With Thanksgiving approaching those in this country within a few days, many are no doubt either planning to travel to be with loved ones, or are expecting family and/or friends to come to their homes to share a meal. I hope that all will be safe in their travels and be able to enjoy a meal and friendship with others. I feel a sense of gratitude for those things simple and great. I am linking my post to the Ten Things of Thankful blog hop hosted by Kristi of Thankful Me. Co-hosts are Clark, Dyanne, Lisa, and myself.
1. Being in a circle of friends
This past week I had the opportunity to meet with a group of women of all ages. We sat in a circle and were given a chance to introduce ourselves and then if we wished share some tips or tricks that have made our lives easier. This was such a great inclusive activity. The old learned from the young, and the young learned from the old. There was lots of laughter and bonding as well as gaining some tips and tricks.
2. Being able to go to the temple again
To me it is a house of prayer and a house of learning, where in a sacred quiet place the Spirit teaches me.
3. Going to see a wonderful movie
Mr. Rogers is a man for whom I had great respect and who reinforced those things that I had hoped our children would embrace. As I related to a friend, "A person's heart would have to be made of stone not to be touched by this movie."
4. New solar lamps to light the driveway
We had solar lamps, but it was long past the time to replace them. This past week I took time to make that happen. Let there be light!
5. The quickness of being able to transmit photos
When I was missing a few photos I needed for the book I've been writing about my life, one of our daughters was able to send some as an attachment in an email.
6. Salad bars
Having ingredients on hand to make a quick salad bar is always a "go to" whether there is expected or unexpected company.
7. Guava paste and cheese for dessert
I tried to buy some guava paste a few days ago, but wasn't able to find this product quite as quickly as I'd hoped. One store has some on order, so I still plan to get some to have one hand for the holidays. In some South American countries a little guava paste on a slice of cheese is what hits the spot for dessert. We once had an exchange student from Brazil live with us for a year and she introduced us to this delicious treat.
8. Being able to make something sweet almost at a moments notice
When you need to make and take something sweet to an event or party, and you don't have a lot of time, Cracker Toffee is about as quick and easy as it gets. When I'd run out of time trying to find the guava paste mentioned above, there wasn't a lot of time left to make something. What instantly came to mind was my Cracker Toffee recipe, and I already had the ingredients I needed.
9. Friends stopping by
10. Being able to live in a country that allows the public to view the hearings held in our nation’s capital
Not all countries are as obliging to allow their citizens to hear the questions asked, and the testimonies given under oath. I am thankful for the freedoms we have in this country.
As always Vic and the rest of our family mean the world to me and I give thanks daily for them.
Grat Items #4, 5.
ReplyDeleteSimple to the point of easy-to-forget-how-amazing technology can be... I was thinking about one of the other posts, mentioning having a warm house and the thought of living in, say, prehistoric time (Meadowcroft Rock Shelter)*
It's good to be a position to use technology in the service of our efforts to become better versions of ourselves, rather than the other way around.
Have a good week.
*yes, this comment took a lot longer to write than to read because... wikipedia! lol
I totally agree with being able to live in a warm house is a great blessing! I do not like to feel cold! Reminds me of a phrase from the Dr. Seuss book, Green Eggs and Ham. HaHa
DeleteI daresay I must jump to the recipe for Cracker Toffee! Thank you for the link, Pat. Trying to think of something different to bring into the office at the holidays that is both simple and easy to prepare is inevitably a challenge.
ReplyDeleteThe "circle of friends" sounds like a very enjoyable and beneficial activity.
Have a wonderful week!
I hope you enjoy the Cracker Toffee! It is pretty addictive, so make sure there are others around to help eat it.
DeleteBeing in a circle of new and old friends is great any time of the year.
I love the "pop-in" visit, when friends or family stop by unannounced. It's always such a lovely surprise.
ReplyDeleteI do too. Surprise visits are fun.
DeleteGuava paste is so yummy, but it is hard to find in the United States.
ReplyDeleteIt can be ordered online, but one of the Safeway stores here has some already on order, so I will pick some up when it comes in unless I find some sooner.
DeleteDoes guava paste have sugar in it? I don't eat sugar and that sounded tasty. I have had apricot jam on sharp cheddar and it was addictive. If I had to make last minute sweets it would have to be pieces of fresh fruit lol. No sugar around here.
ReplyDeleteFresh fruit would be the better choice. Just a tad a guave paste would still be pretty high in sugar. I am not sure if sugar is added to make the paste or if the guava is just naturally really high in sugar content.
Delete