady is happy to know them 🙂
Thankful for health insurance. I needed hearing aides and insurance paid more than I ever dreamed.
I need to now get used to hearing again. I think my family will need to learn I can hear good again also. HAHA