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| This photo has a background of soft shades of tan which darkens on the upper corners to a caramel color and then to coffee brown. Tiny fairy lights on strings frame the sides and upper edge. A quotation printed on it in simple black lettering reads "A good life is when you assume nothing, do more, need less, smile often, dream big, laugh alot, and realize how blessed you are."* |
Happy Weekend Friends!
So often I find myself chasing my tail, and have the feeling like I'm falling hopelessly behind with life... with writing, with blogging, with housework, and with staying in touch with friends. My first thankful on this week's list is the awareness that each day is a new day to begin again. I may not be able to do everything I'd like to accomplish today, in fact I know I won't, but I can do something... and I can start with something that's so very important to me... recounting my reasons to be thankful!
The nicest blessing of the week is occurring at the present, Papa Bear has a three day weekend off to spend with me. We had planned to go to a Masonic function in Dallas, but decided against it due to the long drive and travel expense. Instead we are relaxing at home, staying up late, sleeping in late, and working on a few much needed house projects. I love having him home, even if it does mean a little less time here in the blogsphere, life trumps blogging, and we like spending our time together!
I have started writing at the newly acquired table, retrieving my comfy office chair from the "clutter room". Typically, I've been writing with my Surface tablet/keyboard on a lap desk, but this is much better and the furkids are loving it that they can gather around me on the table and chairs while I write. (Don't worry, the table is cleaned before we eat on it. :-) I will never cease to be amazed that our furry housemates want to be near to us wherever we are and whatever we're doing.
I spent much of this week helping the reunion committee for the 45th reunion of my high school Class of '72 track down missing members online and obtain their mailing and email addresses. I love the challenge and I had the time to play with it, so I was glad to volunteer, in the process reconnecting with friends that go as far back as gradeschool! I won't be attending the reunion in June, it is too far and too expensive to travel back to South Dakota, but they promise plenty of photos and I'm going to set up a private Class of '72 Facebook group for us to keep in touch from now on. It was sobering to learn that fourteen of our classmates have already died, and we wonder how many will have left us by the 50th reunion.
Coming out of my reunion efforts this week, a bigger blessing evolved. It is no secret that high school was not one of my favorite life experiences. I was clearly a misfit and hung out with the other misfits. The "cool kids" weren't always nice, nor were some of the teachers. Adolescence is a difficult time. I have said for many years that I had no desire to reconnect with anyone from that time of my life. But the passing years change perspective and I find that most of us are a bit nostalgic for home and those simpler times as life has scattered us to the winds. This week I have been able to revisit old issues and forgive. The past is in the past, and we are older and a bit wiser. It feels good to let it go.
A fun thankful on my list this week is the addition of the new "Crosswords with Friends" to my online game activity. While it really isn't set up to play "with friends" there is a timer on the daily crosswords which makes for a bit of competition. For me it's all about challenging my brain to fill in the blanks as quickly as possible. Doing things online is just so much easier than using a pencil... and an eraser! Along with ongoing games of Words with Friends and Yahtzee, it's good exercise for old brains. :-)
I am so very relieved and thankful that sound my husband's truck was making ended up not being an extremely expensive repair as we had feared. Rather it is just a wheel in need of a new bearing assembly. He was able to get the needed part at cost and a mechanic friend will install it this weekend for a fraction of the in-shop price. While it's still a bite on our budget, it's not the disaster that it could have been.
I am so delighted that my nephew has been offered the job we've been praying about for the company he works for. It's a substantial promotion and there were many applicants. He has a wonderful, outgoing personality, and he's smart. I know he will do well, and I'm thankful he's been given the opportunity.
I am thankful that my husband's daughter that recently moved back to the area has been able to arrange for an apartment for her and her grown daughter and high-school age son. Housing is expensive here. With three incomes they should be able to make ends meet if they budget carefully. She is still applying for jobs, but she is determined and I'm sure she will be able to secure one soon.
I am thankful for the peaceful, relaxing ending to evenings spent with Papa Bear in the hot tub underneath the star-filled skies. We leave the water jets off and enjoy soaking while talking about the day without the distraction of the television. It makes for a great night's sleep!
Bonus thankful... I am so thankful and humbled by the people who reach out to me on a daily basis and make and effort to stay connected even when I am such a sporadic respondent. It is a good feeling to know people care about me, trust me, and what to share the ups and downs of their lives.
Blessings to you this week. Keep your eye out for reasons to be thankful, and remember to be a blessing to someone else!
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| This is a click-button to the TToT link-up. It is photo of one of our beautiful Texas sunsets with blue still peeking through the clouds; yellow, orange and pink bands around the remaining sliver of bright sun, and a wide band of black earth below it on which I've written Ten Things of Thankful.* |
* Descriptions of the included photos are being provided for those who may be unable to view the illustrations.
Josie, i'm so glad your Papa Bear is able to spend some extra time with you this weekend, and that the repairs on the truck are not prohibitive!
ReplyDeleteHow nice, too, that Papa Bear's daughter was able to come be near.
Have a great weekend!
Thank you, Mimi, I am really happy about the extra time together and the more reasonable cost of truck repairs, little things... big blessings! Papa Bear's daughter is in the process of rebuilding her life and she's off to a good start, we keep her in our prayers!
DeleteYou have company Josie when it comes to "falling hopelessly behind with life"! Truly. And your positive outlook is priceless. We do need to look to each day as another opportunity:)
ReplyDeleteHow nice for you guys to have extra time together. Personally, I'd rather do what you did instead of a whirlwind trip to Dallas. Especially, the hot tub part :D
You make me remember back when I had a couple of "furkids". Of course they want to be where you are! Back in the day when I wrote on a paper pad, I had one of mine insist on draping herself over my arm...my writing arm lol
Holy smokes! 45 years. I'm not too far behind you. Kind of surreal when you think about it. Unfortunately, high school is not a great time in life for a lot of kids.
Blessings to you this week too, Josie.
It is so nice to hear that I'm not the only one who feels like I'm always running in circles. It frustrates me so... but obviously not enough to put a better plan into effect. :-) I truly do get up each day with full intent to begin again, and today was relatively successful in that endeavor. I absolutely agree about the preference of staying home to relax, I love road trips, but not long ones with a short turnaround time. Dallas is not high on my favorite places, it is way too congested, just another big city that I can do without.
DeleteMy furkids are clearly not fond of my tablet in my lap, occupying their preferred place, so they are pleased with the new table and the ability to gather around me without being relocated. Toby still feels that draping himself across my arm should in no way hinder my typing efforts... and who can resist that sweet little face! <3
It truly seems impossible that I've been out of school that long, I waited eagerly to turn 20, and then 40, and now 60 has passed by at the speed of light and I am well on my way to the stars! The good part of this is reaching the age when I can view my life story from a perspective of review rather than reliving the emotional ups and downs, now it is more of a curiosity, and sometimes a wonder that I have survived. I had no idea things would end up in such a contented manner, which brings me to my oft repeated message about hope, we have no idea what tomorrow has in store for us, it could be amazing!
one of those 'anti-winning lottery ticket' events, the repair that reasonably could be way, way too much money, turning into a significantly smaller 'prize'. what a great feeling that is.
ReplyDeletewhat, you didn't enjoy high school?! I'm certain if William Golding had wanted to write an even grimmer tale of the baser side of human nature, he would have made the characters high school students... lol
I agree that certain teachers were even worse (than our fellow students), those insecure, desperate- not-to-be-so-much-older-than-the-pupils 'teachers'. (For the record, I am not saying that they were all rogers... lol)
Phyllis has her computer on the dining room table. I'm in my office (aka the other bedroom, lol) Una spends most of the time Phyllis is home with her, seeing how I'm around the house much more during the course of the workweek.
thank you for the efforts of keeping this bloghop out there in the virtual world.
The lower than anticipated truck repair bill was most definitely a win, Clark, even if I'd rather no repairs were needed. We all know how that price starts rising once you pull into a repair shop!
DeleteHigh school, sigh. The best of times, the worst of times, and so grateful to finally be out of there! If only we had known that was easy compared to what life would toss at us in years to come! I agree that high school students, and even ones in the elementary grades, can have a truly dark side that is incomprehensible to me, and as you note, the teachers were often not much older, and back then at least, completely lacking in the psychology of learning. I tended to rebel against such asinine things such as "state the correct score of the most recent Dallas Cowboys game for extra points on your history test."
How sweet that Una cherishes her time with Phyllis when she is there. Sophie, our senior kitty, can't wait for Papa Bear to get home so she can plant herself on his lap and stay there until bedtime. You would never know that she snuggles with me during the day. :-)
This bloghop means as much to me as it does to all of us, it gives me reason to pause in all the business each week and spend some time reflecting, always good! Reading other TToT posts is frosting on th cake! :-)
Josie, you're right when you say life trumps blogging. A new day, a new beginning, a new opportunity to be present in day to day living. It gives us more to reflect on. I'm impressed that you are helping to find the lost classmates. We had a girl who lives in Florida that did an outstanding job of helping locate classmates for the 40th reunion. Many are still in the local area. We skipped the 45th - the next will be the 50th in a couple of years. Enjoy every moment this weekend with Papa Bear.
ReplyDeleteI would probably be quite happy to spend my days here in front of my tablet, Val, but then I wouldn't have much to write about, and I'd be missing out on all the other wonderful people and things that I encounter!
DeleteThe older I get the more I see the wisdom in accepting ourselves and what each day brings. I life with hope and with intention, and at the end of the day I did good enough. I will never cover all the bases, and perhaps victory is in the effort rather than the result.
I enjoyed the "hunting for classmates" process, the Internet is such an amazing tool for tracking people down! Because I grew up in such a small town in a very rural area, the great majority of my classmates have moved on to other places and are scattered about the country, one even resides in Norway! While I am not one for social gatherings, there are some former classmate/friends I'd really like to spend a little time with catching up. We can laugh about high school now! :-) Having Papa Bear home is so good, and I am happy when he can finally have a couple days to rest up and relax. It looks like rain today, so he may escape lawn mowing for the time being. :-)
Glad to hear that your husband's truck didn't need a huge repair. I always get a sinking feeling if I hear noises coming from my car, wondering what the problem is! It's always nice when you get time off together too! We have a three-day weekend coming up next weekend and it's due to be a heat-wave so we'll be making the most of it!
ReplyDeleteBeing in the hot tub under the stars sounds so good! I'll have to do that some day!
Have a great week!
I was very relieved that the truck repair was something affordable too, Jo! My husband only gets Sundays off work, and one Saturday a month, so we treasure the longer ones. I hope you have a wonderful weekend coming up! When is your holiday to the seashore?
DeleteThe hot tub was our one splurge in life, purchased with inheritance money from my father, and we love it so much, great for tired bodies and achey bones, not to mention the relaxation and peace it brings!
"Life trumps blogging," is a good thing to remember.
ReplyDeleteHow nice to not have a huge repair bill on your truck.
I haven't gone to any of my high school reunions, although I did attend one of the smaller birthday parties with some of the graduates one summer. There had been enough time gone by, that I'd lost my awkwardness of being among the group. I think that in reality probably the majority of teens feel awkward during some of those high school years. It is funny how such a small portion of one's life can have such an impact. Being able to revisit old issues and forgive is important. It enables one to be at peace with oneself as well as with others.
It sounds like things are looking up for your nephew and your husband's daughter.
It sounds so relaxing to be sitting in a hot tub under the stars. I've only been in a hot tub once in my life.
I used to feel guilty if I didn't get around to blogging, Pat, then I realized that it was because I was busy living! I can always blog about it later. :-) You are right about the passing of years changing the dynamics of school relationships, I am more comfortable with who I am and thus not so concerned with how others view me. You are probably right that most teens felt out of place at times. It does feel good to realize those memories no longer have power over me. The hot tub is our one luxury in the weed patch here, and we cherish it. We rarely run the jets, just soak in the hot water and visit and share our dreams and the stars overhead! It really is a relaxing way to end the night.
DeleteSo encouraging to read your TToT every week. High school is not a fond memory for me and I wasn't there long. No graduation for me, left when I was 16. As for being behind...when it comes to blogging I pretty much keep up with posting but have been terrible with reading the blogs I follow. So far behind now I doubt I will catch up. Good news about the truck and great news that Papa Bear had three days of time off.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Patricia! Writing my TToT is such a positive experience for me each week. I would gladly have left high school at 16 if it would have been allowed, though in retrospect I suppose I'm glad I didn't. Nowadays there are more learning options for those who don't fit comfortably in that social setting.
DeleteI seem to be always behind in blogging, commenting and replying no matter how much I shorten my reading list or try to stay organized. I think this must be a good sign that there is a lot of great writing taking place! I have learned to just to the best I can and then call it done and move ahead. I suspect that my whole life has been a game of trying to stay on top of things, but it becomes easier to let it go as I grow older.
I was very relieved about the truck too, and Papa Bear enjoyed his extra day off very much! He needs time to relax and unwind, just as we all do. Six days a week of work is very tiring for him. I continue to pray for a way for him to reduce those hours without losing his job or us struggling more.