This week, I am thankful:
for a fun visit with my friend Carrie
She spent the weekend at my house, and we had such a fun time together.
Unfortunately, we only took one picture together because we were just so busy chatting. I only remember to take this one right before I dropped her off at the airport!
Carrie and I are both the opposite of night owls, and when she started yawning around 8:30/9:00, I felt very validated. Normally I am the only early bird in my house, so it was a fun and interesting experience to have a fellow early bird here!
for an extra room for a guest
I don’t think I’ve ever had an extra room in any of my adult houses, but now that Lisey has jetted off to Hawaii, I do have an empty bed.
So, that was perfect for Carrie’s visit! She didn’t need to pay for a hotel room this way. 🙂
that Zoe’s fall semester books are so cheap
Several of the resources have free online access, and one of them is an affordable online access code.
Plus, we already have the TI-84 graphing calculator that she needs for her math class, which is great because those things are not cheap.
Since my books were over $1300, I’m glad at least one of us has a cheap semester of books!
for a fast DMV experience
Lisey got her car registered in Hawaii, so she sent her plates back to me.
And I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the front desk person was able to quickly do my plate return as soon as I walked in. SWEET.
I am always happy to have a speedy experience at a motor vehicle government building. 🙂
for an upcoming insurance refund
Her insurance got paid for the year shortly after she moved to Hawaii, so now almost the whole year’s amount is getting refunded back. Excellent.
that it’s not always this humid
The other day I woke and as I was getting ready to go out for a walk, I noticed my front windows looked like this:
And I knew I was in for a very humid walk!
But luckily, this level of humidity is an anomaly.
Also: it’s the middle of August. That means September is comin’ really soon! And at some point in September, the air will clear up a bit.
for the green caused by the humidity
I try to remember that this lush green-ness requires a humid environment.
And I DO love the green, so that helps me make peace with the humidity.
If you look carefully, you can actually see the muggy air.
for the fun of puzzle-doing
Zoe bought a puzzle a little while back (mainly because it has a cat on it!) so she and I have been working on it together, and my friend Carrie and I did as well, while we chatted.
that my shoes got me home
I have put a LOT of miles on this pair of shoes; probably more than I should have. And yesterday when I was walking, the sole started to come off of one of the shoes.
I did make it home without the sole coming completely off, but this seemed like a clear sign that it was time to retire the shoes. 😉
Luckily I did have another pair already. I guess I was just waiting for my original pair to REALLY wear out.
for beautiful skies last night
I took my walk uncharacteristically late in the day, and the evening sky was so lovely.
that I got my car stereo working again
Oddly, when I got into my car yesterday afternoon, my van’s head unit was completely blank. It had been working fine that morning, so I have no idea what happened.
I was a little stumped at first, but then I noticed a tiny hole in the lower left corner that looked like it might be a reset button.
So, when I got home, I inserted a straightened paper clip and sure enough, the system turned on. Yay!
see the tiny hole in the lower left corner?
I am very happy that I can listen to music again. Yay!
Jody S.
Friday 18th of August 2023
I’m thankful for enough time and energy at the end of a long day of driving to scroll through this week’s thankfuls to unwind.
I’m thankful for the backroads 2 of my boys and I traveled today.
I am thankful that my boys were able to see all of their living grandparents yesterday.
I am thankful for the Highway 63 Diner in Waterloo, Iowa. It’s good to eat a sandwich on a homemade roll.
I am so very thankful that dropping my son off at college this year is so different. He is excited to see his friends again and to start his classes. And this year I can blink and smile a little. And drive!
I am thankful that the other son with me is a capable navigator and a good companion for the return home. He’s also big and strong and makes me feel safe. I only wish that he could drive!
Auntiali
Friday 18th of August 2023
Thankful for being alive and being able to spend time with hubby. He doesn't have the stress he had when he was working so he's back to being his goofy loveable self. Life is good.
Kristen what kind of sneakers are you wearing? I'm intrigued by the wide toe box. I have big, fat, flat feet so I always need to get a wide.
Becca C
Friday 18th of August 2023
I am thankful we were able to get a couple kids coordinated at a play place for my son’s birthday. Trying to get multiple people to actually be free at the same time for a play date is difficult and I’m glad we were able to make it work.
I am thankful for a fun get together with two old coworkers. We have a lot in common and kids the same age so it was really a nice day, with all the kids playing at the beach and fun conversation.
I am thankful for cucumbers. Tons and tons of them! Usually all my garden gets eaten by the woodchuck, the bunnies, and the deer, but they left the cucumbers alone. So we have a big pile of them and they are delicious.
I am thankful for the late summer flowers. The goldenrod and sunflowers and black eyed Susans are so pretty this time of year.
I am thankful for my son learning to play cribbage! Playing with small children is special in it’s own way, but being able to play a “real” card game instead of endless go fish is a new level of parenting enjoyment we haven’t experienced before. Being able to do things with my kids I actually would want to do on my own is pretty cool.
Brenda
Friday 18th of August 2023
I have to say that your friend Carrie has the most beautiful hair! I’m glad for both of you that you got to visit! This week, I am thankful for: 1. An impromptu family gathering where I got to meet the newest member of our family, baby Myla, my nephews little one, only two months old. She healthy and beautiful and all the good things babies bring to families! 2. A nice long afternoon visit with a friend, she is going through some hard times and needed this visit, but it also filled my cup, because she is such a good person. 3. That my perennial gardens are doing well in this wet weather we’ve had almost all summer. My annuals are not thriving, but the perennials make up for it. 4. Our big front porch, where we both spend many hours in the summer, reading, watching the birds come to the feeders, sipping cold beverages and sometimes snoozing. It’s one of our favorite places to be! 5. A buy one, get one free sale at my favorite garden center, way out in the middle of nowhere but worth the drive. All the perennials were BOGO, the annuals $1.00, the massive, healthy hangers $10. I filled up the back of my Subaru with plants, and a couple of shrubs. All in preparation for my next garden project, two gardens flanking the porch. So, BOGO was perfect, because each plant has a matching partner! I tend to be kind of “matcha, matcha” so it works for me! Now, to get all this stuff in the ground before frost, which in Maine can happen in October. This thankful exercise is so good for me, because I thought I had kind of a crappy week, until I sat down to write my Thankful list. Thanks, Kristen for prompting me to look on the bright side!
Martha
Friday 18th of August 2023
I’m thankful for some extra time with my daughter. She’s still looking for a full-time job but works two part-time jobs which keep her busy. As well, she is constantly working on costumes she creates for cosplay events and for the MD Renaissance Festival. So even if we just do some errands together, I cherish the time! Today has been one of those times. I’m grateful my son and his wife were able to do a getaway for their first year anniversary. They had a wonderful time and stayed healthy, safe and happy. I’m so thankful for the breezes today. It’s a refreshing change to some of the recent humidity. I’m grateful for our pup, Wally, who loves to cuddle. He also gets the zoomies which make us laugh so hard. As always, I’m so thankful for good health. We don’t take that for granted.