Five things that made me happy today – 5/1/24

When you feel yourself breaking down, may you break open instead. May every experience in life be a door that opens your heart, expands your understanding, and leads you to freedom. 

Elizabeth Lesser

1. It was 41 deg and partly cloudy when I got up. It warmed up into the upper 50s this afternoon, and I took advantage of it. (see #5)

2. Today is May Day. Whatever happened to the tradition of taking flowers (even dandelions) to everyone you know? When I was a kid, we ALWAYS picked whatever was blooming and presented them to neighbors, parents, etc., on May Day.

3. I had a good workout on the NuStep this morning with no outside distractions – like needing to go shopping, or wash clothes.

4. I fixed Mexican Casserole for lunch today using some of the little rotisserie chicken I got yesterday. I had enough left over to have for lunch on Saturday.

5. The sun is out and it’s not too cold. I’m headed for the back porch to listen to the birds. I wish I still had my father’s old binoculars so I could spot what I’m listening to. I saw the white-crowned sparrow under the bushes in the front yard, but I haven’t heard him this year.

How about you? What made you happy today?

Five things that made me happy today – 4/30/24

The care of the Earth is our most ancient and most worthy, and after all, our most pleasing responsibility. To cherish what remains of it and to foster its renewal is our only hope. 

Wendell Berry

1. It was in the low 40s and cloudy when I got up. It never warmed up much – high temperature was 52 deg.

2. I finished up my Intentions Review for April. You can read it here.

3. I drove down to Safeway and picked up the order I made yesterday. I got a rotisserie chicken and a new box of wine and well as the usual suspects of milk, eggs, fruit and vegetables. When I got home I stripped the meat off of the chicken in preparation to make Fart Casserole for lunch tomorrow.

4. I went over to the Wellness Center and worked out a little. My knee that I fell on yesterday, isn’t in bad shape, but I know it’s bruised.

5. I had cantaloupe and a thigh and drumstick from the little chicken for lunch. Al made succotash and hot dogs for his lunch. I think that sounds nasty, but he enjoys it. That’s why we have at least one meal a week that’s “Feed Yourself.”

BONUS: Greisser Girls Gab will be kicking off in a few minutes, and I’ve got to mess with my box of wine and situate its spigot if I expect to have wine with the girls.

How about you? What made you happy today?

Intentions Review for April 2024

My Star Word for this year is PRESENCE – the state or fact of existing, occurring, or being present in a place or thing. Maybe this means just showing up – and most of the time, I can do that!

It took me some time to set my Intentions for 2024. I’m going to try to quit obsessing about things I can’t change. I’m leaving the same general categories that I had last year. This worked well as a diary.

Health and Fitness

• Exercise
  • I continue to meet with my personal trainer at least twice a week
    • We’re doing more work on balance since I will be traveling alone
    • We are trying to include a long walk – either indoors in the hallways or outdoors if it warms up and quits raining
  • I use the NuStep regularly in the Wellness Center
  • Al “borrowed” my appointment with my personal trainer while I was on my Eclipse trip – he will be using 10-15 minutes of my time going forward
  • After sitting for 3 days straight on the train going to Texarkana, I ordered a walker – I needed it to help get my balance back
• Diet – After my heart attack in December 2023, I started to follow a Mediterranean Diet – 3 fruits and 2 vegetables a day
  • In January, I continued, but I’ve cut the fruit back to only one a day
  • In February, I continued, but I increased the number of eggs I eat (occasional 3-egg omelet) – no adverse affects to my blood work at my annual physical
  • In March, I basically held my own, weight wise – at least I didn’t gain anything
  • In April, I was traveling and eating out for three and a half weeks – gained 4 pounds but was able to lose 2 of them so I ended up only 2 pounds heavier than the end of March – I hope to resume my losing ways in May
• Weight
  • I’ve lost 6.6 pounds since May 2022, an average of .3 pounds a month – see above

Friends and Community

• Gazebo Group
  • We continue to meet regularly – once a month on Zoom, and other weeks in person
  • After over 7 years of keeping the email list for this group, I have passed the baton to a couple of other people to send the reminder messages – I’ll continue to keep the list but not send messages every week
  • Passing the baton seems to have worked well – I was able to travel from the end of March to the middle of April without causing a brouhaha
• Greisser Girls Gab
  • I wouldn’t miss this for the world
• Other Friends

Travel and Culture

• Visit Betty for the Eclipse in April
  • January – trying to book travel and having a hard time with AMTRAK
  • February – purchased my train tickets and made my hotel reservations in Chicago for the trip
  • March
    • I travelled from Tacoma, Washington to Texarkana, Arkansas by myself on the train
    • I was able to visit with #1 son and his wife in Chicago both on the way and on the return journey – overnights in Chicago at the Marriott Residence Inn
    • My sister picked me up at the train station on the last day of March
  • April
    • I spent two weeks staying with my sister in Texarkana
      • We played Cribbage, ate good food, and watched the birds from her deck
      • We watched a total eclipse with her daughter’s family and in-laws
    • I travelled back to Tacoma through Chicago on Amtrak by myself
      • I was able to book myself into the Handicapped Room on the way back and had room for me, my luggage, and walker – lots of grab bars, and places to hold on – meals brought to me by the room attendant

Hobbies and Creativity

• Reading
  • The Glass Room (Vera #4) – Ann Cleeves – Finished
  • On Tyranny – Timothy Snyder – Finished
  • Harbour Street (Vera #5) – Ann Cleeves – Finished
  • The Moth Catcher (Vera #6) – Ann Cleeves – Finished
  • The Seagull (Vera #7) – Ann Cleeves – Finished
  • The Darkest Evening (Vera #8) – Ann Cleeves – Reading
• Blogging
  • I’m keeping up with my blog – 5 Things That Made Me Happy Today

Learning and Knowledge

• Creative Writing
  • 100 Word Stories – daily – I faithfully published one of these every day through the middle of March
  • Course in January and February – Finding, Telling, and Sharing Life Stories
    • How I Finally Grew Up
    • Summers in Westfield
    • Daisy
    • Fishing
• Great Decisions – I decided not to participate this year

Spirituality

• Support the work and worship of 1st Presbyterian Church, Texarkana, Arkansas – Check
• Move my Letter of Membership to 1st Presbyterian Church, Texarkana, Arkansas – I didn’t get this done when I was in Texarkana for the Eclipse – I intend to send my letter in May

Money and Finances

• Taxes
  • It looks like we’re going to have to pay in April – I’ll try to plan better this year
  • Taxes are filed and the payment was sucked out of our account by the IRS on April 15
• Budget
  • We’re doing pretty well since Al’s VA has been increased
• Savings
  • After elevating our VA claim through our congressman, in mid-March we received a lump sum of $14k of the additional amount we were due since Al applied – that with the additional monthly VA payment makes saving much easier

Five things that made me happy today – 4/29/24

The care of the Earth is our most ancient and most worthy, and after all, our most pleasing responsibility. To cherish what remains of it and to foster its renewal is our only hope. 

Wendell Berry

1. It was 40 deg when I got up this morning, with cloudy, dripping skies. The sun came out, teasingly, around lunch time, and then retreated shortly after 3:00 when the rain returned.

2. The laundry is all washed, dried, separated, folded, and hung up. Whew!

3. I went over to the Wellness Center and spent 45 minutes on the NuStep. Then I drove home and picked up Al, and brought him back where he rode the NuStep for about 10 min. My appointment with my personal trainer was at noon, and then Al got personal attention for about 15 minutes. He’s working on strengthening his legs and he did well with some sit-to-stands.

4. Lunch was ham, hash brown potatoes, and Bush’s baked beans.

5. Gazebo Group is meeting tonight in the Wellness Center. One of these days it’s going to be warm enough, and not rain, and we can meet outside again.

How about you? What made you happy today?

Five things that made me happy today – 4/28/24

Stars and blossoming fruit-trees: utter permanence and extreme fragility give an equal sense of eternity.

Simone Weil

1. The temperature was in the upper 40s and the sky was cloudy and drizzly when I got up. It has brightened up a couple of times today but generally it’s been cool/cold and cloudy. High in the mid 50s.

2. We decided to go to Oddfellas for brunch today. I had a veggie omelet with bacon and toast, and Al got pancakes with bacon. There were three pancakes as big as a dinner plate. He managed to eat two-and-a-half, but I think he’s planning on a long nap this afternoon.

3. One nice hold-over from the pandemic is church-on-line. I was able to attend after we got home from the restaurant. The preacher preached a good sermon about Philip and the Eunuch. Everyone is welcome in the family of God.

4. I’m so proud of myself – I remembered to fold and put away the sheets and towels that I washed last Tuesday. (Please don’t ask why I don’t fold and put them away right after they dry. My roommate/housemate/husband believes you should never do today what you can put off until tomorrow.) I also remembered to take the recyclables out to the curb for pick-up tomorrow morning.

5. A cute little bird came and sat in the tree outside my window. I searched to find out what it was, and I think it was a pine siskin. There were several of them whose songs turned up in my bird identifier app last week when it was warm enough to sit outside. I knew they were LBBs (Little Brown Birds), but that’s all. It’s about the size of a sparrow with striped breast – it’s part of the finch family. The app says there may be more or less yellow on the wings, and this one didn’t have much yellow at all. Its song is VERY distinctive.

How about you? What made you happy today?

Five things that made me happy today – 4/27/24

To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all. 

Oscar Wilde

1. The day dawned cloudy and in the upper 40s. The high for today was 52 deg with drizzly rain all day. No sitting on the porch and listening to the birds for me. I was spoiled with 85 deg and sunshine when I was in Texarkana.

2. I was treated to the sight of the running of the deer when Mama deer and two mostly grown fawns sped through the back yard this morning.

3. I went over to the Wellness Center and did a double stint on the NuStep.

4. I had leftover tunafish salad with assorted crudités and Ritz crackers for my lunch. Al warmed up some of the noodles he made and saved before I got home.

5. I’m searching wildly for another something that made me happy today. I guess I’m suffering from the blahs, after having been gone. This too shall pass.

How about you? What made you happy today?

Five things that made me happy today – 4/26/24

The buffer between hope and despair is gratefulness.

Joe Primo

1. It was in the upper 40s and cloudy with wet streets when I got up this morning. There were scattered clouds all afternoon and the temperature got up to 60 deg.

2. Al went to the Poetry Workshop over in Bristol View. I drove him there because there’s never anywhere to park. I picked him up a little early because (see #3).

3. While Al was busy improving his mind, I was busy improving (hopefully) my body at the Wellness Center. After I picked him up, I was able to have my first appointment with my personal trainer since I got back. I need to have him pushing me. I’m going to give up some of my time to Al, so he can continue the good work they were doing while I was gone.

4. Lunch was chicken, Brussels sprouts, and rice. Very mundane, but healthy and filling.

5. After lunch I sat out on the back porch and listened to the birds. I even heard and saw the spotted Towhee on the fence. He was far from the only bird my app heard – Robins, a Red-Breasted Nuthatch, Stellar’s Jay, Pine Siskin, Song Sparrow, Bewick’s Wren, American Goldfinch, a Cedar Waxwing, Northern Flicker, American Crow, Common Raven, Canada Goose, and a Rock Pigeon in addition to House Sparrows, and White-Throated Sparrows.

How about you? What made you happy today?

Five things that made me happy today – 4/25/24

Wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving. 

Kahlil Gibran

1. It was 50 deg and raining with fog hanging in the tops of the trees when I got up this morning. The rain continued all day, sometimes hard and sometimes just drizzling. The high this afternoon was only 52 deg.

2. I got hit with some sort of a virus or denial of service bug. Thankfully it only affected my iMac so my iPhone and iPad seem to be fine. I’m waiting for my tame IT specialist (aka #2 son) to get finished with a business call, so we can fix it together (hopefully).

3. I headed over to the Wellness Center and had a good session on the NuStep. I got a fair number of my steps done.

4. Back to Burger King Whoppers for lunch on Thursdays. We are so predictable.

5. While I was traveling, Al got the ant exterminator to come in to help chase the ants who appear this time of year. He came and sprayed again today because we were still seeing them in the living room. Do you think it could be because Al ate most of his meals in front of the TV while I was gone?

How about you? What made you happy today

Five things that made me happy today – 4/24/24

We take care of the future best by taking care of the present now. 

Jon Kabat-Zinn

1. After a couple of gloriously sunny days, the weather reverted to typical PNW skies – in the upper 40s and cloudy when I woke up. By mid afternoon the temperature had managed to rise to 52 deg, and a light rain began to fall.

2. I went over to the Wellness Center shortly after breakfast. My personal trainer was back after being out the first couple of days this week. He says he’s fully recovered. I hope he’s still fine by Friday when my next appointment is. He wants to try to schedule Al to keep working with him, now that he’s had a couple of sessions.

3. I fixed tunafish salad for lunch today. I reverted to Mama’s recipe instead of putting crushed pineapple and sweet relish in it like Al likes. I did it with minced celery, and onion, hard boiled egg, and Miracle Whip Lite. Al was okay with it made that way, and I have enough leftover for two more servings.

4. One of the local universities asked if some of their students could come and talk with some of the folks who live here. Al signed up and a nice young man who is working on his Bachelor’s degree in psychology came and visited with us for about an hour this afternoon. He is currently in the US Army, and working on getting his degree so he can be an officer. It worked out really well, because he and Al had a lot in common since Al rose to be an officer by getting his degree when he was in the Air Force.

5. The geese were back on the big lawn today. They are supposed to be afraid of the wolf cut-outs. I don’t think they are. The pair of Mallards was also back wandering around the campus.

How about you? What made you happy today?

Five things that made me happy today – 4/23/24

Hunger is not a problem. It is an obscenity. How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world. 

Anne Frank

1. 49 deg and clear with blue, blue skies when I woke up this morning. The sun has been out all day, and the temperature is near 70 deg.

2. The housekeeper was here today and we have clean sheets on the beds, clean bathrooms, a clean kitchen, and the floors are all mopped, vacuumed, and swept.

3. I managed to get to the Wellness Center and use the NuStep before lunch.

4. I had leftover gumbo that I froze before I left. It didn’t take long to heat up. I fixed some rice to go with it, and Al added some rice to his General Tso’s Chicken that was leftover from last Friday.

5. Greisser Girls Gab is this afternoon. I’m going to try to get out on the back deck and listen to the birds. I heard a spotted Towhee, and finally spotted him on the back fence.

How about you? What made you happy today?