Ten Things of Thankful: A Cozy, Settled Post

Drexel, the yellow lab, relaxing on the kitchen floor

The view from my back door: freshly-fallen snow covers the steps and yard, while the foothills behind have a dusting of snow

I usually sleep very well. I know not everyone does, so I consider myself fortunate. Last night, for no reason at all, I decided that 1 a.m. was an acceptable wake-up time.  I played Wordle (and Quordle) on my phone as well as the mind game of "Do I really want to walk downstairs to retrieve my Kindle?" for way too long before deciding that yes, reading a book in bed is much preferable to aimlessly scrolling down a Facebook feed. I did manage to fall back asleep eventually, but woke up to freshly-fallen snow and about zero motivation to do anything other than read or write, so I'm indulging in a rather lazy morning today (which, according to the clock, has now spilled into the afternoon.) 

1. I'm thankful for having the luxury of minimal demands on my time. Some days, weeks, months, years, or even seasons of life are hectic and busy, but today is not. I can take it easy. The quiet hum of the washing machine is lulling me into believing that I am being somewhat productive, but really I'm just mulling over my words.

2. I'm thankful for warmth. Prior to our Florida to Antarctica cruise (where the temperatures we encountered varied greatly), I spent some time researching how to pack wisely. Not surprisingly, layers were key. However, I also ran across many comments about the versatility of wool. I did take a couple of wool shirts with me, and wore them quite often. Since our return, I decided to test wool out even more, and I signed up for a 100-day challenge offered by Wool&. Basically, I purchased a dress from them and will wear it for 100 days in a row, and they will give me a $100 store credit. The challenge is open to anyone, so feel free to join me if you'd like. I'm on day 7 and so far, so good. The wool is soft, cozy, warm, and odor-resistant.  I've also read that it regulates temperature and works in hot climates, as well, which will make it ideal for future travels. 

3. Speaking of travels, I'm thankful for customer service representatives in travel departments. I was trying to gather information for a future trip, and an airline couldn't find my reservation at all, which put me in a minor panic. Fortunately, when I contacted the travel agency I had used to book the flight, a man named Mohammed was able to give me the information I needed, and remained on the line while I went back to the airline website to verify I could pull up my reservation. Whew!

4. I'm thankful for another key fob for our car. When we purchased the car, it only came with one key, but we were told that a particular locksmith company could make another one for us. They could, and at a much better cost that we had seen elsewhere. It's nice to have 2 keys now.

5. I'm thankful to be back to walking regularly with my neighbor (and friend). Exercise is so much more fun when the entire time is spent talking and laughing.

6. I'm thankful for Drexel. He accompanies us on our walks, and has used his good manners and gentle nature to charm his way into my (timid around dogs) friend's heart. I'm afraid he's not the spring chicken he used to be, though. He seemed to be bothered by the walk yesterday. I ordered some joint health tablets for him and will let him rest from our walks, at least for a while. Drexel is 12 years old now and I don't even want to think about his age. Why can't dogs have the life expectancy of parrots or tortoises or even horses?  (I tried to add his photo in here, but the photo kept jumping up to the top of the post, so I guess that's where it belongs.) 

7. Even though it's January, spring is coming. I'm thankful for my amaryllis bulbs, which have successfully overwintered in my basement twice now, and are getting ready (I presume) to bloom again. At the very least, they are sending up green leaves again. (Photo below of green leaves emerging from 3 amaryllis bulbs in a pot. Apparently when I try to caption my photos, the photos move to the top of the post. I'm too tired to try to figure this out today. I'll leave Drexel at the top of the post, though. He deserves it.)

8. I'm thankful I could volunteer this week. Uptown Cheapskates, a thrift store, regularly donates their unsold items to charity. In the past, I've sometimes picked up donations to benefit Utah Foster Care. I was able to do that again this week. I (with John's help!) pick them up, sort through them and bag them according to size, then foster families can come get whatever they need. I think that most of the volunteers who do this are current foster parents, which is just incredible to me, as it takes a fair amount of time and effort to go through all the donated items. I'm happy I have the time to help foster families in this way.

9. I'm thankful for the snow. Yes, it's cold, and yes, it can be inconvenient, but it is beautiful and snow in the winter means water in the summer. 

10. I'm thankful for John. He's dealt with more than one (ongoing) car issue this week, and he supports me in my unusual volunteer endeavors, like my previous puppy-raising efforts with Guide Dogs for the Blind, or my current "I know! Let's fill up our family room with bags of donated clothes!" project. Whether we are traveling or settled into our cozy house on a cold winter day, I'm thankful for the time we spend together.

Are you staying warm? What are you thankful for this week? Leave a comment, visit the other blogs, and feel free to link up your own post! 

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