THANKFUL FRIDAY

Thankful Friday is in list form today because I present in lab meeting this afternoon and all of the brain juice went into that presentation. Things I'm thankful for this week?

1. Lab work on the dog came in and he is really super healthy. I think he's been milking the sympathy treats for all it's worth, but I don't care. Dog can have all the treats.
2. Our evening walks. Hooper gets so excited about going. He's such a dork.
3. Happy Hippo candy. Click on the link. That's all the explanation you need.
4. Honey Crisp Apple season!
5. Getting lab presentation over with before I leave for my trip.
6. $5 off a bath coupon at Pet's Mart. I'm using that on Hooper Saturday. This makes one of us very happy (me...it makes me happy).
7. Mom coming to stay with Hooper while I'm out of town next week.
8. All the love and support I get from you people.

Here's a great weekend, but a truly Thankful Friday!

THANKFUL FRIDAY

Wednesday evening, I had just finished my Love Thursday entry and was sitting at my desk crying (because sometimes that happens when I write these entries) when there was knock at my door. I opened the door with a tear streaked face and a snot drippy nose and there was a man standing there. He looked at me with wary eyes and said "Do you want me to mow your lawn?". I sobbed out something about not having any cash on me and he said that he'd take a check and I said "SOLD!". I had been stressing about how I was going to get the yard mowed before Jen G. showed up on Saturday. I need gas for the mower. It's turning cold (turned cold by now actually). Whine, whine, whine. And this guy showed up. I still cringe at the idea of paying someone to mow my yard, but I am so thankful this man showed up when he did. He was kind, efficient and he did an excellent job. He also told me that he does snow; he'll bring me a flyer. I have no qualms about paying this man to shovel snow when the time comes. Saturday morning I will pick Jen up from the airport and then we'll have a whirl wind visit before I put her back on a plane to OKC Sunday afternoon. I can't wait. I'm super thankful that she can get away to come see me. Jen's a shopper, or she used to be before she had a baby, and shopping with her is like nothing I have ever experienced. She's actually the one who gave me the courage to just walk into a Nordstroms. I would not own the best fitting pair of skinny jeans now if it hadn't been for her.

And finally, as always, I am thankful for you guys. But particularly this week. Your kind words and encouragement mean the world to me. So...here's to a shopaholic worthy weekend and a wonderful Thankful Friday.

THANKFUL FRIDAY

In May, I went to my cell phone store to see about changing my account and getting an upgrade. I was told that I had to wait until August. August rolled around and I went back to the store. I told the sales guy that I wanted an iPhone and he said "OK, but look at these". I let him talk me into something that wasn't the iPhone, but when he went to ring it all up he realized that my upgrade wasn't due until the end of August and he needed a death certificate to change my account. As I left the store, again without changing anything, I got kind of mad. I want an iPhone! Why am I always letting people talk me out of getting an iPhone?!?! So, I waited. I waited until the iPhone 5 was released and I practiced my speech. "I want an iPhone 4S 16GB". A couple of weeks ago, I marched into the store determined. I looked at a different sales guy and said "I want an iPhone 4S 16GB...and I need to change my account". This guy was different. He said "OK" and then took care of my account, changing things, getting my bill lower, and when he was all done with that, he put his elbows on the counter and leaned in and said "Are you sure you don't want the iPhone 5?". So...I was once again talked out of the iPhone 4S and I am now the super proud owner of a new iPhone 5.

I didn't think I'd be this giddy over it as I am, but I have never, NEVER, owned the cutting edge of anything. I always wait for the cutting edge thing to be released and then buy the cutting edge's sister equivalent. Just like I never pay full price for anything I purchase from the Gap. But now I'm the girl with the newest thang. It's kind of exciting. So yeah...this week I am thankful for my new phone, but I'm also thankful for that salesclerk. Because at one point, while I was ordering the phone, he looked at me and said "You get what you want". Not one sales person has ever said that to me. I always let myself get talked into the thing that I don't want, but this time? This time I got the thing I wanted. So, I'm thankful for that salesclerk.

I'm thankful for lots of things this week. It's been good to me and I hope it's been somewhat good to you too. Here's to a wonderful weekend and a very Thankful Friday!

THANKFUL FRIDAY

Last weekend my sister, her husband and my niece came to see me. They came up so Daniel (my brother-in-law) could fix my window unit into the window as a permanent fixture. Before, we (I say we...I mean Chris) just hauled it out and put it into storage for the winter. I didn't want to do that this season because I hate having to ask someone to come over and help me haul the air conditioner into the garage. I completely admit that I don't think I could do this alone and if I'm right up front telling you this, then you know I'm serious. But Daniel took care of it and fixed it up nice. He even took it completely out and apart and cleaned it first. When he did that I was all "what?!? you can take those things apart and clean them?!". Apparently this something I should do on occasion. Huh. I am super grateful that Daniel could take care of this for me, but I'll tell you a secret. I probably could have gotten someone here to help me out with this task. I was just using this as an excuse to get them up here for a visit. I can tell my sister to come up here and visit, but she's more likely to actually come if I dangle a task carrot in front of her. I'm really thankful that I had the weekend to spend time with them. I got to hear all about Janell's new school year and the things she's teaching. I got to squeeze Amanda and hear about her first few days of college. We got to eat together at some of my favorite places and wander around some of Amanda's favorite shops. And I am thankful for that time.

Thursday of this week was the day I started to feel like I had pep in my steps, so I'm really thankful for that. I'm thankful for the promise of a peaceful calm weekend and the challenge of taking apart my lawn mower. I'm thankful for the many blessings in my life and I am always thankful for you. Have a wonderful Thankful Friday!

THANKFUL FRIDAY

Rarely do I state here that I am thankful it's Friday and that the work week is done. Mostly this is because I feel that this is stating the obvious. Of course everyone's thankful for the end of a work week and the promise of two days of rest. But that's not what Thankful Friday entries are for. These entries are a reminder to stop and take the time to verbally be grateful for the good in my week, which is sometimes difficult. When I have hard weeks, I have to look really hard for the good things to be grateful for. But because I'm devoted to these entries, I look. I look and then I see that yes, there is good stuff in those bad weeks. Earlier in the week my blog (and Misti's) went down. At first I thought it was just a routine maintenance thing, but then I started to worry. I emailed Todd in a panic and while waiting to hear back from him, I tried to hack into our hosting account. Then I was pretty sure I'd messed up the password and by the time I forced myself to just stop, I was convinced that I'd lost the blogs. I was convinced that I'd destroyed everything, doom, gloom, kablamy. I slept fitfully that night, tossing and turning and then I heard from Todd and of course it was all an easy fix. Todd told me what to do, for which I am extremely thankful, and all blogs were back up as if nothing had ever happened.

That moment between broken and fixed was just a moment, but it sent me into panic overdrive because of the thought of losing this space. The very thought of being without the blog made me understand just how grateful I am to have this space. I have never thought of myself as a writer or even very creative, but this space is a practice to help cultivate creativity. It's another practice like my 365 Days of Happy where I take a picture every day of something that has made me happy or Love Thursdays and even Thankful Fridays. This space is my place to spill the crazy randomness of my brain, to promote kindness and understanding. It's a home that I've worked on and cultivated for more than ten years. I may have bought my first house just last year, but this is truly my first home. And I'm more than thankful to have it.

Have a wonderful weekend and very Thankful Friday.

THANKFUL FRIDAY

Let us decide on the route that we wish to take to pass our life, and attempt to sow that route with flowers.

-Madame du Chatelet

This past week I've been keeping track of my brother and sister-in-law through Katrina's facebook updates. They rode their motorcycle to Canada! Now they're on their way back home, making stops at various places along the way. One stop is my house. Weee! I feel like the last time I saw them was I don't know when. And that's too long. I can't wait to hear all about their adventure, the things they saw and the food they ate. They are arriving here on a perfect weekend. Temperatures are dropping with tomorrow looking like crisp 78 degrees. This is a First Friday weekend, which means art walks and food trucks in the Arts District and maybe a tour through antiques in the West Bottoms. We may just end up at the Louisberg Cider Mill and the winery down the road from there. There are many choices and options, all of which I am thankful for. But really, I am thankful that Randy and Katrina where able to take this trip.

I have a lot of things to be thankful for this week and because of that this Thankful Friday entry is about to get really random and rambley. The new hair is a quite the hit around here. My friend Julia mentioned that she thought it was funny that I'd said "old Cindy" on my blog entry. She said "to us, you're the new Cindy". That's an interesting thought. I am thankful for the new hair. The power of a good, flattering hair cut has the potential to light buildings for weeks. Feeling low and in a slump? Get your hair cut. Trust me. It works. While your at it, buy a new tube of lipstick. These are all terribly sexist 1950s tidbits of advice, but there's something to it.

Monday night around midnight, I heard strange noises. I was all alone because Hooper was still at the vet office. I actually thought I'd sleep better with him gone for the night. Not so. Any way, noises, strange. I thought someone was trying to break in, so I got up to have a look. It was raining. Rain was trying to break into my house. I guess it had been so long since I've heard rain on a window that my brain just figured it was an intruder. I also heard tales of rain happening here last weekend. Lots of rain. Enough rain to make things sprout up out of the garden (I completely forgot that I had planted leaks) and the lawn green. I haven't had to mow the yard in almost two months. I'm not excited about having to mow the yard now, but I am so thankful for the rain.

Thankful, thankful. I am thankful for the beautiful weather, the walks with the dog, time spent with loved ones and the promise of good things in the next week to come. Have a great weekend and a fabulous Thankful Friday.

THANKFUL FRIDAY

Happiness is essentially a state of going somewhere wholeheartedly, one-directionally, without regret or reservation.

-W.H. Sheldon

Thankful Friday has been deleted twice now. This tells me that I'm trying too hard to say too much about finding something in the week I'm grateful for. This makes it sound like I'm having a hard time being thankful this week, which I am not. This week has been great! Especially if you compare it to last week. I'm thankful for that. I'm thankful for that idea that it will always be better tomorrow or eventually. And I'm thankful that I'm that type of girl who believes this way.

By the time many of you read this, I will be making my away across the plains to OKC to be cocooned by framily (friends who are family). I am so excited to see faces and squeeze necks. I'm looking forward to a weekend of crazy stupid laughter. I am so thankful for a long weekend that gives me time to enjoy and soak up every minute. I am once again thankful for a reliable vehicle. This is probably one of the best decisions I've made in a really long time. I can't believe the sense of ease it has given me. I didn't even realize how tense driving the old car made me until now. I seriously felt like it was a miracle that I had reached any destination. I don't worry like that any more. This makes me thankful.

I am so thankful for so much this week. I can almost see Fall coming. It's in the distance, but you can see it with the cool morning temps. I have things sprouting up again in the garden. Hooper and I have added a block to our evening walks. Life is good with some good changes on the horizon and some new things too. So here's to a long and wonderful weekend, but also a very Thankful Friday.

THANKFUL FRIDAY

Chris and I had this running joke between us. It centered around that Folger's Christmas commercial where the brother comes home from Africa or something. He and his little sister are the only ones up and he hands her a gift. The sister asks him "what is it?". The first time we were sitting on the couch watching this, Chris answered "crystal skull" before the brother could reply. I answered "monkey's paw". It's not often that I made Chris laugh. Usually it was the other way around, but for some reason my answer of monkey's paw was the funniest thing any one could give a person for Christmas. Actually, I'm pretty sure he was devising a way to give monkey's paws out at Christmas. The other night I dreamed I was at a craft fair and I came across one booth selling monkey's paw necklaces. I started laughing and I bought one for everyone. When I told Talaura about this dream, she said "that was a nice visit". I laughed at this because it's true. I have yet to see Chris's face in any of my dreams, but his jokes and humor are always there. What a gift to leave behind. Laughter. There's lots of research out there on the power of laughter. Laughter can relieve pain, lower blood pressure, boost the immune system and release endorphins. Laughter is powerful juju and I'm more then thankful that this is what Chris left me.

Other things I'm thankful for? I've created a walking monster. Hooper still can't go very far, but man oh man is ever so excited to go. We haven't skipped an evening. There's no taking off on weekends. We walk every night and every evening we are greeted by someone new to us in the neighborhood. Everyone loves Hooper. They think he's the cutest dog and they all want to know what kind of dog he is. His particular breed is spoiled with a mix of rotten. I'm thankful these walks have been such a success. What else? I'm pretty thankful for the new Menu Group we all started on facebook. I love the interaction and the sharing of ideas. I'm thankful that it's turned into something so good.

Laugh. It's the weekend. Happy Thankful Friday!

THANKFUL FRIDAY

When we lived in OKC, we had weekly "family" walk nights where Chris, Hooper and I would go walk a trail at the nearest park. It was a practice that never really took off once we moved up here. I guess we thought Hooper didn't really need the walks since he had a big back yard to run around in. Really what that ended up to mean was that Hooper has a big back yard to lay in different spots in. Turns out that the most exercise he gets his moving from one spot to the next. He'd be a great time lapse study. So, in order to do something about my very slightly overweight and out of shape old dog, we've started going on (very) short walks in the neighborhood. When we moved into that neighborhood, I was lead to believe that it was a safe place to live, but not a safe place to walk around. I think I was letting others influence my perceptions. No, I'm sure I was and this makes me feel a little bit angry and a lot ashamed of myself. My neighborhood is not a fancy gated community or an area that has neighborhood associations that measures the length of everyone's lawns. The houses in my area are a mix of run down and fixed up. The guy around the corner has chickens. The guy up the street grows buckets (literally, he uses buckets) and buckets of mums. The streets are quiet and the sidewalks are good and clear. I've never lived in a neighborhood with sidewalks. Ever. We had a side walk at Chris's mom's but it ended on our street. It's the reason we always got in the car and drove to the park to walk. Drove. To a park. To walk. I'm thankful that I live somewhere that is pedestrian friendly. We may not be going too far right now. Eventually, I'd like to walk to the library and back. Right now we're sticking close to the house. Hooper starts out with gusto, but seems to start dragging half way in and I'm not good a judging how far I can push him just yet. We need to work up to a library trek, but we'll get there.

I'm thankful for Hooper's enthusiasm. He really wants to be excited about walking, but he sounds so wheezy by the time we've made it up the street. But the walks really are helping and making a difference for both of us. Usually there will be some moment in the middle of the night where I wake up because I can feel Hooper staring at me. Hooper doesn't bark when he's inside. He lets you know when he needs to go out by sitting and staring intently at you. It's disturbing, but we work with it. Since we've started the walks, Hooper sleeps straight through the night. We both have been sleeping straight through the night. This may be something both of us are thankful for.

So much! So much to be thankful for this week. The weather has turned into something lovely and I'm reminded every day how much I am loved. Here's to a great weekend and a very, very Thankful Friday.

THANKFUL FRIDAY

On Tuesday, somebody at the lunch table said "Tomorrow's August 1st!" and I felt my every-thing-is-alright mask slip for a second. I don't remember the date we buried J, but I will never forget the date he died or the sound of Mom's voice on the phone that day or the yoga pose I was in when she called. It's been seven years. I wondered if this year Aug 1st would be unbearable because I'm already a little bit broken from earlier events of the year. Wednesday came and I over slept because I'd forgotten to turn on my alarm. I played around with the idea of calling in sick. Then I couldn't figure out what I'd do all day at home, so I jumped up, did the minimal amount required to be presentable for work, swallowed a bowl of cereal and made it to work five minutes late. And I didn't think to much about the date. I knew the real test would come when it was time for yoga. Again, I toyed with the idea of calling in sick. I had left my yoga mat in the car. I could just get in the car and go home, but I chose to get the yoga mat out of the car. I went to class and when I stepped onto my mat, I relished in the warmth radiating off it and into the souls of my feet. Then, as I lifted my chest in upward facing dog, I felt my heart lift and I felt true joy. And I thought "Yes. Yes, I can do this". It is that moment right there that I am most thankful for this week. I get the impression that it has been a difficult week for many of us. Disappointments, struggles, stresses are just swirling in the air. I just want to remind you that Yes, yes you can do this.

The heat wave that's raging through the mid-west is not helping matters, but I believe that relief is just around the corner. Yesterday, I woke up to thunder and rain. My weather widget on my desktop is boasting 80 with an expected high of 89 on Sunday. Yes...yes, we can do this. As always and particularly today, I am always always thankful for you.

Here's to a blessed weekend and truly Thankful Friday.

THANKFUL FRIDAY

Wednesday evening, I heard rumbles of thunder as I parked the scooter in the garage. I had just let Hooper out, who'd been cooped up inside all day, so I hurried and closed the garage door and opened the door to the backyard just as it started to rain. I called for Hooper to hurry and get inside and we both made it to the living room just in time for the rain to stop. It had rained for a whole 10 seconds. When I took Hooper out for his front yard patrol it was still 103 outside and that brief rainfall was just enough to make it feel like a sauna. Still, I was determined to not water the garden. I was holding on to faith that it would rain. More then a small buckets worth. That faith paid off, because the real rain came to my house around 1 AM. Right now, the weather widget on my desktop shows scattered rain and a high of 78. Even though the weathermen have told us that this is a temporary cool down, I'm thankful for it. I know it's been ages since I've done a Garden Diary entry, but there hasn't been much happening with it. I did get four potatoes and some carrots and onions. Something ate all the beans off my one bean plant and I have four green tomatoes. The drought has wreaked some havoc. Last weekend, out of shear desperation to get something more from the garden, I tilled up the soil and sprinkled in a bunch of seeds. Lettuce, spinach, cabbage, even a few more beans. Sprinkled for luck. I am thankful for the rain to help that luck grow.

I am thankful for this week for a number of reasons. I finally seemed to have gained control of my usual routine and I'm thankful to be acclimating back to life after vacation. I'm also thankful for the massage I've booked for myself on Saturday. Here's to a wonderful weekend for all and a very Thankful Friday!

THANKFUL FRIDAY

The other day, Cathy made me notice all the spider webs on the window in our hallway at work and then we noticed this one spider. He was acting really weird and when we took a closer look we realized that this spider was in the process of shedding it's skin. We both stood there, horrified as we watched the spider tug and tug until its legs were free. We both squealed and squirmed as it happened. It was the most disgusting thing I've seen in a really long time, but Cathy and I watched it with a mix of fascination and disgust. As I watched the spider's legs turn from see-through clear to brown, I thought this is what my observation is for Chad. I had no idea that spiders did this, but then thinking about it I realize that I knew tarantulas did. All this time, I thought those little dried up spiders where dead ones. Turns out they were just spider shells, shed by a growing spider. It's calming and scary to think about. I am thankful for Chad's assignment because it was something I knew I had to complete. It forced me to notice even when I didn't feel like it. I even found a moment of joy on my yoga mat. I am growing and changing just like that spider. And again, it's calming and scary to think about it.

This is an odd Thankful Friday, but I'll take it. I have said grace before every evening meal this week as my constant reminder that I have things to be grateful for. It included fresh meals, scooter rides, silly dog, the two drops of rain we had this week and you. Here's to a great weekend and a very Thankful Friday.

THANKFUL FRIDAY

I came home Sunday night to new curtains in the bedroom, four new chairs, a new tea towel with elephants embroidered on it, two new little throw pills also embroidered with elephants, a new elephant hook, and new back step. Mom had kept herself busy while I was away. I am so thankful that she was able to stay in my home and look after Hooper that week. I really dreaded the idea of boarding Hooper for so long and I'm truly grateful to have a mom who can and will take the time to help out. I know mom doesn't do these things just because she can. She does it because she truly wants to help. I think she's at her best when she knows that she is needed. It couldn't have been all that fun for her, all alone in a somewhat unfamiliar city. But she discovered things that I didn't even know about, like the antique Bizarre that takes place on the first weekend of every month. I can't wait for the first weekend in August to come around so I can go.

This week has also made me truly thankful to be able to take any kind of vacation. I know how lucky I am to be able to not only take the time off, but use that time to actually travel somewhere and I'm lucky enough to have friends who live in awesome places. I am so thankful for Talaura for not only letting me stay with her but for being such a great hostess. I am even more then grateful to have her has a friend. She is framily, friend that is family.

Here's to a great weekend and a very very Thankful Friday.

THANKFUL FRIDAY

I have many things to be thankful for this week. First of all, let me say that you should always include a week of pre-vacation and post (recovery) vacation to go along with the week of actual vacation. At least that's what I've determined from this week. My motivation to be present at work has been nil. This is bad because I have to present in lab meeting today. There have been times where I've been sitting at my desk working on my presentation and I've had to literally slap myself back on track. I'm ready to be on vacation, but really I'm ready for this trip in particular. Since I spent last weekend on the road, I came home too tired to worry about groceries. I decided that I would find a way to eat the stuff that remained in my fridge and pantry. This idea caused a tiny bit of panic at first because I had recently scrubbed my fridge and tossed things. There were somethings I didn't toss because I just wasn't sure what to do with them. This included one jar of pickled cauliflower veggie medley, one jar of a fork fulls worth of sauerkraut, one jar containing three pickle slices, two jars of olives (black and green) and one jar of capers. Why do I have so much pickled stuff in my fridge? Any one? Yeah...I don't know either. Lucky for me I still had one good tomato and one good cucumber, a bag of carrots, lettuce from the garden and a can of chickpeas. I've done well and I've only resorted to a peanut butter and jelly sandwich once (really because I was being lazy). I'm thankful for the food challenge this week.

I have no idea what my internet situation will be like on vacation. I do know that I can not include header pictures with my blog entries when done on the iPad. If I blog, I blog. We'll see. But don't count on it. I'm taking a vacation. Like for real. I promise there will be stories and pictures to fill days and days worth of entries when I return. Something I'm also thankful for.

Happy Thankful Friday!

THANKFUL FRIDAY

I feel like so often when I sit down to write my Thankful Friday entry that it turns into a "this is what I did this week" entry. I feel like maybe I lose a little bit of focus of what this entry is all about. Today's entry started out to be just that. I typed up a whole paragraph about my new home security system and then deleted it. Feeling safe is something to be thankful for, but the how and why I got the system isn't all that important and turns into a very boring read. I've eaten well this week and at meal time I've taken a moment to thank the Universe not just for my food, but for the little things in my day. Those little things add up and by the end of the week I realize I have so many things to be grateful for. It's easy to miss those little things or forget about them so that by the end of the week all you're really thankful for is the fact that it's the end of the week.

This week, I am thankful for the reminder that these little things add up to a pretty good week. Those little things are things like helping someone understand how to use a microscope to take better images of their research or the satisfaction of just completing a day well. I am thankful for a delete button, for the snippets of time I've had to chat with friends, for the ebb and flow of the days. Knowing that the next few weeks are going to be hectic and full makes me thankful for the moments that are still.

I am always thankful for you.

THANKFUL FRIDAY

Last week I was walking on the treadmill when one of the security guards came up and said "Your dad is waiting for you in the lobby". I said "What?!? He is?!?" and jumped off the treadmill and headed to the main lobby to get him. He was on a dealership drive in my area and thought he'd surprise me for lunch and he did. I took him to a fancy fish place over in the Plaza District. I thought this was the best choice because it was close and they had fish, but dad was a little uncomfortable. He thought it might be too fancy for the likes of him. I assured him that he was just fine and they didn't really care as long as you pay the bill at the end. He relaxed and started telling his tales of drives and flea market drama. We had a nice lunch and I was thankful he had stopped by. I can always count on dad to show up when least expected. I'm thankful for his silly stories and his goofiness. I very rarely travel outside of work for lunch. I usually eat at my desk while reading some science paper or working on my next presentation. But when dad comes, I give myself a break. This has been our routine for as long as I can remember. I could be in the middle of homework or working on some stupid 4-H project and dad would come in and say "Hey! Firetrucks just went by. Let's go chase 'em" or "Hot air balloon! Let's follow it!" and off we'd go. You remember that episode of The Simpsons when Lisa gets lost going to the museum and then Homer shows up and they break into the museum to see the Isis exhibit? That episode was written about me and my dad. OK, we never broke into a museum, but it's totally the kind of thing my dad would do. He's the Homer to my Lisa.

Dad is impossible to get ahold of on a weekend. He must be at the flea market selling peanuts. Must! So I won't see my dad this Father's Day weekend, but we've made plans for a date at The Union Station. Any way, it doesn't matter what day we celebrate dad. I'm thankful for him every day.

Here's to a grand weekend (of lazy) and a very Thankful Friday!

THANKFUL FRIDAY

Sometimes, I'll get it in my head to do a project and I will become obsessed. Take for instance last weeks gardening projects. When I decided what I wanted to do, I wanted to do it right away and then I did do it right away. Well, somewhere between my tossing and turning on Wednesday night I got it into my head to paint the bedroom. Really I have almost everything I need to decorate the bedroom. The things that are lacking is the paint and window treatments. Yes there are some other things like a new closet and shelving, but those are not necessary. If I painted the bedroom I could hang my Elephant Brass Band poster and that would be one less thing in the basement. And really, my bedroom is so small, it'll take me longer to move furniture around then it will to actually paint the walls. This is one thing I'm thankful for. I'm thankful for my little yellow house. Some people may complain about the size of my house, but I love it. Last Sunday I dusted, vacuumed and scrubbed the bathroom in one hour. My backyard project for last weekend? In my head I thought it would take me all day. I was finished before lunch. I spent the rest of the day getting a pedicure and shopping at Nordstroms (I know, but they were having a sale). I remember when I was a kid, nothing fun happened on Saturdays until the house was clean. With the size of my parents' home, that meant we had plenty of Saturdays where nothing fun happened. I felt like (still feel like it really) my mom was in constant battle with the cleanliness of that house. My house is just the right size and I'm thankful that it doesn't take over my life. Chris and I used talk about how we wanted to own a home, but not have the home own us. That's what my little yellow house is.

I'm thankful for another weekend in my little yellow house. I am thankful for restless nights that give me project ideas. I am thankful for the return to some consistency in my yoga practice and in my meditation practice. I've worked hard this week. I've worked hard at work, on my yoga mat, on my home and it's been a good week. I am thankful.

Here's to your glorious weekend and a very Thankful Friday!

THANKFUL FRIDAY

I am a home body at heart. I like tinkering around the house or lounging on the couch reading. I like being home. After two weekends on the road, I'm ready to play the home body role. I've got some big plans for the weekend. There will be the usual trek out to the Farmer's Market (my food situation has been sketchy at best lately), but I've got some major yard work that I feel I must take care of. I've already cleared a spot for a new herb garden. This weekend I'll put in some kind of rock/stone edging, fill in with dirt and move over my herbs. Next I'm building a compost bin from wood pallets and finally, I'm tearing down the old garden. It's time. It's just become a big ugly mess that I mow around. I already had two pallets sitting outside and had planned to pilfer two more from my basement. I was just beginning to struggle with the first pallet, scooching to the stairs when my ex-landlord stopped by. I am so thankful for that guy. Not only did he carry two pallets out of my basement for me, but he also installed a clothesline. Yip! Today he's coming back by to install window screens and hang my new painting. I'm hoping he'll be gone by the time I get home, because I'm pretty sure I'm going to cry when I see Jen's piece hanging on my wall.

This week I'm thankful for little home projects. I am thankful for clothes dried by a Spring breeze. I am thankful for unexpected help. I am thankful for the fresh foods I have planned for the next week. I am thankful for some time to rest and just be in my little yellow house. And of course, I am thankful (as always) for you and your kind, loving words.

Here's to a wonderful weekend and a very Thankful Friday!

THANKFUL FRIDAY

One of my coworkers asked me what I had planned for this weekend and when I said I'd be driving to OKC, he exclaimed "Again!". Then I told him, last weekend was Tulsa. Tulsa is not the same as OKC. Then he said "this is why you needed a new car". True that bro. So I'm on the road again today for another full weekend of friends, wedding (maybe I should have purchased a new dress), friends, laughter, and love. Hopefully there's some good Mexican food in there somewhere. I don't take Hooper with me on these trips to OKC. The drive is too long and I really need to get a ramp because getting him in and out of the car has become difficult for both of us. So, he'll spend the weekend at the local vet's. I'm thankful that I have a place so close that I trust. I am also thankful they have a groomer. For weeks now the shedding has reached critical mass in our home. I've been trying to brush him before he comes in in the evenings. The day after I bathed him, I had to clean the brush about seven times. It looks like I'm growing tribbles in the backyard. Plus, puppy is hot. He needs to get his summer hair style going. I'm thankful that can happen this weekend.

Other things I'm thankful for? Well, some financial things have finally fallen into place. This week I payed off my washer and dryer and completely paid off one of the big credit cards. That's a super nice feeling. I am now down to one credit card to pay off. Next week I'll sit down and re-work the budget and start funneling more into savings. I've got some big travel plans to budget for. This Thankful Friday entry is starting to make me yawn. All of this to say, I have many blessings in my life. And right now those blessings are in another state which requires lots of road tripping. But that's what summer's for right?

Here's to a wonderful weekend and a very Thankful Friday!

THANKFUL FRIDAY

This week! This week has been a crazy busy one for me. I'm not sure why, but I kind of like it. It makes the days go faster. You know how sometimes there's this lull before a big rush of stuff? For the past few weeks, I've been in the lull part but I'm beginning to feel that pressure and anticipation of the rush of things to come. This weekend I travel to Tulsa for my (sweet baby) niece's high school graduation (good Lord, I'm old). The next weekend I'll be visiting people in OKC. Then I'll get another short lull before more travel. Lull. And then BIG TIME travel to New York City! This week Tulaura nailed down our itinerary for the 4th of July and just the thought of makes the tears prick at the corners of my eyes. I. Can. Not. Wait. So here's what I'm thankful for this week. I am thankful for the lulls because they remind me to savor the rush times. They remind me to take a breath and pay attention during the hustle and bustle. It's also a great time of gearing up and charging batteries. I am thankful for that little buzz of excitement that starts to hum the closer I get to all the activities. All the planning that's involved in this and that is just part of the fun.

I am thankful for the weather we've had this week. It's allowed me to ride my scooter every day to work. The money I've saved on gas will pay for the gas for all my driving trips. I love this! I'm just thankful. That's all.

Happy Weekend and Thankful Friday!