Goodbye, blogspot, and thank you for the life raft

 I could never be part of Oceans Eight. My digital footprint is just. Too. Messy.

Sparkpeople in its new incarnation feels like it will work for me. So, off I go.

Keep on keeping on ❤️

Life without a garage

This morning I measured eight and a half inches of snow in our back yard. We park our cars in part of that. I've been know to say, "I'm getting too old for this sh*t", especially on mornings when I need to clear the car and somehow safely navigate two blocks of unplowed roads to get to the arterial.  Thank goodness work closed today!

I thought of DD, who needs to navigate even further to get to a main street, and there's no way her little car can get through this. She also does not have her car in a garage. It led me to realize I've never had a garage since being out on my own as an adult. My empathy went toward DD, and I wondered, how have I managed?

I think first and foremost, I tell myself it doesn't happen that often or last that long. This too shall pass.  Now the winter of 2009-2010 was exceptional around here, but still, we made it through. I guess I'm a natural (or trained as a child) optimist. Today I'm grateful for two days of weekend so roads can be cleared and I have a little more flexibility to clean off my car and decide when to venture out for any needed supplies.

Season of Gratitude

I have a perpetual gratitude journal that I've written in since 2012, at least, if not earlier. At our family meal today, I read what I noted from October 13-November 27 this year. It's the Canadian Thanksgiving to USA Thanksgiving time frame, a traditional season to exercise the gratitude muscles.
Here's what I noted:

Canadian Thanksgiving

bananas

medicines. naps. High Potential.

Benji gulped down his morning medicines. One of two work restroom air fresheners is used up (I'm allergic to them). I was grateful I forgot a community celebration, because I was so tired I shouldn't have gone even though I wanted to.

I didn't have to take my hearing aid charger to work.  My car still works.

my daddy

going to the grocery store Sunday afternoon reminded me why I like to go on Sunday morning

no runny dog poo piles to clean up first thing in the morning

Niece and Nephew foster parenting

I had more coffee available when I thought it was gone.

Benji's healthy turd.  No one was around when I had to fart loudly. Hat day protected my hearing aids from rain.

It's not MY child with the special celebration; I can arrive later to the event.

umbrellas. I am still able to work.

I can smell. Vivid stars. No Raynaud's. gratitudes flowing. Sunshine.

the filthy washcloths because it mean DH cleaned something. I have low-wax ears.

Cronometer

my eyesight - it allowed me to see how to level the laundry soap lid when I was having trouble putting it back on

a warm winter coat

Dr. office phone call understood my "rude" cultural whiteness

wool. Socks, specifically. Oh and the coat! an accidental full, hot bath and the time to enjoy it

The splinter from the floor did not go into my foot.

I no longer menstruate.

Benji. Red bush throwing pink light through curtains.

Benji is not a morning dog.

I could fart quietly when I needed to.

I had OG covid, I've had flu A. I believe it still helps my immunity, true or not 🤷

sewing experience that lets me infer what the thread is doing even when I can't see it

NAMC - our one stop shop for doggie daycare, vet, and groomer

the moisture on the car is *not* frozen

A sister willing to share baked gifts but not viruses 🫂

~~~~~~~

May your lives be filled with peace, joy, love, and many good things to spark (see what I did there 😂) gratitude. 💜

The pink light shining through green curtains - caused by a vibrant red bush just outside this window.

Getting creative

 As some of you know, blogger has not been kind about allowing me to post comments, but I still surf the remnants of sparkpeople blogs. I got comments to post this morning, yay, and wanted to share this picture. Have a great day!  (oh I miss the days of SP resizing-hope this works)

September 22: Two restrooms

Today I am grateful we have more than one bathroom. For two people with very different sleep schedules, it’s amazing how frequently we need the facilities at the same time.

September 14: a sense of belonging

The kind when you’re with people, but the silences are comfortable.

I got this Thursday. I got this last night.

I’m grateful I went last night. I was tired and reluctant. DD said are you going and we agreed we should and we did. What a great community. Small. Are we shrinking? Hard to say. But we need to do our part. A good share of life is just showing up.

Friday night services really require effort from me to get there. At the end of the work week, I just want to stay home all weekend.

Tonight is another event - the 25th anniversary of the monthly potluck. When I was tracking on sparkpeople, I always had a weight bump-up after. Nowadays that seems like a small price to pay for the sense of belonging, the feeling of being with friends, with chosen family.

Hugs and love to all,

Ace

September 12: sweat

 Today I am thankful for sweat. Without the constraint of having to be at work at a specific time, I was able to pedal and pedal and pedal on the exercise bike. I sweated like I haven't in a long time! I'm grateful my body still knows how to do that.

 Today I am grateful for enough to eat. Although I dislike the physical feeling of hunger, I am confident I will be able to eat as needed, as appropriate, and even in excess at times - both in healthy and unhealthy ways.

 Today I am grateful for the wisdom of age. I will not regret not being at work as a friend I've never met in real life passes through my town. Why anyone would want to travel here, I've no idea, but this friend definitely has itchy feet in the idiomatic sense. Probably too smart for their own good. My peeps! 

Today I am thankful for whoever said to talk to yourself like you would talk to your dog. Look at that beautiful belly! 😂

September 10: friends

Today I am grateful we can make online friends and stay in touch electronically even when platforms change.

I am grateful for those friends who can pick up where we left off, even after time has passed between our episodes of keeping in touch.

Today I am thankful for the routines of work. I may not like all the tasks, but some of what my boss wants can be predictable, and for that, I’m grateful.

Today I am once again thankful for unrestricted donations. Other like-work places may have the human resources and financial support to enhance their workplace; we do not. The generous people who give because they can see we need help and trust us to use it wisely are so, so appreciated.

Thinking of you all and hoping there are gifts you find in this day, hugs, Ace.

Sept. 8: football and patience

Today I am grateful for football. Getting into the routine of the next season. DH seems happier with this diversion in the mix.

I am thankful for diet soda. When I feel the need to consume something or hydrate (I dislike water), it’s a useful tool that doesn’t break the calorie bank.

I am grateful for the skill of patience. I had to exercise it with myself today. I needed a break from routine! Ended up riding the exercise bike “mid-day” at 10:30. Paid a premium to restock the pantry from our local store; I just didn’t want to spend so much time shopping this week. Treated myself gently as I dealt with my own resistance to chores that must be done. Got them done anyway. Yay, me!

Remember, the only person you have to live with for the rest of your life is you. Today I am grateful for that knowledge, and fortunately seemed up to the challenge!

❤️

September 7: bad moods

Today I am grateful for my crabby morning. If I was never in a bad mood, how would I know a good one.

I did not sleep well. The dog barked frequently. I am glad the dog is alive and well to bark ... even if it disrupts my sleep and makes me crabby.

I am thankful for socks. They keep my feet clean when I don't want to wear shoes. They keep my toes warm when a chill creeps into the air.

I am grateful for good books. I'm onto another novel now; puzzled by my move to fiction, having preferred  non-fiction for most of my life. But I'm enjoying these stories, and it gives me something to do beside eating and chores.

Hope you're having a good day, or appreciating it for whatever it is!

September 5 (hiccup) and September 6

Sorry about that, folks, just too tired.

I am grateful yesterday went well at work. So many special things scheduled: landscapers, dental, testing, field trips, produce, family food market. Whew! But smooth and humming along.

I am grateful for inexpensive cash and carry pizza. I swear the cashier gave me attitude when I didn’t tip. I am picking it up from a counter, for goodness sake!

I am grateful for allergy management and breathing medicines. I got so frustrated with an attack I took all 3 last night (albuterol, sudafed, antihistamine). Slept well, probably because I could breathe!

I am thankful for the ability to recalibrate when life lifes. Writing this blog in the morning and counting it toward today’s gratitude goal will give me a little more breathing room tonight.

Have a good day!

Sept. 4: cottage cheese, notes

Today I am thankful for cottage cheese. High protein, low fat, hunger buster when feeling hungry annoys me.

Today I am thankful for notes. Little reminders of things to do, ideas to act upon, and so satisfying to cross off or throw away once dealt with.

It's been a while since I wrote this one, at least the first three things. I have no idea why I was grateful for tap water. I am grateful for running water in my home often; maybe that's what I meant. I do not care for the flavor of the tap water here, but I'm glad I can wash and water so easily with water on tap.

I appreciate weather forecasts so I can make plans: what to wear, things to do, staying safe.

The third one continues the teeter-totter: it's a fact my blood pressure goes down when my weight does. I was tickled to be making progress recently; the last few days, maybe not so much progress and-or a little sliding back. I am grateful for the life experience that can allow me to accept what is, and move forward.

To a good night's rest! Love, Ace

September 3: long relationships

Today I am grateful for one marriage in a lifetime. It's what I wished for, and sacrificed for. Probably more of that in the future. Be careful what you wish for!

Today I am thankful for priorities. To know to put people first, and things after that. Or if you ask Suze Orman, people first, then money, then things.

And I am grateful for Suze Orman, the only financial educator DH has ever attempted to learn from. Every. Bit. Helps.

Thirty-six years since our wedding day. We managed to eat lunch together yesterday and dinner today. Go, us! 🎉

Sept. 2: vitamins

 

Today I am grateful for vitamins, and whatever support they provide my body. I feel fortunate to not be on any required daily medication. I do need my inhaler and decongestant and antihistamine to manage symptoms that annoy me, but so far so good.

Today I am thankful for pleasant weather for yard work and dog walks and glimpses of neighbors.

Have a good night 😴 💤 ❤️

Sept. 1: Rabbit Rabbit 🐰🐇

 Today I am thankful for the charming custom of saying "rabbit, rabbit" at the start of a month for luck. Nice demarcation of time passing, for me.

Today I am grateful that I challenged myself to codify gratitudes every day in August and September. And I am looking forward to the release of myself from that formal commitment after September 30th!

I am grateful for things that last. This towel is over 36 years old. If I could buy another identical set, I would.

I am thankful my mealtimes today are not restricted by the workplace. It's nice to be able to eat when hungry, rather than by the clock.

I am thankful for TikTok as a source of information and entertainment. Don't worry, I have a healthy skepticism and do fact check as well. I couldn't believe my age mate who passed at her work desk; unfortunately, it was easy to confirm. 😢

Sorry to end on that sad, solemn note. Hope your weekend is going well.

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!" 🥰