This week, I am thankful:
for giggles over our doorbell
This week, Lisey realized that our vintage doorbell can play something like 25 different tunes. She got up on a chair and was running through them all the other night, and the way she was doing it was so funny.
Lisey makes Zoe and me laugh all the time and MAN we are gonna miss her when she graduates!
for a full house
As I type this on Wednesday night, Sonia and Zoe are hanging out together here, and Lisey’s boyfriend is over too. My driveway is full of cars, and it makes me happy that they all want to be here.
for blueberry pancakes
I am on a serious blueberry pancake kick right now. SO GOOD.
I’ve been using this whole wheat pancake recipe, and I just add blueberries.
I have buttermilk at the moment, but when I don’t, I’ve been using a half yogurt/half milk mixture in place, and that works great.
for my front window
I am having so much more success with houseplants now that I have a bow window!
for beautiful frosty mornings
Of course, I will welcome the spring change when it arrives in a few months.
But for now, I am appreciating the beauty of the frozen world on my early morning walks.
Every season has its own particular beauty, and this is true even in the dead of winter.
that Lisey passed all her FAA tests so far
She’s got the written ones all done, and later this month she’s got the oral and practical tests to navigate.
Those are apparently easier than the written ones, though, so I think she will do just fine.
for the friendship Lisey has with one of my classmates
Lisey is REALLY REALLY good at letter rearranging games, like Anagrams on the iMessage game app.
In my psych class last semester, we did a game sort of like Anagrams, and one of my classmates was super good at it. I said, “Oh, you should try playing with my daughter.”
So, she gave me her number and I gave it to Lisey and now they have been playing Anagrams every day, even though they’ve never met in person.
I think they are up to 300 games now, and this makes me smile.
for cat snuggles
She snuggles with Zoe most of the time…but she sometimes takes a little break to come snuggle with me.
Becca
Saturday 14th of January 2023
My city had a fireworks show to start off their winter festival. The 4th of July fireworks are always too late at night for my kiddos, but these were at 8:00, and I figured an extra half hour up late wouldn’t be the end of the world, so we bundled up and the kiddos saw fireworks for the first time. It was so fun and they loved it. I am so thankful for cool stuff to do even in the winter.
I am thankful for my husband. Our car broke for good and we had to buy a new-to-us car. We did it online, so now some things need to be fixed and carvana has to pay for it but the process of going back and forth with them and the repair shop is a bit of a pain. But my husband has done it all without complaining and I appreciate it. And I’m so grateful so don’t have to do it.
I am thankful for a week of unseasonably warm weather. While I miss the snow, a week of the 40s was very enjoyable for spending more time outdoors.
Thankful for a podcast guest on 1,000 hours outside who talked about parenting more challenging kiddos and it was exactly what I needed to hear at the perfect time.
Thankful for plain old black coffee. Nothing is more comforting in the morning than a warm cup when it is dark and cold outside.
Central Calif. Artist
Friday 13th of January 2023
Many thankfuls (including this blog which causes me to think carefully about the good things in life) 1. All the rain! 2. We don't live in an area where bridges washed out (couldn't afford riverfront property when we bought here 24 years ago. . . probably still couldn't!) 3. Not too much work now so there is time walk down to the river and watch the raging roaring boiling chocolate milk look of it all (too many recent low water years) 4. All the kind people who have been checking on us when they hear about the flooding and washouts on the news 5. Three cats who are all trained to come to the garage at night and have lasted 4 and 5 years now 6. So thankful to no longer let cats live in the house. Sometimes I miss cat snuggles, but I'm DONE with clawed furniture, cat hair, disrupted sleep, smells, and getting bossed around in my own house by an animal.
Chris in NZ
Thursday 12th of January 2023
Thankful for 1. My bike - we have had torrential rain for over a week and today the skies have cleared, so grateful to be able to cycle places . It’s a reminder to me that I cycle more for my mental health than for exercise and environmental reasons. 2. For a free mammogram thanks to a nationwide breast screening program, just had to pop into a mobile clinic at a local shopping centre. 3. Friends, hosted a dinner for out of town friends and enjoyed good wine, food and company. 4. My son came home for 4 days for a concert, he gets us playing cards after dinner and when he said goodbye it’s only 2 weeks until the next visit for a music festival. 5. For a new chore roster for my adult children who live at home - they need to cook dinner once a week. It was bliss to arrive home from work to an already prepared meal.
Sandy Beach
Thursday 12th of January 2023
Congratulations to Lisey!
-I'm thankful that an iguana didn't make it all the way into my neighbors house a few days ago. I heard loud screaming and then she called me so we could laugh about it together. It was trying to push in through her screen door and they chased it back out. I would die if I walked into my living room and found an iguana inside. They have taken over South Florida in the past few years.
- For my oldest (med school student). He sent me a text yesterday in-between patients, it was just a quick Hello, Have a great day Mom. It made me smile.
- And for my youngest. He and his girlfriend are teaching English in Spain this school year. He called yesterday to just talk for a while and tell me about his plans for when they come back.
Jean
Thursday 12th of January 2023
I am thankful for: 1) FEMA “claw” trucks have removed a great deal of the landscape and building debris (related to hurricane Ian) from our road in the last week - it is so nice to have it looking more normal 2) that repair work on our hurricane damage will start in earnest next week and that we have found good contractors 3) that a friend who is traveling loaned me her bridge pass so I can use it before it expires- that saves me money 4) that a friend has been inviting me to do water exercise with her 5) that I was able to bring a well received cookie tray to a lunch meeting -using up frozen cookie dough from the holidays. I freeze cookie dough “balls” for just such occasions.