We’re having some money worries at the moment with our washer/dryer and Don’s car. So I did something I should do more often, especially when faced with worry. I quickly wrote a gratitude list this morning.
- Mere and her family are safe. We kept in contact all day Wednesday and into the evening when Hurricane Milton hit. Lots of very high winds and tons of rain. But miraculously, they didn’t lose power. Lots of tree branches down but the trees remained standing. Very, very grateful. Wednesday was a tense day.
- We watched the Mets win the NLDS in the midst of all the hurricane worry. What a great game!
- There is a new leaf emerging on my Monstera, even though I thought that process had ended for this year. Grateful for that surprise.
- It was 34 degrees this morning and the heat came on. Last year, it kept coming on and shutting off immediately and we had to get it repaired. Sigh of relief.
- I’m getting the urge to work on the Beacon Hill. In keeping with that urge, I cleaned Don’s mini studio yesterday, It was very, very dusty and I had to repair a few things. Grateful that I might feel enthused enough to get back to my miniature work.
- I have plenty of books to read.
- I love and am loved.
Just a quick dose of gratitude and it helps so much. We’re doing our best to wait for guidance.
I am frustrated because morning glory flower buds have finally emerged on my vine and I think the cold will knock them out. Fingers crossed that they hang in there. We haven’t had a hard freeze, so maybe they’ll open.
Don has a gig tonight. We missed the Northern Lights again. Had no idea! So, again fingers crossed, I’ll try to see them tonight.
As I slogged through the day of the hurricane, watching Mere’s local news on YouTube, I redressed a couple of the dolls. I find that soothing.
Here’s Holly, looking quite beautiful:
Stay safe.
Happy Friday.
I find that making a gratitude list during stressful times is the best way to remind myself of how blessed I am also. So happy Mere and family are ok. I have some friends who also survived Milton with minor damage. I’m enjoying the cooler weather and thinking of the beautiful days to come. Hugs
Enjoy, my friend.
Stay safe.
I am so glad your sister and her family came to no harm. What a relief! I do not know how people live through that kind of stress.
I am grateful for you and Don and always wish good things for you.
Take Care,
Kaye
It was very stressful for me and a thousand times for Mere.
Stay safe, Kaye.
I’m so glad to hear your sister and her family are safe! And yes, a gratitude list does help when life gets overwhelming. Thank you for the reminder, Claudia.
You’re welcome, Jenny.
Stay safe.
Taking stock of our gratitude really does have a calming effect…it opens our eyes. So glad your sister and family are fine. I didn’t realize the Northern Lights were last night either…. have seen some beautiful pictures. Hope some of your worries are lessened soon.
So do I, Barrie. Thank you.
Stay safe.
Thank goodness that prayers have been answered and your sister and her family are safe.
For the first time in my life, I saw the Northern Lights. My son who lives a few miles away, sent a photo about 10pm and said “Go and look outside”. I did and I couldn’t see anything except a strange light in the sky flashing above the hills. It stayed in position for at least fifteen minutes so it wasn’t a plane. With hindsight, it was probably a drone, not a UFO!
Anyway, just before I got into bed, I looked out of the window and there they were! I put my dressing gown on and went into the bitter cold outside. I managed to get a few photos on my phone of the pink, purple and green lights dancing above the hills.
Happy Friday
So glad you saw them. I saw them when I was a camp counselor working in Northern Michigan. I’d sure like to see them again!
Stay safe, Dee Dee.
Glad to hear that Meredith and her family are all safe. What a relief!
It is a good idea to focus on gratitude instead of on worries. Thanks for reminding me, Claudia!
It is indeed a relief, Ellen.
Stay safe.
I’m happy to hear Mere and family, and her home, are ok.
Money troubles are no fun. It is harder now that we are on a retirement income. It’s seems like it’s always something.
There are tons of pictures on facebook of the northern lights. We drove to Lake Michigan last night and so did lots of other people. We didn’t see much though. I don’t really understand why, but you can see them better with a camera. We tried taking some pictures but it wasn’t much when we were there.
It was disappointing.
Take care
I’m hoping I can get a glimpse of them tonight, Marilyn. I’ve seen them before but it was decades aga.
Stay safe.
Your porch flowers look quite happy at the moment. We came through the storm relatively unscathed. No power anywhere that we can see on beachside. Had to drive around a while, over to the mainland to find gas and ice, but the air conditioning was glorious! For now we try to keep the phones charged using the Jeep. Not easy but getting by.
I sure hope you get your power back sooner rather than later, Shanna.
Hang in there, my friend.
Stay safe.
hej, shanna!
hope by now your power has been fixed and if not now, then soon. very soon. very glad you and fred are safe and have the jeep!
hope brendab has good news too.
will keep praying for you all.
kathy
Thanks Kathy. It came back on about a half hour ago!
Money worries are usually present in some form the older we get, at least for us. We can’t seem to avoid them. I wish we could. I wish you and Don the best, as you figure it all out…and I’m sure you will.
Your flowers look beautiful…enjoy them before that first frost gets there. Looks like starting Sunday night will be it for flowers around here.
Enjoy your day! ;)
You’d think that by the time we reached the age, we wouldn’t have to worry about these things!
Stay safe, Donnamae.
So much to be thankful for. So relieved to hear Meredith and her family are safe. We’re celebrating our Thanksgiving this weekend here in Canada. My friend once said, I can be just as thankful for a grilled cheese sandwich as I can for a turkey dinner. I’m roasting a chicken and making the usual sides. I’m off to make two different kinds of cranberry sauce. We love cranberry sauce and now is the season. Holly does look ever so cute. I must change Jesse and Walter into something more autumnal. It’s sweater weather here in Toronto. Have a lovely weekend, you two and stay safe. Hugs, Elaine
Thanks so much, Elaine.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Stay safe.
sorry about the car, washer and dryer woes. may their fixes be quick and easy (and permanent), including on the wallets and minds.
regarding your gratitude list today:
01. i was smiling when i read that and will be thanking God for such very good news! my cousin and his wife (just north of tampa bay) have some house and property damage to deal with, but they were spared the worst of milton.
02. go, mets!
03. a happy little “october surprise” for you!
04. more good news … hooray!
05. have fun! i have *lots* of dust over here.
06. good. me, too.
07. how wonderful and of course you are!!! also same here. :)
hope you see the northern lights tonight. we’re a bit too far south here. look for a particular and rare comet, too … said to have last happened 80,000 years ago, starts tonight through the end of october.
i keep hoping and praying that don’s gig will lead to something bigger for him (whether musically, acting, both, whatever he wants), that both of you find the work you want and deserve with your talents and experience.
you know my gratitude list includes God and my family. today, among other things, it also includes my sweet sister making a nice lunch (she is a good cook), taking a nice walk in the sunshine, and having the have-to’s done for the day. it also includes me now having enough yarn (and hopefully enough time) to knit eighteen dishcloths before thanksgiving.
happy, safe friday to you, don and everyone else.
kathy
Thanks so much, Kathy, These gigs are usually for local people and aren’t a path to anything bigger as a rule. Just a way to sing for others and earn a bit in tips. Auditions, on the other hand, could lead to something.
Stay safe.
thanks, claudia. may there be many auditions ahead and soon and won … and big tippers in the audience, too.
kathy
xo
Hi Claudia,
You know something, I need to do a gratitude list as well. I did one every day for a year one time. I am sitting here feeling sorry for myself. My husband is still doing okay, he doesn’t complain. And he should, because we have been waiting So long for his cancer surgery.
I am grateful that your family are all okay and that you could communicate with them that night. I’m grateful that I spent a couple hours with my sister last week. I’m overly grateful for my dear friend and also my dad (for sure!). I hope he’s around for a while longer. My dog is a constant companion and I wake up with her each morning. She is clingy though. She loves me to death.
My 60th birthday was a disaster beyond belief!! But the following day was good and Mike and I ate at the food court. Mike bought me a sparkly little diamond ring. What we really need is a fence. Do you know how expensive they are. Crazy. Hopefully, next year we can get one. I’m grateful for learning how to paint and having the great classes.
I’m grateful for my faith, above all.
Yes, I know how expensive fences are. That’s why we don’t have one!
Stay safe, Irene.
Glad to hear that your sister made it through the storm. Our town was didn’t feel many of the effects this time, unlike when Helene came through two weeks ago. Plus, behind the storm was a cold front! I wore a light sweater this morning as I made my way to my office, and it was a breezy 82 degrees as we walked back to the car. That might not sound like much of a cool down, but for us it was a treat!
Enjoy the cold front, Bridget!
Stay safe.