August 31: dear daughter visiting

Today I am thankful that DD's over to visit. We don't do anything special, just hang out and chat and maybe reference current events and pop culture things. She delighted me by recognizing the spiral fidget toy and enjoying playing with it for a few moments. (I purchased two.) I offered that she could take and keep it, and she said, "but I'll lose interest", and I said, "so will I", which gave us a chuckle. Yes, stuff is just stuff, but it can be amusing for a while. And then shared with others for their amusement!

Today I am thankful for naps. I took two good ones this morning, after waking up too early in the wee hours.

Today I am grateful for a three day weekend, just to give me a little more breathing room to take those naps and do the regular chores. I aspire to do much more de-cluttering, but finding the time while still working a full time job proves challenging.

Today I am grateful that I work a job where my demise would be noticed. Adieu, Denise Prudhomme, may your memory be for blessing.

Today I am thankful that in our single-house state legislature state, the voters seem to be on top of their function as the second house.  Multiple ballot initiatives seem destined to appear on the ballot when next we raise our collective voices.

May you find many things to be thankful for today, too. 

August 30: old friends

Well, the natural gratitude today is for old friends. One of mine has a birthday today, as well as his wedding anniversary. Me and my "not-husband" (March 2022 - where does the time go?):

Today I am thankful my boss did not ask me to get food for Tuesday morning's meeting. She did ask me to prepare the coffee urn; I can do that.

Today I am thankful for the advantage of learning about wigs as my mother wore them for her thinning hair and cold head. Now I'm wearing them for the same reasons, and putting that knowledge to good use.

I am grateful for the generous spirit that overcame and-or moved me today. Sharing has always been hard for me. But maybe this was giving. Giving feels different than sharing. I willingly gave a new spiral fidget toy to a coworker when she said it seemed like something her son would like. And she accepted! I also gave my best pen to a different coworker, who was filling in for an essential third coworker today. My behavior didn't seem like me to me, but I was grateful for it. I may very well find that pen on Tuesday, but if I don't, I'll be okay. Maybe it's the wisdom of age and knowing the stuff is just stuff and other things matter so much more.

Hope you are having a good day, too!

Love and Hugs, Ace

August 29: tonsil rocks

 Today I am grateful to know that others get tonsil rocks. I am not alone. I will not be spending $100 for the wayer-pik-like gadget which will allegedly clean them out. Gargling will have to be enough.

Today I am thankful for the mindless distraction of the matching game on my phone. I am tired, and I may lay down shortly.

Today I am thankful for the weather front that stormed through and dropped our temperature by 25 degrees. So much better!

Hugs and love and have a good day! To

Benji

 

Today I am thankful for our furry companion. Picture from one week ago, his latest grooming. He looks like the wise fella he is.

Today I am grateful I have rings in multiple sizes, to accommodate my fingers as my weight fluctuates and-or if they swell.

Today I am thankful for my 'better half', feeling like he balances out or helps me temper my emotional extremes. Hey, who knew, there may be an upside to marrying an actor! (Don't get me started on the down sides, lol 😂!)

August 27: Humor

 Today I am thankful for humor. 

This bumper sticker reminded me of a dear niece who is full of humor.

If you don't get the next ones, just let it wash over you. Find your own funny!

 See how I dress? Very mindful, very demure. Very thoughtful, very considerate, only a little cutesy. This isn't a fashion show, ladies.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 

Thank you Jools and TikTok.

This is the dress SPINNINGJW and I each bought for ourselves without knowing the other one had it. So cutesy! And amusing myself at the store, a tribute to Jen's visit:

Of course I returned them to their proper places. Very thoughtful. 😁

As Mr. Greg would say, "Find your joy!" 🥰

August 26: setting boundaries

Today I am grateful to hear DH sticking to the boundaries he set with a toxic person.

Today I am thankful to still have DH here to delight and to irritate me. I am grateful we’ve had 36 years together.

I am grateful we have Benji to care for and fuss about. I am grateful the heat is supposed to begin to diminish tomorrow.

Today I am thankful for this exercise of codifying gratitudes. I believe it is helping me navigate this part of the year more successfully. Until tomorrow (I hope)!

❤️

August 25: Sunset

Today I am thankful for unexpected gratitude, like:

Today, I am thankful the sun is setting earlier. Anything to help mitigate this unbearable heat.

Today I am grateful for indoor pads for dog use. Outdoors isn’t fit for man nor beast.

And I am grateful for air conditioning, and stores that open early, and visiting with sisters...and, and, and. 

Predictable gratitudes for me. But at the time of year when I am cross about daily dwindling of daylight, I surprised myself by being glad the sun would go down soon, and hopefully give the earth a chance to catch its breath, as it were. One more day of oppressive heat to go, in this round.

August 24: Bonnie's story

 

Today I am grateful for the story of Dr. Forbes and Spirit's legacy fund providing life saving care to Bonnie, who was discharged from the animal hospital on Thursday. I didn't follow this content creator until the first video scrolled into my for you page last weekend. I connected with the situation (sick dog, great love, limited finances) and sobbed with so many others, and people contributed, and Dr. Forbes - who was so exhausted - extended herself and we got to see Bonnie reunite with her mom. Happy tears this time. So glad for social media used as a force for good!

August 23: Hugs

Today I am thankful for hugs.

The trauma of the lack of them during them pandemic lingers; but a coworker and I discovered we share the love language of touch and she has scheduled me for 3 hugs per workday. Such a fortifier for me! So grateful for this giving person.

August 22: Aging

Today I am grateful that I am not as adverse to aging as many people are. Or, as I thought to myself earlier this year, "My wrinkles are coming in nicely."

My thoughts turn toward the future as I wish to empty the house. Marie Kondo wrote a wonderful book, but doesn't really deal with living with other people who have no desire to shed possessions. Sigh.

Today I am grateful that people call me 'dear' with kindness. I am grateful that others will excuse me for calling them 'dear'. I find it can be a nice term in the world of customer service and just genuine human kindness.

Today I am thankful that other humans give me a more pleasant face when I'm wearing my wig. Do we write off older people as set in their ways and not giving a fart about social niceties? That would be a real shame. Do we stereotype them as crochety and unpleasant? Again, what a pity. Not every aging person can be the gregarious extrovert, but that doesn't mean us quiet ones are surly by nature. At least not all of us 😉.

August 21: the lottery

 You know, I won Mega millions last night. I just know I did. I haven't checked my numbers yet, but that jackpot is mine.

Today I am grateful for dreams of what I would do if I did indeed win the jackpot. I am grateful for whoever advised - try to make those things happen anyway. Good advice for setting some life and long term goals for me. And I'm happy. I have hit some of those objectives.

Today, later in life, my goals would be just to spend time with people I love. So when I check and see those numbers have hit, that's what I'll do. Or make it happen anyway.

August 20: Wheel of Fortune

 Today I am thankful for Wheel of Fortune,and Vanna, and Pat, and re-runs. Pleasant pastime, and demarcation to separate the times of day.

I am grateful for children and their honesty. I am grateful for music as a form of expression. I am grateful for people who care for others in tangible ways, conversations and hugs and promotions.

Enough said. My cup runneth over.

August 19: public libraries

 Today I am thankful for public libraries. One gave me respite between the barrage of duties at work and the barrage of duties at home today. 

I am grateful the full moon has peaked. I don't know why, but I feel better after it has. 

I am thankful for the tool of cronometer. So useful when I avail myself of its information on what I'm consuming.

Keep fighting the good fight!

August 18: DH's encouragement

 I'll let DH have the headline, since he let me put his picture in. Today I am grateful for DH's encouragement during the weekly grocery and goods shopping.  I typically go alone, and was surprised it took a full hour at the first store. I went for one item and bought nearly $90 worth of stuff. I texted him that I was done with the first store, cheering myself along with a muscle emoji 💪. I was elated to receive a 2-emoji response from him: kissy face and thumbs up 😘👍 My elation told me this was a harder trip than usual - sometimes I don't know what I feel until I get feedback from others. My emotions inconvenience others, I've learned, so if I don't perceive/express them, I get through the world better most of the time.

Today I am grateful for menopause and no longer having the inconvenience (and more) of the monthly cycle. Good riddance.

Today I am grateful for the ability to see, and read, for my impulse book purchase at store number one.

Not my genre, murder mystery; and I typically prefer nonfiction. But continuing to read on Poverty by America just seemed like more negativity than I can handle at the moment, although the facts are impartial facts. But it's depressing to see just how the structure of the U.S. hurts so many.

So I picked this up, intrigued by the plot of a high powered attorney having to defend their spouse against a charge of murdering his side piece. We shall see!

It's raining here today, so a good day to read a book. In fact, even as I wanted to overthink my purchases and needed to use the restroom, life-experience-woman inside me said, "you have to go now" and I listened. The first raindrop fell ad I shut the trunk on my purchases, and the first lightning flashed before I slid into the driver's seat. Whew! 

Home and DH helped bring in the groceries and I expressed my gratitude to him directly and said he's in my blog today and could I use his picture. I expected a no, so snapped the book cover first. I am grateful to my father for teaching me things about photography. I am grateful to google for cross-devicing the photos. I am grateful for the ease of use of phone cameras.

Okay, time to go read!

Have a good day - hugs and love, Ace

The Barbie Movie, grocery store deli, and intuitive eating

Today I am thankful for the Barbie movie. Last year, it kept my spirits up, and was a fun and entertaining wild ride for me. I thought it would be an easy holiday gift for DH to get for me ... BUT he was hospitalized and the holidays did not go as planned. I finally picked up a copy for myself this summer, and watched it again. While it was still entertaining, it hit different this summer: I found it problematic, to be simultaneously rejecting AND reinforcing stereotypes, and I missed my neighbor from times gone by with whom I could have had a lengthy discussion about it.

Today I am also grateful for the grocery store deli, preparing foods to a greater extent than I would, so I could have a tasty lunch. I am grateful for intuitive eating, which had me pair a fresh apple with the pasta salad I purchased.  Makes me feel at least a little balanced with my consumption.

Have a great day!  Hugs & love, Ace

August 16: Television

 Yesterday I was grateful I could quiet this almost ever-present noise in our household.

Today, the cable provider was out for several hours. Absence makes the heart grow fonder!  I am thankful for the routine of the TV noise once again being available to us, providing structure and conversational fodder.

I am thankful my dear sister survived the morning walk with her young dog. Whew!

I am grateful for the insight and intelligence of my DD, who called a personal assessment for my job "workplace astrology". Humorous, and somewhat accurate IMO.

I am grateful for the coworkers of decades ago, who called my attention to the inaccuracies of self-reporting my traits. That's how I tested as an ENTP when I'm actually an INFJ, for those of you who speak Meyers Briggs.

So thankful for the weekend's rest, which is sorely needed. ttyl 💚

August 14 & 15: Forgiveness and persistence

Yesterday I was grateful for forgiveness. I forgave myself for not being able to do a blog. The dog and the man pushed me to bedtime early, and I grudgingly went, then slept like a rock. I have to admit their assessment of my condition was correct.

Today I am appreciating the persistence of my coworkers. One confided approaching their breaking point. A little later I was worried they had reached it; so grateful they returned!  Just getting coffee.

Right now, I am thankful for the mute button. I can momentarily relieve myself of the television sound so I can get this typed.  Until tomorrow, I hope!

August 13: Home

Today I am thankful for a physical place to call home. A place to rest. A place to restore myself.

I am thankful for couch blankets to keep my toes warm.

I am thankful for brain downtime. My thought work has been taxed thoroughly this week, and it's only Tuesday.

Until tomorrow! 💙

August 12: Flowers

Today I am thankful Benji ate his dry kibble with dinner. I really don't want to cook for the dog. Heck, I don't cook for DH or myself.

Today I am thankful for what appears to be a baby wild morning glory in our yard. And more surprise lilies making an appearance.

Then there are the remnants of wildflower seeds still sprouting 2 years after their intentional planting. And a lovely pop of purple flower from what I would otherwise call a weed. Nice among all the gray and brown.

Today I am thankful the first day of school is over. And I'm a bit surprised at my fondness for school being in session, considering myself largely an introvert. But I like to be busy, and boy howdy, this job fills that bill!

To a good night's rest, for all of us.

August 11: The Internet and Community Organizers

 Today I am thankful for the internet, which provides me with parasocial relationships, and information to research what I need to feed this dog. Evidently chicken alone, or even chicken and rice, will not meet his nutritional needs. I tried some no-salt green beans today. The detritus:

I cannot tell if he ingested any.  He was aggressive when I cleaned up the first bit of messed-with green beans on the floor, so I'm hoping. I'll also ask DH to call the vet to ask about what to feed him (if he'll eat it) to round out his diet better.

Today I am grateful to the people organizing and executing the tree debris clean up locally. I thought the August 19th deadline for the free drop off sites was generous, until I drove around on errands today.

This was impressive damage - more so from the driving by angle, but I can't stop in the roadway - that's in the middle of being cleaned up. There are piles of branches and twigs here and there on the curb around town, too. So whoever's planning may be right on target with that August 19th date, and not as generous as I initially assumed.  Well, you know what they say about assuming!

August 10: Caffeine

 Today I am thankful for caffeine, to get things moving. I woke, certain that DH had called out for me. He was still sound asleep.

I am thankful for sunrise and sunset, lovely demarcations of the day.

I am thankful for nothing on the schedule, so I can give Benji all the sniffing time he wants and needs, and observe him more closely. 

Have a good day, everyone! Hugs and love, Ace

August 9th: Emotion

 I approach the shared mini iPad with trepidation. I do not feel grateful. I do not like the way emotions make me feel.

And yet, I am grateful for them. Emotions are the lifeblood of life. Tired as I am, I am pleased with my efforts at work today. An insanely busy workweek, yet I did my best with it. And what more can we ask of ourselves, than to do our best?

I look forward to learning more about my coworkers this year. I am thankful for things to look forward to!

August 8th: rest

 Today I am thankful for rest, and need to be getting some. May we rise up to life renewed.

August 7th: Benji's feeling better

 Oh, thank goodness, Benji is starting to act more like his normal self. I truly wonder if he caught a virus 4 weeks ago at daycare 😞

 Today I am thankful for the silly phone game that soothes my brain. Today I am thankful for nail polish to entertain myself, decorate myself, preserve whatever nails I have to protect my fingers.

Today I am thankful for the vet again, who called to check on our patient. Lordy, Benji needs a grooming as well as the daycare socialization, but she said he needs to go a full 24 hours without his "hack a loogie" cough before he can go back.

Today I am thankful for an understanding sister, who allows me reprieve when work and the world have taken too much out of me.

Today I am thankful for Wheel of Fortune. Brain and soul soothing. I hope I still like it this much if it is on all the time at whatever care facility I may need as I age. Will we even have TV broadcasts then?

I am grateful to whoever came up with Snoop Dogg and Martha watching dressage at the Olympics. So fun and funny!

I am grateful to my smart and strong and funny offspring. How did that happen? Grateful DH said okay, we can have a kid. Grateful he took that risk, despite worrying he would be awful at parenting. Grateful DD came over to visit Benji today. I think it cheered him up.

I'm grateful for golden rules, like do unto others as you would have them do unto you, and mind your own business. 😂

I left work thinking I would not be able to write a gratitude blog. I was not feeling grateful for anything, or so I thought. But like a muscle, working it out regularly seems to bring it strength, feels like it comes out of nowhere, but that working out has an effect.

Here's to goal setting and goal achieving!  Have a good 24 hours ... or until I write again.

💗Hugs and love, Ace

August 6th: Veterinarians

Today I am grateful to have the mental capacity to know that I dated yesterday's blog title incorrectly. I was pretty tired last night. The dog even barked me into going to bed before I wanted to.

Today I am grateful for veterinarians. Benji was doing poorly enough that DH took him to the vet, AND even called me at work while they were there. Poor fella (Benji) has pancreatitis and poor fella (DH) needs to quit feeding him peanut butter and other fatty foods. Glad the vet was clear with them about that.

Benji didn't eat the low fat canned dog food; but he did eat some unseasoned baked chicken breast. Kept it down (he's on an anti-nausea med). Wonder how long this will take to resolve. DH cancelled doggie daycare and the grooming we had planned for tomorrow. One of the ironies is that we fed him the allergy meds twice a day in peanut butter, recently, which may hsave exacerbated any pancreatic inflammation he may have been getting. Oy.  The new med he accepted in a bit of the canned food; DH needs to give it to him once a day. Glad I'll be at work.

Today I am grateful for my patella, which is strong and whole and bore the brunt of a recent stumble up stone steps. 

Today I am grateful for the ease of use of the phone camera, which records an image that reminds me of what I was thankful for earlier in the day.

Hope you had a good one!  Hugs and love, Ace

August 4th: Work

Today I am thankful that I still enjoy the challenge of the workplace.

Today I am thankful I get to enjoy the mini cold Kahlua liqueur I've been hankering for for maybe a week, week and a half.

I am thankful a tree branch disappeared and we don't have to clean it up. Thank you, neighbor or good Samaritan!

said branch

I hope you have a good day, and many more.

Love & Hugs, Ace

August 4th: Commerce

 Today I am thankful for the marketplace, commerce, stores that are open when I urgently need a restroom and they have one I can use, and I make a courtesy purchase in gratitude for its availability and use. Today’s courtesy purchase:

I am thankful for birthdays; today’s is an amazing woman’s birthday. She’s the same age as the fellow  whose memorial service DH and I attended yesterday. 😮 Time flies. We cannot take life for granted.

I dreamt of our late friend and bizarre work scenarios last night. Easy does it. The food place is supposed to call me today to confirm tomorrow morning’s early order for work. Nothing like working on your own time. Easy does it. Plan B is to show up there an hour before the requested items are to be ready, to make sure the ball is rolling.

Seven more years before I’m eligible for retirement. Seriously? And then my reward is lowered income and five times higher health insurance premium? Good grief.

Back to the gratitude antidotes. Yes, antidotes. I suppose anecdotes, too, at times. I am grateful to have a job and the wherewithal to pay for others to take care of me (the coffee shop, the convenience store, and the drive thru breakfast places this morning), and me to take care of others - i.e. DH’s plan G premium.

Have a good day, everyone! Hugs and Love, Ace

August 3rd: Nail Polish

 

Today I am thankful that DD left nail polishes and tools here when she moved out. It gives me more selection to use on my current nails.

I have very, very, very thin nails that are of no consequence most of the year. Sometimes in the summer I get lucky and they grow and I can have some fun:

Last week I discovered the leftover (abandoned?) tools, and added a heart and a flower to my manicure. With the pale background, they may have looked more like debris that didn't get washed off. Oh, well, I enjoyed them!

Not sure what this week's iteration will look like. So many choices! 

Have a good day - love & hugs, Ace

August 2nd: My Boss

Today I am grateful for my boss, for taking on the role of leadership and carrying the weight that comes with that. By the end of the day they were driving me crazy, which makes me realize as I type this how much of a family my workplace is. Lol and Hmmm. 🤔

I am thankful for cats, because they bring so much joy to so many people, and sharing cat content is one of the best uses of the internet IMO.

I am grateful for eggs, a cheap and easy to prepare protein rich food.

I am so grateful to all the helpers working to restore my city after bad storms - water, trees, electricity, communication - many, many things we take for granted but really, really require a lot of work. Like learning what food to toss after a power outage, and where to get more.

Today I am thankful for my spouse. His support means so much right now.

Wishing you a wonderful day!

August 1st: The smell of coffee

Today I am grateful to smell DH's coffee automatically brewing first thing in the morning; it means our electric power has been restored.

I am grateful DH and Benji made it home safely yesterday. A storm blew through our landlocked area with tropical storm force winds. DH drove in the thick of it to pick up Benji from daycare.

The deciduous hardwood trees took the winds as well as they could, but the wreckage is significant. Approximately 10% of the population lost power. My usual coffee shop is closed today for lack of electricity; so is DD's workplace. And DD's home is without power still. We were only off about 6 hours here.

I took a lovely long walk around the neighborhood yesterday with the last of the day's light. It was so nice to say hello to people on their porches and balconies, and chat a bit with some. At about the halfway point, I realized I had a very friendly dress on: light blue with dragons breathing rainbows (instead of fire) and I think white clouds too? Very elementary school, lol. In fact, a young child requested I close his car door for him, and I did so. Mom was on her cell phone. Older sibling thanked me through the dark tinted window. :)

Those types of human interactions are soul sustaining for me. But they don't happen often; we are in our dwellings, working on, watching, or communicating with screens. Sigh. I actually felt like a teenager again, with an unknown stretch of unscheduled time and "nothing to do".

Have a good day! Hugs and love, Ace