Thankful Wednesday
A bunch of you yesterday raised an eyebrow at me saying I added a carrot to my oatmeal.
And multiple people were wondering how I make an individual serving of oatmeal.
I was going to do a post about that today, but I need more time to put that together.
So. Oatmeal tomorrow, thankfulness today. 😉
This week, I am thankful:
for the beautiful snow that fell here
There is little that is more beautiful than slowly falling snow, in my opinion. And since it doesn't happen super often here, I am especially appreciative when it does.
that our power was off for only half a day
The snow wasn't a problem, but the freezing rain afterward really did a number on the tree limbs here.
One right down my street fell on a power line, and I worried that since it was not a main-road issue, it would take forever for us to get service.
But it happened within half a day! I was delighted.
for power crews
I always want to cheer when I see the power restoration trucks roll down the street.
that we had our trees trimmed this past summer
The snow/ice combo knocked down plenty of twigs, but since we had all the iffy limbs removed in June, there wasn't anything big for the storm to bring down.
This is a case where an investment in tree trimming can pay off, especially if your driveway is under the trees (and ours is!).
It's pretty easy for even a small car repair to top the cost of tree trimming, and then there is the inconvenience of having a car in the shop.
Tree-trimming is much more convenient and affordable.
that Lisey does not, in fact, have a fever
Her work thermometer showed her having a 101 fever yesterday, so of course they sent her home.
But apparently that thermometer was malfunctioning, because our brand new thermometer here at home showed her having a normal temperature.
Whew.
for reliable internet
Being without the internet for half a day reminded me how much I depend on it.
I couldn't even read my biology textbook without the internet, because it's an online book.
So, I am thankful that we rarely have to deal with internet outages.
for the cute note I found
When I was cleaning out a bookshelf during the power outage, I found this little note Lisey had made for me years ago.
"best momy graet momy". So cute!
for a day without many obligations
I have a lot of stuff I need to do here at home, so I am thankful that the only scheduled thing in my day today is an allergy shot for Sonia.
for the cute Snoopy sticker from Sonia
She'd ordered it as a Christmas gift, but shipping being what it was then, the sticker arrived last week!
My laptop is looking extra cute now. 🙂
that contentment is not necessarily tied to circumstances
When things are going well, it seems easier to be content.
(Although given the number of unhappy people who are both famous and rich, I'm not entirely sure of the truth of that statement.)
At its root, contentment is an inside job, though, and I find that to be very comforting. If it's an inside job, then I have so much more control than I do if contentment depends on my circumstances.
I have a choice in the matter!
And that makes me feel powerful, not powerless.
Those little messages from kids are wonderful! My daughter recently made this big drawing of how much she loves her mom and gave it to my wife. So that made her feel extra special.
Let's see what I'm thankful for:
My new fountain pen. I know it's silly to be excited over a pen but I like it.
That I'm still relatively healthy. I do need to see my Audiologist and my dentist but otherwise I'm okay. I still don't know anyone who was seriously sick with Covid (apparently some of my wife's relations had a bad cold that was Covid but all are back to 100% again)
That work has been busy with some interesting work (I hate when it's just drudgery of boring stuff)
That my taxes are done. Sure the IRS won't start processing it for another week or so but at least my part is done. I'm also getting a little back which will most likely go on the mortgage.
That we were able to clean out my daughter's room this past weekend and purge a lot of the junk. Now if we could find a way to stop crayons from multiplying and being everywhere we'll be good.
I started on my taxes! But oddly, Mr. FG's W-2 is still not available.
I am really wanting it to get here so that I can see where we stand.
Fountain pens are one of my guilty pleasures. I have two. I feel like royalty when I write with one.
I don't have any super expensive ones but I do enjoy writing with them. I also write in cursive 100% of the time and a good pen makes that much more enjoyable.
You can so cheer for the power company people. I cheered for the garbage collector yesterday!
I'm thankful for:
- your thankful posts
- that I can take all my worries straight to the throne of my heavenly Father! The veil that separated us has been torn!
- a certain lady who has been very kind to me
-My family
I'm so thankful that we have appointments tomorrow for our first covid vaccinations. There was an hour wait to get through on the phone, but once you got through you were assured of an appointment within the next month or so.
It was such a weight off my shoulders that I was happy all day. Also, since we missed our trip to Hawaii last year, I feel that I now have one toe pointed towards Waikiki beach.
Ohh, that is wonderful. Yay!
Waikiki Yay!! Hope you get to go!
Thankful for:
Wool socks in Chicagoland.
Grocery delivery and the people who make it happen. I was craving fruit and was all out with no time to shop so I placed a delivery order from Whole Foods this morning and it arrived by 9:30! I am not a regular but I had gotten some cuties there when shopping for my gluten-free daughter at college drop off and they were 10x better than the ones at my usual store plus free delivery with Prime for the win!
Coffee
My iComfort mattress because I have arthritis in my hips and knees. Hotel mattresses always leave me restless so I appreciate mine so much.
I am signed up for your email subscriptions but I haven't gotten them for a month now. I keep re-subscribing but still nothing. I am not sure what to do. Is this happening to anyone else?
So sorry to hear that! There's been a problem with some subscribers getting removed; I have just added you back, and you should have a confirmation email now. Let me know if you don't!
- For my warm coat, ear muffs, scarf, gloves, boots. It's so snowy and freezing cold here and I get heavy hearted whenever I'm outside and I think of unfortunate individuals who don't have ways to stay warm. The heavy-heartedness for others weighs me down but I also appreciate my warm gear so much.
- That someone adopted my grandma's cat. My grandma just passed away and it wasn't easy finding someone to take her cat. But a willing home was finally found and I'm so glad she didn't have to go to a shelter.
- That I'm making slow but steady progress on my goal to lose my extra weight.
- For my refrigerator. It's a side by side, which I hate. BUT it does its job of storing our food and it works well and that's a good thing!
- That our cat still seems well. Last year we had a small tumor removed from her mouth because she couldn't eat. The vet said it will probably come back. So far she's still good. She's almost 13 now and we've had her since she was a kitten; I really hope she has a few good years left. <3
Thankful for .... bright blue skies and sunshine today. Highly unusual in Michigan this time of year and we are getting it two days in a row.
Enough snow for my hubby and I to (finally!) go snowshoeing yesterday at one of our state parks. The fresh air, the prettiness of the snow, the animal tracks .... it was refreshing to my soul.
That my siblings and I can get in (on a limited schedule) to see my mom in-person at her assisted living facility. SO many benefits to this beyond the obvious one of us being able to spend time together. When I'm there, I try to help her make phone calls when she is feeling awake and energetic enough to do so--otherwise, it's a guessing game and frustrating for both parties involved.
Online options for completing continuing ed--my workplace has given us access to an online provider at no cost to us. Convenient, and free! Since my national recertification was due this year, it was a huge blessing to me to have that option.
My family. My kids have been amazing about all the craziness this year and my hubby picks up the pieces every time there is a health crisis with my mom (and we've had a lot of those this past year).
I’m grateful that my new work colleague Sarah is good fun and we have a similar sense of humour. We are the same age as well which means our reference points are similar, we both burst into the same TV advertising jingle from the 70s, our other colleagues were slightly disturbed which made it even funnier.
I’m grateful fir meal planning, and that my sons check the planner on the fridge prior to using an ingredient. They check with me first if they’re not sure which is super sweet.
I’m grateful that I’m selling more on eBay and have been able to sell some items for a friend who is short on time
I’m grateful that I’ve received my first COVID jab as have my parents. I’m a frontline worker in a hospital so I got it early by virtue of my job.
I’m grateful that I have an interview for an internal promotion on Friday only 5 weeks after starting my new role. I’m so very excited as well!
A very brief TW:
Thankful for the friend of a friend who got a foot in the door for me at a local residential facility for DH. I had a longish chat with the admissions person there yesterday, and I now have a much clearer idea of what I need to do and when. Nothing's going to happen immediately, but I'm reasonably hopeful of having a placement for him there before 2021 is over.
Thankful for our snowplowing/lawn care guy, who has been doing a fine job throughout the current winter storm in Upstate NY. He's not cheap, but he's worth it.
Thankful for our home care agency. I've just had a chat with them about extending our hours even further (now that we're through the 90-service-day deductible period with our long-term care insurance and some money is starting to come in), and they've also let me know that they can do more re: overnight and long-term respite care than I thought.
And thankful for the long-term care insurance. One of the best frugal moves we ever made may have been obtaining this when I was 55 and DH was 61 (it doesn't pay to wait till you're older and already have a lot of pre-existing conditions). Yes, I know, nobody wants to hear about this. But I suggest to all you younger folks in the US that you don't want to wait till you're in my shoes and **don't** have LTCI.
Actually, yes, I would like to hear about your LTCI experience and what you've learned. Both of my parents have needed to be in facilities in recent years and it's definitely gotten me thinking about if/when I should do it.
We bought the LTCI from Genworth through our AARP membership. When buying, be sure that you get the coverage for home help, not just for facility residence.
And I'm not kidding anyone that this is cheap, even if it's purchased when you're relatively young. But it's a lot better than having you or your loved one be bled dry till you qualify for Medicaid.
Oh my gosh, I'm hoping so hard for you re: that local facility!
That's good to know...thank you!
And here's hoping you can get more help for your DH (and by extension, you!).
I love finding old notes like that from my kids, who are now grown and have their own kids. After my mom died, we discovered she kept every letter her children, young or grown, wrote her, and it was both amusing and sweet to read some from my 11 year old self that I'd written to her during a time when she was away for six weeks in the hospital, several hours from home. Thanks, Kristen, for bringing back that touching memory to me!
I'm thankful that although we had to go back to the VA hospital yesterday, after my husband was just there last week for a procedure, this visit was only for his routine endocrinology appointment, and there was no difficulty there.
I'm thankful for my little space heater at work. These big guys I work with -- they are all but one of them 6' and over -- like the office to be cool, so I am happy that they have no problem with me running a space heater in my office.
Our energy supplier has recently notified us that they are installing a system that should isolate any outage, so that everyone on the line doesn't lose power due to one tree limb on one section of the line. If this works, I'll be doubly grateful. We are a heavily forested county, and trees or limbs on lines is a common problem.
I'm thankful that on the 19th, my husband and I are scheduled to get our second vaccine.
I'm thankful for the first little carrots we've had from our container garden. They were very sweet and crunchy. I'm hoping the deer stay away and that the rest of the carrots mature well.
I have two big ones this week!
-My son was hit by a car while biking to school ~18 months ago. (He was just bruised & scraped, thankfully). However, I've been advocating across a bunch of different groups to add some safety precautions to the intersection - a freeway offramp ends at a school crossing, so it was less than ideal. They made the improvements last week, and I'm so grateful for the increased safety for all of the bikers & pedestrians!
-My parents live in a very rural area & have been spending hours daily to try & find a COVID vaccine. I was fasting on Friday & trying to distract myself, and several hours of my time paid off. Found them both a vaccine for this Friday. It's a 3+ hour drive each way, but they are so very happy to get the opportunity for a vaccine
On to the smaller stuff:
-I'm grateful for (masked, socially distanced, COVID protocol following) soccer starting back up this week. Winter was really hard for my teen kids, and this marks a return to normalcy that is so needed.
-For sparkling water, on a fasting day. The La Croix limoncello is delightful & cheers me up, when I'm trying to "have lunch"
-For gorgeous weather today. I'm finding the rainy/gray days much harder to deal with during this winter, & getting outside is helping me maintain my mojo during some of the challenges.
First and foremost, I thank God for each new day I am granted,
I am thankful for a tiny, 3 foot tall snowman outside my sliding glass door built for me by my 6-y.o. nephew and his mom. Such a kind and sweet gesture.
Thankful for all the free library books I get on my Libby app. I am averaging 5 books per week and I am able to put books on hold, such a treat for me as it is very hard for me to get out.
I am very thankful for my warm room and good lighting. Along with those I am thankful to have purchased a whole house natural gas generator years ago that has paid for itself many times over.
And I am thankful that all the Christmas boxes I mailed in December have finally been safely delivered. My kids and grandkids had extra Christmas holiday fun opening gifts well into the end of January. Shout out to all the postal workers!
1. My kids. It's easy to take them for granted but sometimes I look at them and they take my breath away. They're teenagers so not every moment is rosy, but I think I'm starting to see what kind of adults they'll become (believe me, I know that a thousand different things can happen between now and then, but I feel hopeful) and I'm filled with thankfulness.
2. Work. I'm repeating myself about this, but I sure do enjoy working. I was a stay-at-home mom for many years and I'm enjoying being back in the workforce so much. Sometimes my coworkers and I have to laugh about different situations that come up at work, and I just love that.
3. My foot pain (plantar fasciitis) is getting a little better. I still haven't started doing everything that the doctor recommended but I've started on some of it, and it feels slightly better. I don't hobble as much when I first get out of bed in the mornings.
I feel your pain literally! I’ve had it twice, and on the upside, both times it went away completely on its own.
I have had it also----ouch! But I have good orthotics and only wear shoes they fit in.
I pay a lot for my sneakers but I consider it medicine.
Also I do my foot exercises faithfully and figured out to do calf exercises which helps my feet.
In 20 years I have had only one relapse.
That Snoopy sticker is adorable!
I am so thankful the hubs checked the weather this morning. We're supposed to get rain starting, well, now, but at 10 this morning it was 45 degrees and sunny so we gathered up our things and got in a quick mountain bike ride. It was very much needed and now I think the rest of my day will be even more productive.
I am also thankful for my clients and the flexible schedule I have.
I'm really thankful my Mom and Dad were able to get their first vaccine shots last week and had no ill effects. Also, my best friend's taste buds have been screwed up for 5 months from COVID (things taste rancid or rotten) and she's been able to add back navel oranges this month and peanuts and bananas last month! I'm really thankful every time she tells me something new she can eat again.
Last, I'm thankful for the big window by the dining room table so that I can work while watching the world go by.
Every thankful thing this week is related to our weather. It was 43 below and with the stiff wind, about 72 below, so we are so very thankful for:
1. a vehicle that started back up after sitting in the doctor's parking lot for over an hour;
2. a furnace that runs despite the increased load to it;
3. the poor oil delivery guy who had to drag the hose through the snow (we did shovel a path for him) and stand there while we got 300 gallons of fuel for that furnace;
4. grocery curbside pick up so no negotiating the slippery parking lot
5. BritBox and Acorn, keeping us entertained since going outdoors is pretty much out of the question at our ages (cold is worse when you get older!)
6. the library is still keeping the curbside pickup going.
7. that we replaced old windows last summer and put in triple paned glass so no drafts.
I meant to add that your child's note to you reminded me of something. Last summer I found a packet of letters my father sent me when I was in boarding school. He was 17 and I was startled to realize that when he wrote these letters I was 12 so he was 29 or 30 years old. I was a complete handful for a single father, which is how I ended up sent off to a convent boarding school. I am glad I kept those letters and was able to share them with my younger siblings because there is almost a decade between them and me so they never experienced him that young. And it made me remember him more kindly for some of the screwball things he did as a father.
17 when I was born I meant to say.
My word, I can't imagine cold like that. I'm glad you guys are warm!
I think that we might need to "meet" Lindsey in a future post. I would love to hear her story!
Becky, I agree with you! I have a mental list of readers I'm really hoping will be featured at some point.
Ooh, I'm curious! Send me an email with your list of suggestions, and I will send out interview questions to those readers. No guarantees they will say yes, but we can try. 🙂
This one is easy! My old man cat (soon to be fourteen) was suddenly sneezy, congested, and constantly shaking his head. We were immediately worried, as last year we lost his older brother to something similar: Suddenly sneezy Saturday, then having to put him down at the emergency vet first thing Sunday because he had gone from sniffles to unable breathe and heart failure just like that.
Our regular vet was able to work an appointment for my boy into a busy day yesterday--I'm thankful for an amazing vet! Happily it was just a bad case of sinusitis, easily treatable with two shots (one antibiotic, one anti-inflammatory for his sinuses). The vet assured me that my old man cat is otherwise in perfect health, and he's markedly better and happier today. What's fair to our pets is always our priority, so I'm VERY thankful it ended up being such a low-key event!
Bonus thankfulness: I'm glad the drugs could be administered via two shots instead of a week's worth of pills, which is easier on EVERYONE. The shots were the pricier option but SO worth it! That's what frugality is for: Avoiding having two adults haphazardly wrestle one average-sized, senior-but-spry cat. 😛
So glad your cat will be ok!
Thank you! Also, randomly: When at CVS, I noticed they had big, thick Snoopy slipper socks in the Valentine's section. I immediately thought of you and thought you'd like to know. 🙂
Extremely relevant information. Heh.
I totally agree that with you when you say "that's what frugality is for..." I try to be frugal in ways that I can so I can spend on health care for my cats, or travel, or whatever are my priorities. Very glad your "old man" (love old cats) is on the mend and that he has such a good human guardian caring for him.
Thank you so much, Mary. You sound like a great pet parent, yourself!
Thankful for:
The vaccine
A loving life partner
Clean Sheets
A strong cup of Coffee
A sunny day!
Found good deal on Mrs Meyer's hand soap the only soap that does not trash my skin.
Found good deal on Shark Robot vacuum. I'm retiring from vacuuming!
I missed getting hit by a van pulling out of a parking space. Not my car but me. So overall good day.
I desperately need a robotic vacuum AND thanks to my being frugal in other areas, I can afford one. But how do I choose? Mar, Kristen, anyone who has insight, please help me out!
Jenny: This was from the end of December--
https://www.thefrugalgirl.com/talk-to-me-about-robot-vacuums/
Oh, thank you for finding that link! I meant to do it yesterday and totally forgot.
I'm thankful for the joy playing in the snow brought to my children. I love seeing that so much.
I'm thankful my daughter is excited to be getting glasses for the first time and that we found a pair of frames that looks so nice on her.
I'm thankful for a chance to spend a day with said daughter on our "date to the eye doctor."
I'm thankful we had enough leftovers for lunch and supper today. I only cooked breakfast.
I'm thankful for not having been bored for the last several years.
I'm thankful that my husband is scooping the bones out of the giant pot of beef broth that was cooking on the stove for the last 24 hours. (Busy stove makes you especially thankful for lots of leftovers, right?)
I'm very much looking forward to the carrot/oatmeal post and my eyebrows definitely raised when I saw that!
I'm thankful...
* For a trip to the store tonight just me and my 2yo. Her enjoyment of life is a treat.
* That we've had two sunny days in a row! Big deal here in Michigan. I even got to shovel snow without a coat on today because it was so nice out.
* My oldest child is about to have a birthday and in her mind she was going to have a normal birthday party with lots of friends at our house. I dreaded breaking the news to her that COVID restrictions weren't going to allow for a normal party because she really looks forward to it every year, but she handled the news graciously and is happy with the alternative plan we offered. I am SO thankful for this!!!
Also, that note from Lisey is so sweet! A definite treasure.
I am thankful that my imperfect body was able to shovel 15 inches of heavy snow and that my achy back recovered quickly.
I am thankful that I was lucky enough to be in the first tier for Vaccines in my state and got my second shot yesterday.
I am thankful for the woman who administered the second shot who told me she was a veterinarian and offered me a scratch behind the ears. Haha.
I am thankful for the heating repairman that was available to come fix my heater just before the big storm came.
I am thankful for Saturday breakfasts of pancakes and coffee.
1. I’m thankful we all tested negative for COVid last week and antibiotics treated my sinus infection.
2. I am thankful that we have the option to keep our son home From school while there is a stomach virus going around in addition to teachers who are quarantined for exposure. This is not easy as it is very difficult for me to be able to get my work done with my son home and all the distractions but many parents don’t have this option and would lose their jobs if they can’t get to their office. We are so blessed.
3. For two almost full freezers and a well stocked pantry. Lower grocery costs allow us to save for other things...like vacation! And there is nothing like spaghetti bolognese made with homegrown tomatoes or baby back ribs cooked in home canned peach salsa. Yum!
4. For a lovely local jeweler who was somehow able to put my husband’s glasses back together after he broke two pairs in half completely. And for eye doctors who were able to see him
So we could order new glasses right away. This seems like nothing but my husband has diabetic retinopathy and relies on his glasses for all day to day life/work.
5. For the option to thoughtfully consider where our family will live. COVId has made us think carefully where we would like to lay down our roots and although there are many pros and cons lists to go over. We are free to decide what is best for us and that is a gift.
I'm thankful I live in a place with no trees to fall on power lines. This actually didn't occur to me right away, and I was surprised we didn't lose power more frequently in the first year we were here, what with the high winds and long distances the lines have to go. And then my husband reminded me that there's really nothing for the lines to get broken by. Right. Hooray.
I was just thinking this morning that I'm thankful to have a tub and faucet that makes it easy for me to wash my hair while I'm kneeling outside the tub. This allows me to shower at night without washing my hair, and then just do my hair in the morning, thereby saving me 15 minutes in the morning when I have to be out the door early. Our bathrooms in all other ways are, um, not deluxe--they're the original bathrooms to the 1970s single-wide trailer our house is built around--but I do appreciate that one thing.
Thankful for two very warm days--70 degrees!--that allowed for lots of outdoor play time both in and out of school. Monitoring indoor recesses is challenging for me (SO LOUD), so I am so happy when all recesses can be outdoors.
Also thankful that the stretch of warm weather happened when two of the sheep had their lambs. The lambs dried off quickly and, since they didn't need to battle cold or wet conditions, got up on their feet quickly with no intervention by us.
And thankful for cream for my coffee in the mornings. Always.
I am grateful for:
- my 7 year old son: he asked me to be his valentine 🙂
- youtube yoga videos: I have been loving certain vinyasa sessions.
- good books: endless amounts of entertainment.
Thankful it started snowing AFTER I picked my son up from preschool.
Thankful for four seasons. The snow really is beautiful and fun to play in even if driving in snow is a pain.
Thankful for our chest freezer. We are able to stock up on clearance food or on sale food and save a lot of money, as well as always have a good amount of food on hand in case anything happened.
Thankful for my two boys. They keep us busy but also make life interesting and fun.
Thankful for my son’s preschool teacher. How any human keeps a group of 16 preschoolers in line for hours absolutely amazes me.
I am extremely thankful that my dad's heart surgery went well (it took over five hours and we were nervously waiting for the surgeon's phone call). It was scheduled to take place on Wednesday, but was postponed to Thursday. He is still on the ICU, but will be transferred to the general ward at the weekend. My heart is full of gratitude!