Thankful Thursday

[Ramblinrose]

Morning ya'll..

Yes MT, we are cloudy as well and the storm clouds are gathering off in the distant. I will be watching as well while I run my errands.

I am a thankful person and have been most of my life. Not a day goes by that I don't stop to think how lucky I am. I was born in this country and am free while others were not. I have been given an education where I learned the simple things of reading, math and writing..others have not. I have a closet full of clothes and shoes. I live in a "grande" to others house with running water, electricity, and food to fill my belly. I hate throwing away food because it makes me think of others even in this country who would love to have my left-overs.

My family is "healthy" compared to others. My friends have lost children while mine thrives. I have a husband who is kind, loving and generous to a fault. I refuse to waste time complaining over little issues that pop up on a daily basis. I am happy for what I have and where I am in life...It could have been a heck of alot worse, so who am I to grumble.

I have had my share of woes, but then again who hasn't.

Here's why...

My mom's best friend contacted polio at the age of 25. Her children were 3 and 1.5 years old at the time. She was placed in an iron lung for a year...have you ever seen one of those things...during which each child was place with a set of grandparents. She was paralyzed from the neck down and the only thing she could do was so move her right hand. By learning to squeeze a small ball she regained the use of her body...took another year.

She was fitted with a leg brace, put in a wheel chair and sent home. My parents became friends with them when I was 8. This woman never let anything get to her. She did her own house work, cooked dinner every night and raised her kids. She drove a car and did her own shopping. She was a great seamstress and sewed her own clothes. She swam every day and on weekends my dad would carry her through the sand so she could swim in the ocean....She told me that always made her feel free.

Whenever my mom took me shopping I would always make her stop at P's house to show her my new clothes. P would put me on her coffee table and pin the hems of my dresses. She had a wicked sense of humor and my mother and she laught all the time. She became my second mom.

She outlived two husband, mother...who lived with her for a while...and her two children. She recently died at the age of 92. She lived alone and independent till her death. Imagine the strenght and determination it took...she had to remove herself from her wheelchair to bath, dressed or into her bed. She still cooked for herself and used a bus to travel to the grocery store.

She has been my life inspiration. Never once did I ever hear her complain about any thing...so I figure given my life, why should I.

[Ramblinrose]

BTW, I posted a wonderful story of gratitude...I did not write it... over in our Retreat for Summer 2014 for anyone who is interested.

[Nancy]

Two girls here today feels like Fri. To me so did every other day this week with school starting here next week! LOL!

Oven is beeping time to check the 2nd batch of pumpkin bread. I had milk & eggs to use up a dump cake cook book of recipes to try. So we did some mini loaves so the girls can take some with them.

Laundry is going.
Loom is dusted.

[Ramblinrose]

Nancy...all together now how many new chicks do you have??? And how big is your flock now???

[FelineFriend]

Kathryn, Thanks for the wonderful opener!

(((Harmony)))

Safe travels, Helia.

RR, It's great you have new chicks, too!

Pumpkin bread sounds delicious, Nancy! Can I come over for a slice?

Just a quick C. I. here, actually. Have 1 LOL going, slow to get moving this a.m., but am trying my best. It took awhile before I could sleep soundly, so woke up groggy and tired.

Waving to MT, LadyM, Harriet, and Dee, and those I've forgotten to mention and to those who come after me.

Later adding: The post by Ramblin Rose, is very good. It's in Members Only summer retreat.

[Emptynester]

The sky opened up as we backed the car out of the garage. I looked at DH and he looked at me and we said (almost together) we can get groceries tomorrow. Not worth it to drive in the downpour.

So instead I folded clothes and am packing the tote to put in the MH. I have another load going. Since we will only be gone 4 nights, I'm not taking much with me. Well, as far as clothes go. Now food is another matter as I am used to a well stocked pantry in the MH and don't want to leave anything home.

I probably won't have internet from Sunday until Thursday next week. We gave up our mobile hot spot for an unlimited ISP (plus about 1/2 the cost) here at the house. We will be able to use our phones but not the computer nor the Kindle for internet access.

Time to flip the twins and find some lunch. TTFN

[DeeClutter]

Okay, we are now the "proud" owners of a D odge 200. I'm still hyperventilating at writing that check (for Kathryn's info). It'll take us a while to learn all the little perks. Took us a while to get everything signed and rolled over. One thing we did this time that we've never done before (much to dh's chagrin) was that the car is registered with NYState in dh's name but titled in BOTH our names. Did transfer the plates but they're getting a tad worn for the wear. Hopefully sometime in the next year or 2 we'll be able to get different plates (not the orange ones!!) Sent the cryptic text to our dks. Think dd may be a little wise, but not sure the others are. Now to get ddil to get us a new sheriff star for the front. Didn't want to ask her until we actually had the car. At least dgs9 could go in another room and watch TV for the duration. Asked dh which side the gas tank was on and he said, "It's always on the driver's side on C hryslers". Ha. He was wrong. Then none of us could figure how to open the gas cap. Since it was salesman's first delivery of the 200 he couldn't find anything inside either. Just push on the upper side.

[Nancy]

Dgd likes the ch. Chip bread / cake but would not even try it when I called it pumpkin bread.

We have 8 baby chicks now, 22 hens sh-h don 't tell, ya all know about chicken math right? LOL!

[DeeClutter]

Yep, Harriet, dd was sure I was talking "canine". And she's the one who knew we'd been looking at the 200. In fact she's the one who talked me into trying it. At least that's a fun memory -kidding the dks. thankful for every one of those memories!

[FelineFriend]

I'm glad your car ownership is official now, Dee!

I just walked 30 minutes, sorted mail, got 3 letters, which 1 is a new one, with a friendship book (to get more pen pals), stickers and a bookmark with list pad pages. I "share" my bookmarks with an adult down's syndrome woman, write letters to her on the list pad pages, and sometimes send her other goodies, too. She's a lovely person. Her Dmom is my pen pal.

I'm hot since my walk, so am cooling down now.

I fixed my password by changing settings on my computer. I'd emailed administrators there was a problem this morning, but the problem's been resolved. I screwed up my settings last night, not knowing how it would mess with "things".

My 1 LOL is in the dryer.

My Thankful Thursday is for a BFF, who turned 98 last week. She has wet form macular degeneration, I have dry form, and through my friendship with her, since 1975, I've found that you can still have a Life and be legally blind. She's like a grandmother, mother, AND friend, all rolled into one. Her dfamily and caregivers are wonderful people, too. My friend is so sweet, soft-spoken, quick-witted, funny, and hums a lot. She's very happy, too, and it makes others happy to be around her, too. Her caregiver and I had a talk. She said she believes how BFF has lasted this long is because of her happy attitude at not sweating the small stuff. I wrote an essay about her, for a contest, but haven't heard back yet. If I don't "win" the prize, my story can be used in another issue of the magazine at a later date, too. I hope it'll be used, regardless if I'm a loser, because it's a fun read and is inspirational, too. I'd love to see a photo of her and me in a magazine, side by side. It would tickle her pink.