Facials

I started my day hoping to catch a nap this afternoon. Then I remembered the gift card I had for a facial .  Wayyyy better. Now I am not only well rested, but moisturized too.

Quiet

I am so thankful that there is such a thing as "quiet".  Sometimes it is hard to find.  Sometimes it is allusive and has to be searched for - like keys, or cell phones.  Sometimes it finds you and you don't even know you have been found until you are surrounded by it. It can recharge you, and calm you, refocus you, and keep you from completely "losing it".  
My husband prefers his quiet pure and without sound.  For some reason I like my quiet with a little bit of beautiful music playing in the background.

The Wisdom Of Children - and a little Pep Talk

I love the wisdom of children.  It is so pure and untainted from adult prejudices.  It is simple, loving, obvious and sincere.  I really think sometimes that we have the whole thing backwards.  I think it might work better if we had 6 year olds running the world.  I think they understand how to fix the problems more than the adults that over-complicate everything and make it cost so much.  I saw this video and it just made me smile.  I would vote for him : ).  

Cheese+burger

Whoever invented cheeseburgers was a genius.  What a beautiful food.  Tater tots crispy on the side.  Sauteed onions and mushrooms, whatever your sauce of choice and a nice toasted fresh bun to keep your fingers from getting sticky.  Any vegetarian I have personally known that has fallen off the vegie wagon has always done it for a cheeseburger.  They can just be that darn irresistible.

Joints

I really appreciate having joints  - you know, elbows, knees, hips, wrists, ankles - that sort of joint.  I appreciate even more the older I get when they function correctly and without any snaps, crackles or pops.  For those days I am thankful for anti-inflammatory meds and a hot shower.

All the water I want, and when I want it...

Today I am especially thankful for having water in my house - any time I want it.  My sister Leasa and her family are not so lucky right now.  After many days of sub-zero weather their water supply has frozen up and as far as they can tell it is in the pipe running to their house - 2 feet under the ground.  So until said ground decides to thaw, (say March maybe) the water comes to their house in jugs, and showers happen at grandpa's house.  Leasa said she didn't realize how much of her morning routine involved using water.
I am feeling pretty luxurious in my house today with water whenever I want it.  Whatever temperature I want it.  As much as I want.  Well, as much as I am willing to pay for anyway.

Homemade Bread

Nothing compares to fresh homemade bread.  It makes the house smell like home.  It is a good thing I was not home alone tonight because I would have eaten the whole loaf.  I am not kidding.  The WHOLE  loaf.  And I would have felt no guilt.

Snow Days/ Ice Days

Nothing makes children happier (and some parents) than the unexpected day off from school.  An excuse to sleep in.  No lunches to make.  No schedules to keep.  I love being stuck at home with a fire going and a book to read.  I don't know that I actually get cabin fever.  As a kid we had snow days because we had very hardy school bus drivers that could handle most roads.  It had to be deep drifted snow or blizzard conditions to cause a snow day. Many times if this was the weather we wouldn't have been able to get to the bus even if there was school. So later in the day that usually meant a trip out to the corrals where the drifts would make magical mountains to dig a tunnel or cave into.
Now where we live and are raising our kids there isn't enough snow for a day off.  But it can ice up nicely.  No bus driver wants to be sliding sideways down the high way towards oncoming traffic with a bus load of law suits.  We all stay home : )

4 Wheel Drive

I grew up in a place that needed 4 wheel drive. I really appreciate that what I drive now can switch from 2 to 4 wheel drive with a push of a button.  I don't have to get out in the weather, in my nice shoes with a flashlight in one hand while I try to put the truck in 4 wheel drive.  I can even have my Tahoe on Auto 4 Wheel drive and let the car decide for itself.  Which is a good thing because you really can't count on a man to come and save you these days.

Good Gravy

Is there anything so lovely as good gravy?  I mean, there is even a saying of that exact phrase.  Potatoes are just sad and naked without.  It makes a good roast or meatloaf divine.  Bread just asks to be dipped in it.  The Italians call gravy what we would refer to as thick spaghetti sauce.  It is a beautiful thing no matter what country you are from. Yes, I do love good gravy.

Clorox Wipes

God bless the woman that came up with the idea of putting sanitation in a portable, disposable, fabric like square.  This miracle has saved me on many occasions of dog messes, cat messes, baby messes, husband messes, kitchen messes and anti germ warfare.  It makes freeing germs from such things as phones, remote controls, and the ever virulent door knobs as easy as a quick swipe.  The only thing I still battle with is getting that first wipe to line up with the opening without getting my finger stuck in the hole.

Modern Supplies

I will make this brief and to the point. I could not go a whole year without being thankful for modern supplies and pharmaceuticals to accommodate my monthly visitor.

It's Not Memorex, it's Live

I love music. But there is something magical about hearing it live. The interaction of musician and audience. The possibilities of something unexpected.  You don't just hear the music. You can literally feel it.

Sleeping Cats

I have always had cats in my life. I was very blessed to marry a cat person.  I enjoyed several hours this evening just curled up with a book in front of the wood stove. It was so peaceful and relaxing with the occasional mug of Choffy to sip on. But the thing that made it feel like home, was the cat asleep on my lap.

My hero the garbageman

I love that I have a garbageman.  I really do.  I take stuff that makes me roll my eyes and hold my nose outside to a big plastic box on wheels.  I quickly toss it in and walk away.  And once a week a big truck comes by and takes it all away and we start all over again.  I know this is not the "greenest" attitude to have in this day and age, but I love to be able to make stuff disappear once a week.  I do recycle pretty regularly and donate all my pop cans to the current fundraiser in town.  But it is really satisfying  and cathartic to have someone just come and take away what I don't want to have to deal with anymore.

Book Series

I love finding a great book.  But what I love even more is discovering that the author has written several more books in the same series.  What I love the most, is when I discover the series after 12 (or was it 13?) books have already been written in the series.  I am set for awhile at the library.

Spelunking and Taxes

Today was the day I gathered up my courage and set out on my yearly mental journey into the badlands.  I brave this journey alone every year.  It feels a bit like the start of a spelunking trip wearing flip flops and no jacket, with a leaky canteen, 2 wet matches, a stick of gum, and a smashed up granola bar in my pocket.
If you knew of my claustrophobia, fear of heights, great dislike of being wet and cold, and appreciation of heat, light, food, and a comfortable place to sleep, it would make this even more impressive.
Luckily for me someone had the brilliant idea of personal idiot proof tax software that I can use at home. In my pajamas.  It's like someone came ahead of me and set up camp. They even left me a map. And the best part of all is that I can leave anytime I want and come back later.  No one will move any of my stuff, or eat my food, or lose the map. I come and go as I please. And the echo effect when I curse is highly entertaining as well.

Conditioner- a deserted island must

I must have hair conditioner. I don't know what I would do without it.  My shampoo bottle lasts 10 times longer than my conditioner.  I have seen movies where it's anywhere from 100 -500 years ago and the women with curly hair look spectacular. No frizz, no pouf, no baseball cap. Tropical rain forests, parched deserts, mountain peaks. Location had no effect on their hair.  It's false advertising. I dread to think what my hair  would have looked like back then. What did these women really do for their hair? I shudder to think what my blunt cut, unconditioned, mass of hair would have looked like. One big long braid I am thinking. Under a stylish hat though of course.

There is no heat like wood heat

I hate to be cold.  HATE.  I make it a point to use that word sparingly but in this case it is necessary. I love wood heat.
One of the things I took most for granted growing up was the fact that our house was heated with wood.  I learned that very quickly when I moved away from home and lived in apartments with (I shudder to say) baseboard heat.  This was the most insane type of heat.  The heaters were always under the windows.  If I was really desperate I would wrap myself in the curtains to get warm.  Lucky curtains.  If it is within my power I will always have wood heat in my house.  Always.

Sleep - Jan 12

I love sleep.  LOVE it.  I think I learned to love it even more after I started having kids and never have seemed to have enough of it when I really want it anymore.  The days when I do have an opportunity to catch the elusive catnap always seems to be the day that people decide to stop by or call on the phone.
So because I took the opportunity to get to bed early enough to wind down before I actually needed to be asleep, I totally missed posting last night.  So I thought it only appropriate that my gratitude be focused on that elusive thing we call sleep.

Sense of Direction

I don't know if I will ever fully appreciate my husband's sense of direction. Once he has been somewhere he can always get there again. He can always tell you where north is. Always. 

He is my permanent GPS. In more ways than one. And if we ever get lost (because I was the navigator), I love the adventure we have together while we are getting there.

I Can Fix it Myself

Tonight I made it to Zumba class.  I was so bummed 3 or 4 songs in as we were experiencing a little  "Gangnam Style" when I felt something "pop" in my Achilles tendon neighborhood.  Not cool.  Do you know how hard it is to Zumba without being on your toes?  I pulled something - didn't tear anything luckily.  Anyway... that led me to my gratitude for today.

I was thinking tonight how awesome it is that our bodies can fix themselves the majority of the time.  Just imagine if all the injuries you had happen to you NEVER got better.  Even if it was JUST the minor injuries.  I am horrified to think what shape I would be in if this was the case.  In my 43 years I have been cut, burned, sprained, strained, broken, poked, and thoroughly bruised.  Oh the picture is too hideous to imagine.

It is really quite nice to have comfortable rental where the landlord seems to take care of fixing what breaks in a reasonable amount of time.

Gentlemen

The world needs gentlemen.
Tonight all my kids went to an etiquette dinner for their church activity.  The look in my 12 year old daughter's eyes when she told me how the boys at her table stood when she got up to leave the table and again when she came back said it all. She felt treated with respect. She felt special. She felt like the daughter of a king.
How different the world would be, could be, if their were more gentlemen.

Pillows

Have you ever thought of how much sadder your life would be without pillows?  I remember after surgery once having to lie completely flat.  It drove me nuts.  I kept raising the bed a little to get some incline and the nurse would come in the room and notice and lower it back down.  At least I think I remember this happening.  Maybe it was just a bad dream I had.
And then there are the plethora of extra pillows on the couch.  Somehow we are always short a blanket but, thank goodness there are usually enough pillows to go around.
I am exhausted and a tad fixated on my pillow tonight.  And I am dreading the moment in the morning that I will have to be separated from it once again.  I do love a good pillow.

Diphenhydromine has always been one of my best friends

It takes care of itches and allergies whether they be airborne, plant born, or stinger born. It sedates airplane riding babies.  It has been around for decades and still manages to keep a certain mystique about it by selling itself under sexier names like Zzzquil.  It is a cheap drug to keep on hand (like $3 for a bottle of 400 at Costco).  It comes in a beautiful pink color.  But for me, the best thing it does, is give me that little push into dreamland that my hormones or lack thereof  seem to snatch away every so often. And now that I am feeling that warm and fuzzy feeling I am headed to bed.

Dishwashers

I am so thankful for a wonderful machine in the other room that takes my dirty dishes from my hands and gives them back in the morning clean. And all I have to do is remember to push the start button after I add the soap. It's a beautiful thing.

Libraries

I love that there is a place I can go to borrow books. And if the book I am looking for is not at my library, they will request to have it sent from miles away to my library.  I think sometimes we take for granted that this is available to us. For many people in the world the idea of this is a luxury or a dream.  I am so fortunate that for me it is just around the corner.

Conversation

I had two different conversations with two different people today.  One has made me turn inward and question myself about how I view people and their belief systems. How I view my own belief system, and why I feel the way I do about certain topics.  Why do I  tend to be defensive about certain things? Why do I not question others? It was a conversation that I am still thinking about.
Then I had a completely different conversation about books and movies and travel and history. It made me hungry for knowledge and answers as well but in an entirely different way.
I love that my life is full of conversations each day. Brief or lengthy, heated or laid back. It gives me another person's perspective and reminds me that I am so blessed to not be in isolation.  It grants me the opportunity to benefit and learn from the knowledge of another person.
I am thankful for that daily gift of the human experience. The luxury of sharing it with, and learning from others.

Abundance

This morning as I am making my breakfast I am looking at all the fabulous things in my fridge that I have to choose from to eat.  I am looking at my fabulous fridge that keeps the food cold.  I am looking at my fabulous stove and microwave that will cook my breakfast.  I am struck by the realization that the most difficult thing each day may be for me to choose what one thing I will focus my thanks on that day.  Which day will I choose to be thankful for chocolate?  It will have to be a day that chocolate was unusually significant.  SO MUCH to be thankful for each day.  I think today I will be thankful for the abundance of blessings I have each day.  Yep - today I am thankful for abundance.

So starts a year of gratitude

While driving home today I noticed a man crossing the street carrying a laundry basket full of clothes . He was obviously on the way to the laundromat down the street. It hit me how thankful I am to have a washer and dryer right in my house to use at any hour of the day, as much or as little as I want.  I also got to thinking how I bet I could find something new everyday for a year to be thankful for without repeating the same thing twice. So I have decided that will be the focus of my blog this year. I will find a new thing each day to be consciously grateful for in my life.

Today is January 2, so even more than a home laundromat, I am grateful today for my beautiful daughter Elizabeth born 12 years ago today. My baby who isn't a baby anymore. My baby who now that she is 12 will be doing her own laundry. 

How is that for poetic?