Gratitude today

[lighter]

Today I'm grateful that my bedroom smells like ozone after all the rain.   I keep my window cracked a lot of the time in the fall. It's nice.  If I open the white drapes, I see the moss and Hemlocks, and surrounding forest. 

I made the most satisfying cup of coffee with MCT oil,  coconut oil, and salty grass-fed butter with one package of stevia this morning.  There's a new tea place here making tea with cheese foam.  I have to say.... it's good.  I like salty things mixed with my sweets.

I'm grateful when there's toilet paper, ANY KIND, in the bathrooms.  Thank God we aren't using sticks and rocks anymore. 

I'm grateful for running water in 4 rooms of the house.  It seems very decadent to me. 

Grateful for access to functional medicine.

Lighter: )

Lighter

[lighter]

Is the medical pedicure for ingrown toenails, or something else?  Oldest dd has problems with ingrown nails.... it would be wonderful to just take her for a medical pedicure every once in a while, bc she's not good with self care in that area. 

Lighter

[Twoapenny]

Today I am grateful that I have you guys to talk to and that I'm sitting indoors as the rain pours down outside.  I'm grateful that I can work this morning and then rest this afternoon before we go out this evening.  I'm grateful that moving is a possibility again and that it means things might get better xx

[lighter]

We're here, Tupp: )

It's raining here too.

Lighter

[lighter]

Oh, CB.  DD19 actually cuts her own toenails partially off.... it's terrible.  And she likes for me to be with her when she does it.  I'm squeamish.  It makes me so weak I can't stand.

I'm going to research podiatrists in my area, and see if we can't figure something out.

Thanks: )
Light

[lighter]

Today I have my office lined up for more paperwork... clean surfaces..... files ready.... files available to file INTO.  Missions to get after.  It feels OK.

Oldest dd turned 19, and will celebrate her birthday with two of her closest 3D friends.  I wrapped her gift... a large leather embossed journal with lovely metal clasps... it looks like it's 100 years old, and replaces a similar one I gave her years ago.  She lost it, and every once in a while talks about missing it, so... I feel pretty good about it.  I wrapped it in the bag it came in... brown paper, which I love.  Then I wrapped thin green wire around it, and inserted the card, a couple pictures of her that I love, copied, and backed with same brown paper, and money for her celebration, bc I want her to remember this always.   

I also cleaned her room, which I'd been ignoring for months.  I don't feel bad about it either.  It's part of her gift, and she'll go into her clean room, with sunny floors, and lovely freshly laundered bedding.  She love love loves that bedding, from April Cornell, found at Goodwill for 20.00 in perfect shape.  Crazy timing, meant to be.  I've found 2 sets of beautiful quilts there as well.... 20.00 for two.  That's nuts.  I have very good luck there.

DD19 getting ready to go, and I'm taking youngest shopping at Goodwill for HW items... she's going as one of the Chipmunks. Alvin I think, with her friend dressing as one of the female Chipmunks.  She's a goofy, funny kid; )

Planning Thanksgiving at my brother's this year.  My sister likes to nail down details, and I'm glad I don't have to this year.  I'll pitch in, and enjoy what I do.  Last year I made everything ahead, and traveled with it... so much bother for a huge group, but the meal was really special.  This year will be easier with smaller group.  We have certain items that are family tradition, and the dd17 likes to help.

Lighter

[Hopalong]

I am so grateful that I am still surprised, that good things still happen, and that I keep learning all the time.

So grateful for reading.

For M's company, for discovery, for friends.

Oh especially for friends.

[Twoapenny]

Today I have my office lined up for more paperwork... clean surfaces..... files ready.... files available to file INTO.  Missions to get after.  It feels OK.

Oldest dd turned 19, and will celebrate her birthday with two of her closest 3D friends.  I wrapped her gift... a large leather embossed journal with lovely metal clasps... it looks like it's 100 years old, and replaces a similar one I gave her years ago.  She lost it, and every once in a while talks about missing it, so... I feel pretty good about it.  I wrapped it in the bag it came in... brown paper, which I love.  Then I wrapped thin green wire around it, and inserted the card, a couple pictures of her that I love, copied, and backed with same brown paper, and money for her celebration, bc I want her to remember this always.   

I also cleaned her room, which I'd been ignoring for months.  I don't feel bad about it either.  It's part of her gift, and she'll go into her clean room, with sunny floors, and lovely freshly laundered bedding.  She love love loves that bedding, from April Cornell, found at Goodwill for 20.00 in perfect shape.  Crazy timing, meant to be.  I've found 2 sets of beautiful quilts there as well.... 20.00 for two.  That's nuts.  I have very good luck there.

DD19 getting ready to go, and I'm taking youngest shopping at Goodwill for HW items... she's going as one of the Chipmunks. Alvin I think, with her friend dressing as one of the female Chipmunks.  She's a goofy, funny kid; )

Planning Thanksgiving at my brother's this year.  My sister likes to nail down details, and I'm glad I don't have to this year.  I'll pitch in, and enjoy what I do.  Last year I made everything ahead, and traveled with it... so much bother for a huge group, but the meal was really special.  This year will be easier with smaller group.  We have certain items that are family tradition, and the dd17 likes to help.

Lighter

The birthday gift sounds lovely, Lighter, as does the clean room.  I hope she had a lovely day   I love charity shops as well!  My bedding was from a charity shop, it's lovely and was so cheap.  I've got a big wall hanging opposite my bed, also a charity shop find, and a great length of sari fabric that I've used as a dressing and draped around the window - all cheap as chips and very lovely

Today I am grateful for a day at home, in the warm. as it rains and the wind gets up outside.  Halloween last night was lovely, although quiet - I think the bad weather put some people off.  The kids are so sweet and so polite.  I love the little ones in their costumes with no idea what they're doing out knocking on people's doors lol.  One of the older lads saw my son's drawings that are up on the wall in the sitting room and commented on how good they were - son was chuffed to bits.  He's too old to go out trick or treating so I hide sweets indoors for him and we do a treasure hunt.  It was a nice evening.  I'm grateful I was able to stock up the bird food this morning and can watch the birds snacking, and grateful for my own trail of snacks that I've been munching on all day.  I've a box set on the telly, my feet up on the sofa, a duvet on and some liquorice tea the acupuncturist gave me.  I'm very grateful today for all the home comforts and being able to stay home to enjoy them.

[lighter]

Your warm cozy day sounds wonderful, Tupp.

I love watching the hummingbirds at the feeder on the back porch.  I always put out a tiny house for them,  but they never take me up on it.

Love the idea of a Halloween Treasure Hunt.... you're such a good mom!  I say that, again and again, but it's honestly what pops up again and again: )  DS feeling happy when his art was complimented was the cherry on a cake topped with little halloweeners... just love the little ones too. 

Picturing you watching a favorite television box set on a cold blustery day, feeling snug in clean beloved bedding, with great snacks, and a new plan cooking for yourself is so hopeful.  Finding our bliss, even when we're in circumstances that aren't ideal, is how we take back our power. 

At least, it's part of it: )

Lighter

[lighter]

CB:

I love certain things from Trader Joes.  There are hit and misses for me.

Their cheese are very good, and reasonable, IME. 

They sell these amazing fresh English peas we buy in bulk and freeze, bc they just aren't around very often.  They have good frozen organic veggies, and they're easy to throw into soups, and stir frys, IME. 

They have a Cauliflower Crust pizza in the frozen section that's pretty good.

Their organic produce, as you've discovered, is a pretty good deal.  If you can find an Aldi's I think they have even better deals, and both companies are owned by the same family.  They have big tubs of organic salad greens for the best price around. We go through those pretty quickly.  Always glad to find them in my fridge! Aldi's also great for jalapeno peppers, and asparagus.... hummus yummy creamy organic well-priced products too.

TJ's cheap wines are a really great deal.... the merlot, and cabs in particular, IME.

I love their pre-packaged salads too: )

Lighter

[lighter]

My buddy takes milk thistle supplements for liver issues. He has for years. Not sure what it does for him, or if you'd find it helpful, but there it is. 

I know people who take coffee enemas to help the liver out, and detoxify in general, for what that's worth.

 I forgot that ALDIs has a good cauliflower pizza too. 

I get around wasting large tubs of greens by cooking them down with neutral coconut oil, and garlic, then storing in fridge.  We throw them on pizza, in egg dishes, and pastas.  I can't eat too many salads, or I get sick of them.

Lighter

[Twoapenny]

Today I am grateful that, after waking ridiculously early this morning, I have the day free to go back to bed once I've dropped my son off at college.  I'm looking forward to the sleep

[lighter]

That sounds lovely, Tupp.  Just sleep, relax, and recharge.

Right now I'm grateful we have a snow day.  The wind's whipping around outside in freezing temperatures.  I can see ice crystals on the wood rail, and metal roof over the porch.  It's nice to snuggle in.

[Twoapenny]

That sounds lovely, Tupp.  Just sleep, relax, and recharge.

Right now I'm grateful we have a snow day.  The wind's whipping around outside in freezing temperatures.  I can see ice crystals on the wood rail, and metal roof over the porch.  It's nice to snuggle in.

Snow!  Oh wow, Lighter, is it like a winter wonderland?  I like snow but in the UK it generally just turns to a slushy mess quite quickly, plus we don't have the infrastructure for it because we don't get enough of it often enough, so the country grinds to a halt and people panic buy in a crazy way.  So it looks really pretty at first but by the end of the first day I've had enough.  Lol.  Snuggled up looking out at ice crystals sounds great xx

[lighter]

No snow.  My BIL has snow in Canada though; )

The school cancellation might be more about high winds, than cold weather.  Trees and branches go down on roads, and power lines around here.  Lots of big old lovely trees everywhere.

Lighter