Ten Things of Thankful is a blog hop link up. Take a look to see what others are sharing too.
Once again I'm taking time to think about those things for which I am thankful, and for some reason it has taken me a bit to finalize my list. I really am thankful, so this shouldn't have been hard!
1. It was great to be able to go to the Portland Temple early in the week, and to be there with some of my friends. I'm not only thankful for that experience, but for the fact that I returned home before a really bad incident on the freeway happened that closed both lanes of traffic for a while.
2. Being able to go on a drive with my husband was fun. He wanted me to drive this time, so after looking at the directions, I felt I shouldn't have any problem finding a National Wildlife Refuge we wanted to go see. Somehow along the way, I became directionally challenged! I thought I was going north, and he thought I was going south. He was right! Somehow, in a fairly small town, I missed a turn that would have headed me in the right direction, and by the time I conceded that I really was going the wrong direction, we just started driving back home. I'm thankful for his patience and for going with the flow as we drove through places we hadn't been.
3. Growing up I remember going to cattle auctions at the outskirts of a small town. Then it was very small burg, and I don't even remember ever seeing the main street of the town. Well now it has expanded considerably, but in our meanderings (See #2), we drove right down the middle of this wonderfully historic section of town. One of these days, I need to go back when I can just get out and browse the little shops. I'm thankful for being able to review the past and also see the progress of towns.
4. Another area we went through has a little ice cream and sandwich eatery across from a park the size of a city block. I'd read online a little bit about this place, so it was definitely time for a break from the driving and time to get some nourishment. What makes this place fun is that they have a lot of interesting antiques inside and outside the place. It made me feel like I'd stepped back in time. I'm thankful for opportunities to try out new (to me) restaurants of the vintage variety.
5. We stopped at one of the usual National Wildlife Refuges that we go to and were excited about seeing a young family of American Kestrels. Unfortunately my photos, which I was trying to take from inside the car, were not ideal, nor was the lightning. It was sighting these birds at the end of our travels (See #2) that saved the day I think. I'm thankful that those birds were there to be seen!
6. Today I was able to go upstairs and downstairs with being able to actually bend both knees. Yeah! I was pretty excited to be able to do that at the moment, but the knee let me know later that maybe I shouldn't have been so in a hurry to try it. I'm thankful for every bit of progress. Hopefully, on Monday the doctor will be able to shed some light on what can or should be done.
7. Wednesday, my Mom was given a beautiful quilt that some of the women at church made for her. I'm thankful for those who try to reach out to her to help her feel loved and appreciated when she isn't able to attend meetings at church any more.
8. It was fun to be able to sit down in a park-like setting to have a old fashioned ice cream shortcake with fresh peaches. I'm thankful for this local country store. We were celebrating my husband's special day on that occasion, but with the hot summer days, that in itself is reason to stop there.
9. I was browsing some old music books in a store this week and found one that was an opera of Mother Goose rhymes set to music. It was very old, but I resisted buying it. Can you imagine that? I didn't buy it. I did read a little bit in the introduction about who Mother Goose supposedly is, which I found fascinating. However when I got back home and researched some more, I found that apparently no one knows for sure. I'm thankful for how every day we can learn something new. It is almost impossible for me not to.
10. Lastly, I am thankful for RAIN! We had some rain today, and we are supposed to get some more tomorrow, before the temperatures rise once again into the 90's.
sounds like a fun trip despite the detour! I am so easily turned around that I have learned to take it in stride that I will see all kinds of stuff along the way to nowhere ...I kind of look forward to getting lost at times. RAIN... heres to more of it for you!
ReplyDeleteYes, I must admit that some of my kids' favorite memories are of times Mom got lost and the adventures we had.
DeleteWe were supposed to get more rain today, but it hasn't happened. It has been cooler though.
…the thing is, around here (New England) you can't really get too lost, lol 3 hours in one direction will put you in the ocean or in another country… except west, I suppose you could drive and drive and drive and end up in some weird place like, I don't know, Oregon? (a little, New England joke).
ReplyDeleteold book stores! excellent.
I've been to a few used book stores in New England. Very fun adventures there.
DeleteBeing able to get from one New England state to another can be done fairly quickly, I agree. Thanks to our kids jobs and schooling, we've been able to see a few of these states.
You must have read a few of the newspaper articles including "Oregon" and "weird." :-)
The weather is such a strange thing! I'm appreciating a lull in what has felt like a monsoon for the past three months, and you're grateful to finally get some rain!
ReplyDeleteBeing in a monsoon is something I've never experienced, but we do have some pretty hard rains here at times. Yes it is funny how much the weather can vary throughout the world at any even time.
DeleteSorry about your knees. I know that pain well. I have had both replaced. I hope you can find some relief. I have gotten lost too driving, but like you we found some great sites to visit. I hope we get some rain this week. We are entering a worsening drought. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI hope your didn't have to have both knees replaced at the same time. I know someone that did that!
DeleteWe didn't get any more rain today, so what we got yesterday may have been our portion for a while.
If you got lost and your husband didn't give you an "I told you so", that's worth 10 thankfuls right there! :)
ReplyDeleteHe already knew how I was feeling about it, and actually didn't pour salt into the wound. I'm thankful for that.
DeleteIt sounds like being lost put you right where you wanted to be at the moment. As well as missing the accident on the way home. Hope your knee pain is minimal and life continues to be fun and eventful.
ReplyDeleteYes, I try to look at it that way. Well, from this point out, I think life just gets more and more eventful. LOL
DeleteI knew you could do it! I think you are the queen of thankfuls--you always have a positive outlook.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kristi. That sounds like a title of a book! You haven't heard that comment from me in a while. LOL
DeleteBack before Bryan and I were even married, we got lost somewhere between Baltimore and DC. I was driving. We were laughing as we argued, and I kept saying, "the sun is setting over there! That's west!" The whole fiasco was a good indicator that Bryan and I could be happy together forever. :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like you've been doing some good eating this week!
I so agree with what you say. Laughter, and being able to not make a mountain over a mole hill helps many a relationship and marriage! Every young couple should have these kind of moments before they are married, so they can get some kind of indication of the mettle of the person.
ReplyDeleteYes, the eating was definitely good, even though some of it contributed more calories than usual. LOL