Sunday, September 18, 2022

I Finds Them Where I Sees Them

Week went fast. Weekend went faster. Here are my Ten Things of Thankful:

1. We celebrated Grandparents Day at school this week. I don't like events. I feel awkward and everyone is looking at me and I want to go home, so my thankful is that it is over for another year! 

2. As if Grandparents Day wasn't enough, we also had to have a booth at a local event called Third Thursday, which is a little street fair held downtown monthly from April through October. That's over now, too, until we are forced to do it again next September.




3. We learned about apples this week at school. I just got a text from a mom who said her son had an apple this weekend and wanted to plant the seeds to grow his own apple tree. It's delightful to see students carry what we talk about at school to home!

4. To add to that, I am thankful when parents text me stories and updates on my students (and former students). I love seeing little snapshots of their lives outside of school!

5. My husband and I picked out our own Christmas gifts this weekend:




6. I'm finding myself thankful for Instagram reels, which I never thought I'd say, since I thought them annoying, but when I can't sleep at night, they sure do help pass the time.

7. Update on the Upstairs Cat: he went downstairs on his own volition today, ate a little kibble, then sauntered back upstairs. He was jumpy while he was down there, and he jumped up like an armadillo no less than five times, but it's still progress.

8. Temps are back in the upper 90s here, but by mid-week, it's going to cool off. Not sweater weather, but not sweating weather, either!

9. I had a migraine yesterday, and I'm not thankful for that, because it was a doozy and my head still hurts this evening, but the thankful is the aura I get as the first sign I have a migraine has changed. I still HAVE one, but instead of a big blind spot (think the dark spot you see when the flash on a camera goes off in your face), I now have a large ring that moves across my field of vision. It's made of cut glass and has prisms with bright colors flashing in it, but at least I still have some vision until it passes (always from left to right, which is interesting). 

10. I'm thankful my son and daughter in law made it safely to and back home from vacation in Bali. Holy smokes, I didn't have a clue how far away that place is! Looks like I need to brush up on my geography!

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Sunday, September 11, 2022

Thankfuls With A Bonus Centerfold Photo

Whoa, the weekend almost got away from me! By the way, September is halfway over this week. Let that wash over you a minute. 

Here are my Ten Things of Thankful for this week:

1. Popcorn that has been popped on the stove. With butter. Note to self: buy more popcorn.

2. Slightly cooler weather. According to the forecast, it's fleeting, but at least for one night, we can sleep with our windows open for the first time since, oh, April.

3. The Upstairs Kitty has been brave enough to go downstairs a couple of times this week. He had to be carried down the stairs and gently deposited in the kitchen, but he didn't freak out, so maybe there's hope he will return to being a full-house kitty.

4. Propel Black Cherry water. Tastes so much like a bing cherry that I want to chew it every time I take a drink.

5. Clean sheets on the bed.

6. I had a lovely visit with my friend and former co-worker Janet.

7. A craving for Mexican food that was satisfied by going out with my husband. I texted him on my way home from work and said I NEEDED it and he didn't question it at all.

8. The many birthday greetings I received last weekend. Social media isn't all bad!

9. The amazing cinnamon rolls I made this morning. Totally worth the 3+ hours it took to make them.

10. Chiefs win their first game of the season! 

Gratuitous photo of Lewis (he is NOT the
upstairs cat) just so you can admire his
mustache, toe fluff and pink toe bean.


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Monday, September 5, 2022

Welcome To 62!

The post I was writing in my head last night when I couldn't sleep was much different than the version that I'm writing now. The other was dour and sad. What is it about the darkness of night that makes our thoughts go to what isn't rather than what is?

Today is my birthday. I've been feeling a little blue about it, not because I'm getting older (okay, a LITTLE bit because I'm getting older), but because I miss my mom the most on my birthday. It's been 6 birthdays since I've gotten a call from her with the running joke about how MISERABLE she was X number of years ago while birthing 10 lb.,1 oz. me. And in my sleeplessness last night, this was playing on a loop in my mind. 

It's daylight now, and the sad has slipped back into the shadows. There is birthday cake and ice cream to eat and calls and birthday wishes on social media and a family Zoom call to come. Pollyanna is back, and here are my Ten Things of Thankful, subtitled On Being 62:

Since my goal is to live to at least 104, I am just now middle aged.




I don't care a whole lot what other people think about me anymore. I'm finally taking the advice I've always given my kids that people really don't give much thought to anyone else but themselves, anyway, so quit worrying about it.

I have learned to avoid arguments by saying "whatever" and walking away.

I have embraced my silver hair for three years now. Does it surprise me sometimes when I catch a glimpse of myself in a mirror? Yes, yes, it does, but I wouldn't go back to coloring it for anything.

Comfortable shoes are my jam. I am in love with Allbirds sneakers, have probably a dozen pairs in all different colors, and wear them pretty much every day.

I can jump around with my preschoolers at movement time, and I can out-dance them when we have Fun Day Friday dance parties. This week, we danced to "Saturday Night" by the Bay City Rollers, and they were dropping like flies while I kept going, so take that!

I have grown more passionate about causes that I find important and work in whatever way I can, big or small, to promote them.




I'm very into self preservation, as in not hurting myself via falling or lifting. Gets me out of things I don't want to do.

I am not afraid to ask for a senior discount. 

I will never wish my life away, but I do look forward to the future. In spite of those thoughts and worries that creep in on sleepless nights, I have a terrific life that includes my wonderful family and friends and so many things to experience and accomplish in the next 40+ years.

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