THANKFUL FRIDAY

Sometimes I feel like just writing "I am thankful" and leave it at that. This was a short week and pretty uneventful, and that is nice and something to be very thankful for. I am also thankful for the weather we've been having. I keep hearing people in Oklahoma talk about temps in the 100s and the scarcity of rain. Yesterday, Chris and I heard the local weather guy say that we'd get rain that day, but then it would be five days before we see rain again. FIVE DAYS! Golly. I don't know if we'll make it.  Oh, it just dawned on me something else that I'm thankful for! Thursday nights are our laundry nights, but it's also our scheming time. Chris and I sit at the diner-like table and plan things. We plan what we're going to do that weekend. We plan what we might do to a house. We plan trips and this week we started planning out my BlogHer trip. But then I got so excited we had to stop. I am thankful for these moments. I am thankful for the time to just sit and plan.

I am thankful for oh so many things. I am thankful. Happy Thankful Friday everyone!

THANKFUL FRIDAY

I want a weekend of ease. The last weekend was full of no power and garage cleaning and laundry and blah. For this weekend, I want one day of cleaning up (really only half a day) around the house and some light gardening. Then I want two days of fun. I want good food. I want a glass or two of wine. I want fireworks (wink wink). I want a snow cone from this place. But most of all, I want peace and quiet and to just sit switching a light switch on and off. I am thankful that this is a weekend where all of the above is a possibility. I am thankful that we are in recovery mode, but even without electricity, I am thankful for the roof over our heads. Too many  people can't even say that. So we went a few days without power. We still had plumbing, running water, hot water at that, and an extension cord. We also had a camp stove and realized very quickly that there's plenty of tasty dishes that can be concocted on a one burner camp stove.

I am thankful for all of the usual, for the many wonderful blessing in my life. Have a safe and wonderful holiday weekend and a happy Thankful Friday.

THANKFUL FRIDAY

That picture up there is probably the best picture I've ever taken of my dad. It's hard to catch him at being truly happy. But in that picture he's doing what he loves, selling peanuts. Dad, also known as The Peanut Man, has been selling roasted peanuts ever since he took early retirement at age 55. He's 73 now and still as busy as ever. He's picked up other part time gigs during the week, but his true love is hanging out at the flea market selling his peanuts and chatting with every single person that walks by his stand. Dad has always been a hard worker and he puts a lot into the things he sets his mind to do. During the band years, he ran the popcorn maker in the band Booster's concession stand at football games. He'd come home early Friday afternoon and start popping popcorn so he'd have plenty on hand for that night's game. He practically lived in the little camper at the Christmas Tree lot every December (also a Band Booster thing) and he was at every concert, play, banquet or what ever. Dad may not understand a thing that I say, but he will nod and pretend and has always been my biggest fan.

This weekend we will travel south to visit with family for Father's Day weekend. Dad will spend the whole weekend at the flea market, so I know that in order to spend any time with him, I too will be putting in some time there. The flea market at this time of the year is not my favorite place to be. It's hot and dirty and crowded. But I think, considering all the things that Dad does for me, I can tolerate a few hours of hot and dirt. I am thankful to have him my life. He's hilarious and always makes me laugh. I am thankful that he's still able to do the things he likes to do. I am thankful for the few moments we have together.

Happy Thankful Friday.

THANKFUL FRIDAY

Yesterday, I took my last sip of tea, finishing up my breakfast and I felt a bit queasy. Suddenly my face, neck, ears, and arms went up in itchy flames. Chris looked at me with alarm and was all " what the fuck?!?". I just replied " I don't know!". Twenty minutes later, I was almost back to normal, but my skin itched for the rest of the day. A little bit of research led to the conclusion that I had had a bad reaction to my vitamins. I had started on a new multi-vitamin pack that contains twenty million (exaggeration) pills in it all taken at one time. The fourth day of the pack was apparently my tolerance limit. So, I'm thankful we figured that out real fast. I am also thankful for all of you who came over here and left comments yesterday. Comments just make a blogger feel good. A lot of times I feel like I'm blogging to myself. Not a big deal really because often times I feel like I'm talking to myself. But occasionally the validation is nice. I am thankful for this.

I am thankful for many things this week like the air conditioner and food from our garden. I am thankful for the many blessings in my life. I even used that last sentence as my meditation mantra this week. I am also thankful for the many blessings to come. Have a wonderful Thankful Friday.

P.S. I will be contacted some of you for addresses so I can send you your bracelets!

THANKFUL FRIDAY

Yesterday as I was scrolling through Facebook status reports, I noticed one of my Facebook friends had posted one of those "re-post this as your status" thing that had to do with needing someone to talk to. I hardly ever even comment on these things, let alone actually re-post as my status. But for some reason, I felt compelled to leave a comment. I wanted this person to know that just because I wouldn't re-post doesn't mean I wouldn't be there if he really needed an ear to lean on. I told him that anyone can copy and paste, but listening is a practice. This brought me to something I heard Judith Lasater say at one of her workshops. She challenged us to stop what we were doing, turn and look at the person when they are talking to you. To give that person all of your attention. For the most part, I'm really good about doing this. I tend to be more mindful of the times when I am not and then I feel guilty for not listening completely. But when this happens, I have learned to stop and say "I'm sorry. I was not truly listening. Please repeat it. I promise, I'm listening now." and then I give that person my full attention. See? Listening is a practice.

I am thankful for these lessens. I am thankful that I know that there is always someone I can turn to when I need to talk about something. I am thankful for the reminders that I have these people in my life. Also, I am thankful for all of you who chimed in on the glassware. I have decided to put them up on EBay and sell them.

Happy Thankful Friday and Blessed Weekend!

Also, it's National Doughnut Day! Nom nom nom.

THANKFUL FRIDAY

After reading this entry, it got me thinking. It got me thinking about all the stuff in the basement. We've got a lot of stuff. A LOT of stuff. And half of it I didn't even unpack because the plan is to buy next year and move again. But here's the deal. If I am already living without those things, do I really need them? Of course there are things like my elephants that I want to keep, but I'm sure there's a bunch of crap down there that can go.  Our friend Gert's parents lost their home in the tornadoes that rampaged Oklahoma this week. I am so thankful that all are well, all animals safe and accounted for, but it's another reason for this post in particular. It really makes you pause and look around you and decide what is essential. What is important? At the end of the day, it's the people that I am so thankful to have in my life that is more important than the crap around me. If we were to move now, all that stuff in the basement would just go to the new basement. That's space that we could use for guests, for yoga, for meditation, for anything other than storage.

So, this is what I propose: a box a week. I will sort and discard a box a week. Some things will get posted on EBay with the proceeds going to my new MacBook fund. Some of it might get posted here and if you want it, I'll send it to you. Even some of those elephants might go. Who knows?

More than anything this week I am thankful for the safety of my family and friends. Happy Thankful Friday.

THANKFUL FRIDAY

I've been staring at this screen for a while now and it seems that I have nothing to say, that I'm thankful for nothing this week. That can't be right. I always find something to be thankful for. And I am thankful for all usual things in my life as always. It just seems that I need to pull a little deeper this week. I have a secret. Thankful Friday entries get written up on Thursdays while we wait on our laundry to wash and dry. Chris sits across from me with his laptop or notebook and we both write stuff and occasionally talk about our day. This particular evening, Chris worked on a list of job possibilities for himself. I don't think he's ever had a really clear idea of what he wanted to do in life. So, I am thankful he has this time to consider his possibilities and to maybe start letting himself believe in himself. It's taken a long time for me to realize that it doesn't matter how much I tell him that I believe in him, if he doesn't believe it himself. Also, I'm thankful that I never had his struggle, that I've always known what I wanted to do and that I have family that always backed me up on this.

I am thankful everyday for Chris. Happy Thankful Friday!

THANKFUL FRIDAY

You might notice some changes around here. Please bear with us while Chris (let's be honest here) makes some updates. He's been telling me for years that he's going to re-furbish this blog, and every time he mentions it I just nod my head while my eyes glaze over. If it were left up to me, these entries would be scanned in thingamajigs handwritten on Big Chief paper with squigglies in the margins. I am lucky and very thankful I have someone in my life with some computer skills. What else am I thankful for this week? We've started eating things from the garden, mostly kale, but still we are thankful for the bounty. There's something about planning meals around the garden that makes me a little bit more creative in the kitchen. I've had a very good culinary week with easy, fresh meals, from enchiladas to quiche to pasta. And a new issue of VegTimes showed up on the iPad this week that has been inspiration for next week's meals. 

As always, I am thankful for family and friends, new and old. I am thankful for the rain that seems to mix with the sunshine here. And I am thankful for the new little table we bought that has a tiled elephant top. So say we all.

And thank you to The Force. 

THANKFUL FRIDAY

Just like any one else, I could complain about my mother, being...well (roll eyes) a mother. But really, I'm very fortunate that I never had that teenage angst with my mom. People in our community used to joke that my parents had three only children and that by the time they got to me, they were just too tired to parent. There may be some truth to that, but I choose to believe that by the time they got to me they just had a better idea of what they were doing. My mom may not have agreed with all my schemes, but she supported each and every one and was/is present to help out in any way that I may need help. She never told me that I couldn't be anything or do anything. She never told me that I wasn't enough for something. Granted, I tended to tell my parents what I was going to do (as opposed to the other way around), but she never disagreed. Usually she just said "OK".

You know that episode of the Simpsons where Lisa is really sad and Marge tells her to just pretend to be happy, but then comes rushing back to her to tell her "no", be what you want to be. My mom has always let me be who I want to be. So, today on this Thankful Friday, I am thankful for my mom. I am thankful that we did not move too far away for an easy visit. I am thankful that she, my sister and niece will be able to come up for some fun this weekend.

I am thankful that I am only a mother to our dog. Happy Weekend everyone!

THANKFUL FRIDAY

I've let a few chores slide this week. Bathroom didn't get cleaned, house went un-vacuumed, plants are thirsty. Well, not the outside ones. We have been blessed with a decent amount of rain ( I'm sorry Oklahoma). We really like not having to water the garden because there's no back faucet and we are lazy. But even with all the rain, I am thankful for the weather clearing up a bit just in time for our outside concert Wednesday night (more on that later). Today, I am thankful that it is Friday and that maybe I can get caught up on a few things this weekend. I desperately need to clear some computer space and update the iPod and iPad. We have become those neighbors with the overgrown front yard and even though we bought a lawnmower last weekend, we have yet to even start it up. I have Easter eggs to dye and then egg salad to make. I have things to do, shops to visit, food to eat, pictures to take, and lazy couch time to be had.

I am thankful for the lull. I am thankful for my friends and family.

Have a great weekend.

THANKFUL FRIDAY

Chris and I continue to say grace over our evening meals. We've added "and thank you to the Force", stolen from a commenter. Last night Chris said that was his favorite part. Today was one of those days that really solidified this decision to move to this new job. I realize just how lucky and fortunate I am to have this opportunity. I am thankful for all of this and more. Life is progressing here. We have a home. We a bunch of new things to experience, but we also continue with some of our old usual practices. One of our new things is instigating a chore a night during the week. Tonight is laundry, but we've tagged it with something old, Pizza Night. We think this works out well. It leaves to be absolutely free with our weekends. So the weekends are truly our own and I for one am really thankful for this.

This week, I am also thankful for the weather. I've been able to ride V to work a number of times. We have things popping up in the makeshift garden we planted; lots of things. The trees are breaking out in pinks, whites, and purples and the tulips, oh the tulips. These had to have been the true inspiration for all those colors we tend to paint eggs this time of year.

I am thankful for all the love and support from our friends and family and include you in our daily grace every time. Happy Thankful Friday.

THANKFUL FRIDAY

I think the weather is finally going to come around and play nice. I type that while it's drizzling outside, but I've seen the forecast for the upcoming days. I am thankful for just the hope of good weather. This will be the first weekend since we've moved that will not be a vacation-like weekend. This weekend is serious business. We are finally going to go get my scooter. Oh, and a few other things that we had to leave behind. But the scooter is the most important thing. I am thankful for so many little things this week. But most of all I'm really thankful for the time to bring home V. I miss her. I need her! I feel like I've neglected her and that's just wrong. I see people on scooters all the time here. Scooters and Smart Cars. Those things are everywhere. And Irish flags.

I'm thankful for discount wash-days on Thursdays. I am thankful for the radio station, Alice, because we got in the car and Indigo Girls was playing. Indigo Girls! On the radio! I am thankful that I finally feel like I'm actually contributing at my new job. I am thankful for my brother who just had a birthday, and I'm thankful that I will have a chance to see him even if it's for a very short visit.

I am thankful for you....and The Force (that bit's for you, Kristina).

THANKFUL FRIDAY

I've always been a routine type person. I need it. I don't care that it makes me predictable; I like that about me. So far, I have very little routine at work. I still walk everyday, but everything else is a mystery. Since I have no routine at work, my home routine has become even more important. I get up in the mornings, shower and dress. Then I do my yoga practice. After yoga I fix my lunch and make my self some breakfast. I eat while watching the Graham Norton Show and checking email. At the end of the day, I come home and make dinner. After dinner I do a chore. I made up a weekly chore list of things like clean the bathroom on Mondays and vacuuming on Tuesdays. I brush the dog before he comes inside for the evening. Then I wash my face, brush my teeth and floss and go to bed. I am thankful for this routine. It seems like, since we've moved here, we've been on vacation. There's so much new. So much to see and experience, that Chris and I spend our weekends running around the city seeing all the stuff and eating all the food. I know we do what some people would call normal like go to the grocery store and the laundry mat, but we do those things when we're on vacation too. Having a routine helps to solidify that we live here now. This is real. We are really here.

I think my word for this year is "new". New home. New life, new routines, and new job. New job not just for me but for my very deserving brother. I am so thankful the new job fairy sprinkled some of her dust his way. What ever the rest of this year brings I hope it continues to be one full of new and good. I am thankful that all are healthy and well. I am thankful for the many blessing I have in this present moment.

Happy Thankful Friday and have a wonderful weekend.

LOVETHURTHANKFRI

I've been a bit absent. It's something I tend to do under times of stress. I call it channeling my inner groundhog. But to be fair, we've had a lot to do like find a place to live, which we have done. We found a quaint little house with a garage and fenced in backyard and only about fifteen minutes from work. The only down side is that it's off a street that reminds us of the east end of 23rd. It's true that we only looked at this one house and that we didn't really spend a lot of time hunting around. I saw this place online, talked to the landlord through email, convinced him the dog was OK, and that was that. The next part is the hard part. Loading up everything and moving it in, changing all our stuff over to new address and new bank, all the random bits of moving that doesn't really hit you until later.

I am thankful for our new space (there's a basement!). I am thankful for the way everything has fallen into place. Happy Friday.

THANKFUL FRIDAY

This week one of my favorite bloggers announced that she and her husband were separating. It was a big shock, not just to me, but to many of her readers as well. But the Internet world rallied and left over 300 comments, all supporting and with thoughts of love and good wishes. Not a bad comment in the bunch. And like her follow up entry, I too am thankful for the Internet. I taught my last yoga class at the studio last night and one of my students mentioned that I don't seem very sad to be leaving. The truth is, I'm not. I can't wait to get there and start our new life. The only time I get a little sad is when I think of moving so far away from this family that Chris and I have built around us. And again, I am thankful for the Internet.

I am thankful for the Internet as a tool to keep friends far away, close. I am thankful that it is there to help us support each other, to remind each other that we are loved. It's true that there are some nasty things put out there and Internet bullying. But I feel so blessed to have put myself in a circle of people who just won't tolerate that crap.

Have a wonderful weekend and a very thankful Friday.

THANKFUL FRIDAY

I know better then to be fooled by the weather we are having. All this sunshine and near 80 degree temps can easily go to a girl's head. And don't think for a minute that I haven't soaked up every ounce of it with riding the scooter and walking outside. Oh, I have done all of this and only because I know that come April there will be another freak snow storm followed by weeks of rain and blerg. I'm taking what I can get and being present in this moment. So it should come as no surprise that I am thankful for the Spring like weather this week. I am thankful not only because of all the vitamin D I've been soaking up, but because Chris and I have some outdoorsy like things to get done. We have a storage unit to clear out this weekend (I'm thinking that won't take long) and if we're really ambitious, maybe even taking care of some stuff in the garage. My word for the next two weeks is packing. Packing, packing, packing. I've already packed up one box of elephants. I am in a state of flux and the theme seems to be moving, moving to a new building at the old job, moving to a new state, moving to a new job. Moving.

I am thankful for all the possibilities and things to come in the following weeks. I am thankful for this present moment of peace and quiet before everyone else shows up to the lab. I am thankful for the rays of sun streaming in through the window as I type.

Have a glorious weekend!

THANKFUL FRIDAY, MONDAY EDITION

I realize that I didn't post anything for Thankful Friday, and there's really no excuse. I had plenty of time to write something up while I waited for a seriously over worked plumber to show up. I admit, I felt a bit lazy and of the mindset that "these people know what I'm thankful for". And while it is true that many of you could probably guess that I'm thankful for the new job, many of you couldn't guess that it is you I am really thankful for. You and flushable toilets. Everyone we've told the news to has been so happy, so encouraging, so willing to help in any way possible. It's a reminder that we are loved and have some of the best people in the world as our friends.

From the moment we decided to say yes to this new adventure, a calming peace just washed over me. I know I should be freaking out about finding a place to live, packing and moving and all that jazz, but I'm not. I'm just ready and I think if I was flipping out, taking the job would have been the wrong decision. I am thankful for the peace and clarity of this moment.

Also, I am thakful that there is no longer sewage backing up in the tub and toilets.

THANKFUL FRIDAY

Today, I am thankful that it is Friday. Monday set the tone for the week by being particularly uncomfortable and stressful. And things never really seemed to ease up. It's been one crazy after the other. But you know you've had a praticularly hard week when the first thing you think about on a Friday morning is the margarita you're going to fix yourself when you get home. My mantra for the week has been to find peace and joy in this present moment. There are a lot of what-ifs floating around and big grown-up decisions to be made. And the biggest thing I've learned is that being a grown-up is hard. In fact, after next week, I'll be throwing the towel in on being a grown-up. Just a couple of things to do before then. Until then, one step at a time.

As always I'm thankful for the wonderful people in my life who are my constant source for support and advice and encouragement. I am thankful to have a husband who does not go ballistic over his wife losing her car key (yup, it's gone gone gone). I am thankful for a breath before crashing into the next week.

Have a safe and wonderful Thankful Friday and weekend!

THANKFUL FRIDAY

Sometimes I complain about Facebook. It's messy and there are too many things on it that I just don't care about. But I have to say, to have so many people leave you such wonderful wishes and comments on your special day, well, that's something. Every single birthday wish touched my heart and I found myself wanting to respond individually to each one. But I'm only human and I know my limitations. The best way to respond is here. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank you to each and everyone of you who took the time to send me good thoughts on a day that had the potential to be a bit dreary. Thanks to you, it wasn't (despite the bruises left over from the big fall down on the ice). I am also thankful that I took today off. Today, I cleaned out two bags worth of clothes for the donation box, dusted, organized and vacuumed the bedroom, scrubbed the bathroom, and cleaned my corner of the office. And it's just now twelve o'clock! My plans for the rest of the day are to lounge around on the couch, eating Greek yogurt, and watching movies on the Netflix. Then, I might just pretty myself up a bit and have dinner with my husband. All in a hard days work.

Have a wonderful, wonderful weekend!

THANKFUL FRIDAY

A friend of ours lost his mother this week to a long battle with cancer. He is a friend we met through Flickr, who we have only seen in person once, but that was enough for us to make him family. So our hearts and thoughts go out to him and his family, not just for the next few days, but for as long as it takes and as long as they need us. Which brings me to what I am thankful for today. Tomorrow my Mom turns 70. She's probably not all that thrilled with me posting her age for the whole internet to see, but I doubt she'll read this entry any way. She may blanch at the reaching the ripe age of 70, but I think she should be cheering. I am thankful that she is relatively healthy and active and that we can celebrate another year of her wonderful life. I wish for her to be happy, with no complaints. I wish for her to be at peace with her present moment and find joy in all that she does.

I am thankful for the time we get to share together. Happy Thankful Friday and have a lovely weekend.