Today’s thankful: Window screens

This morning, before the heat began to rise, I opened the window by my chair and had my coffee as I listened to the world wake up. There is nothing like listening to myriad birds greeting the day.

Today’s thankful: The option to change one’s mind

On a regular day, I am all for the right to change one’s mind, but today I am extremely grateful for the opportunity. I work at a hospital in the medical records department. We have been bound as employees of the hospital since I began working there 10 years ago to follow the OSHA requirement that feet and legs be covered. The OSHA requirement specifies the rule for staff who have direct contact with patients and therefore may be exposed to bodily fluids. I agree with that rule completely. But the clinical people get to wear scrubs and comfy shoes. Those of us in the administrative offices do not have that luxury. We are left wearing dress pants or dresses with hose. I refuse to wear pantyhose, and have been wearing long skirts and boots for years. It is good in the winter, but in the summer, I keep the boots in my car and put them on just before I walk in the doors. Then my legs sweat the whole time I am there.

Today, administration sent out word that the hosiery rule has been repealed for all nonclinical personnel. Yippee skippee! I don’t have to wear boots in the summer anymore! My legs will be allowed to breathe! The only downside is now I will have to make sure my legs are properly shaved for work days. Not biggie. That only happens a few times a week. I am very thankful that humans have the capacity to change their minds.

Today’s thankful: No more packaged muffin mix for me, and Camp Dellwood

I have been trying to eat more local and less processed food. My two elder girls love those strawberry muffins from an envelope which don’t have a drop of strawberry in them. I decided to give them a treat today and made a few bags. I have always liked them. Today they just didn’t taste as good as I had remembered. The girls still love them. I, however, will never eat another one. See, they didn’t taste overly delicious, which I was okay with, but they didn’t stick around in my system more than about 20 minutes either. Not cool. So I guess I can be thankful that I no longer want packaged, berry free, strawberry muffins.

Another thing about which I can be thankful today is that I tried to make my own butter from heavy cream, and it worked! It was also as easy as I had remembered from Girl Scout camp many  years ago. I am thankful for the summers I spent at Camp Dellwood.

Today’s thankful: Clover and bees

From the title of today’s thankful, you might think that I am thankful for honey, the product of clover and bees. While I do enjoy a smackerel of honey on a regular basis, my thankful today has to do with my yard. Much to the disdain of my neighbors (there is a HOA), I don’t treat my yard for dandelions or clover. Oddly, I don’t have hardly any dandelions. I do, however, have a LOT of clover. The bunnies love it. The bees love it. I love it. While I was out mowing the grass this evening, I was pleasantly surprised to walk past several honey bees. I felt bad for cutting their clover, but I don’t want a nasty letter from the HOA. I am thankful that the clover will grow back in a few days and I will take my time cutting the grass again. I am also thankful for the honey bees busily gathering nectar. It is good to know they haven’t all disappeared into suburban oblivion.

Today’s thankful: Awesome editor, new friends, time to dream

I have a few thankfuls today, which in itself is cause for praise. First, when I awoke this morning at three-ish, it occurred to me that I had missed a newspaper deadline. I cannot put to print the thoughts that went through my head at that moment. See, I knew the deadline was approaching Thursday, as it does each week, but I got busy making strawberry jam and completely spaced it. My big thankful here is that my editor is wonderfully understanding and didn’t bust my balls for it.

Another thankful for today is Youngest and I were able to spend some quality time with some new friends who are on their way to becoming good friends. Too add more thankful on top of what was already a great day, it occurred to me that I currently don’t have any major life decisions looming. It is so nice to be unconflicted with time to dream.

Today’s thankful: My mom taught me how to can fruits and vegetables

Last Saturday I managed to catch the last day of strawberry season in Central Indiana. I bought three baskets, each holding about four quarts. The first two we ate on shortcake. The third one I prepared for the luscious berries’ lives as strawberry jam. As I was stirring and sweating over the pot, I started missing my mom. She always preserved foods during the summer, and though I didn’t think I remembered all of the steps, her trusty Ball blue book which I inherited guided me as gently as she would have. We shared a lot of happy hours in the kitchen, sweating and canning. The best part of the day, though, came at the end when the jars would make that telltale pop to let us know our efforts were successful. We cheered, arms raised high, for each and every one. When my first jar of jam popped today, I cheered. My kids thought I had gone mad. Maybe I have, but I am just carrying on a family tradition.

Today’s thankful: Being lazy

Yesterday I was just too darn lazy to go to the grocery store for hamburger buns. Most of the time when I am too lazy to do a grocery run, I think up something else for dinner. On this day, though, Spouse had asked for hamburgers for dinner. I decided to make homemade buns. You would think that baking them from scratch would be way more work, but with a bread machine set to dough, it is surprisingly easy. I took a one-pound recipe and made eight buns. OMG! They were delicious. I may never again purchase hamburger buns. The result of my attempt was a bun worthy of being labeled gourmet. Couple the bun with Moody meat and the result was nearly orgasmic. When the tomatoes come in from the garden, we may very well get there.

Today’s thankful: I haven’t done anything socially reprehensible enough to be chastised by Paris Hilton

On the Yahoo! front page today, there is a story about an uproar film critic Rogert Ebert created when he tweeted something inappropriate about actor Ryan Dunn’s death in a car accident. Dunn, best known for his participation in the Jackass movies, died Monday morning. Apparently there had been drinking involved.

Anyway, Ebert’s tweet upset the masses, including Paris Hilton. Now, Paris has never been known for her class and attention to social mores, but she slammed Ebert in a big way, stating, "We certainly agree that driving after drinking is wrong, we think there's no reason -- especially RIGHT NOW -- that anyone should be pointing fingers or poking fun at a truly tragic situation. Everyone makes mistake, and this is somebody's son. Too soon, Roger." Ouch. Here is something I never thought I would write. Well done, Paris.

I am glad my name isn’t Roger Ebert. I am also thankful that I didn’t publicly do something so tacky that Paris Hilton had to call me out on it.

Today’s thankful: I am not alone

I was cruising around reading blogs from various frugalistas a few days ago and came across a frugal tip which gave me pause. The tip was when the shampoo bottle says lather, rinse, repeat, do not repeat. The tipster went on to say that this technique will save you half of what you normally spend on shampoo. Gee, that would be cool if I ever actually did the repeat part of hair washing. So now I am faced with the task of self-awareness and the possibility that I am gross. I have only washed my hair essentially twice a few times in my life, and those times were because I was so funky I couldn’t get a good lather the first time. I am left wondering if everyone else on the planet does the lather, rinse, repeat on a regular basis and I am just a gross girl.

Yesterday at a family gathering for Father’s Day, I asked my family if any of them did the repeat part of hair washing. They all (nine people) said they only washed once. So my thankful today is that I am not alone, even if the people surrounding me are also gross, at least we are gross together.

Today’s thankful: It wasn’t my daughter

I was skimming Fox news online a few days ago and in national news, came across a story about teens behaving badly. In this case, a high school in California had to recall all of its yearbooks because in the background of a dance photo were a couple of teens, he with his hand in her clothing “in a way that suggested sexual penetration.” Ick. You may remember a while back I posted about the teens having intercourse at a concert I attended, and Eldest telling me that a couple was doing the big nasty at prom in the ballroom.  I know that guys getting a stinky pinky has been happening since forever, but at least it used to be done in private, like in the tunnel of love ride at the fair. Honestly, I don’t even have a problem with teens getting to know each other at that level, as long as they are being careful to protect themselves against STD’s. I just have a problem with girls having so little self-esteem that they are willing to perform sex acts in public. So my thankful today is that the girl captured in flagrante delecto wasn’t my daughter. That would be so embarrassing.

Today’s thankful: Youngest has a pretty good sense of humor

 Youngest and I were at a stoplight this afternoon. Just behind us in the other lane was an old Buick Skylark convertible with a couple in it who were probably the original owners. As the car took off and pulled past us, Youngest exclaimed, “Hey! An old-fashioned car!” I said, “With old-fashioned people in it.” Pause for about five seconds. She started laughing and said, “I get it! They were old like the car.” Pause for about five more seconds. She said, “Bodie is old-fashioned too!” My dad is 81, so I think she may be right.

Today’s thankful: Eldest found her keys

Eldest called me today to tell me she had lost her keys in Walmart and wanted to know what to do. (Read: wanted me to come take care of it.) I told her to go have a drink at the snack bar and think about it. She called back about 30 minutes later, and hallelujah she had found them. So I am not only thankful that she listened to me, but that she found her keys. A momma couldn’t leave her girl hanging in the Walmart. So now I don’t have to go rescue my baby and can have some relax and beverage time with Spouse. It is good.

Today’s thankful: Quittin’ time

I work in the transcription pool at work every third Sunday from 7a until 3p. It is always a little bit hard to work when the kids and spouse are all home, but Sundays are the worst. For some reason, this morning I was extremely tired in spite of a regular bed time last night. In short, I am very thankful today for quittin’ time.

Today’s thankful: The freezer

I am not sure if I have been a little thankful about the freezer yet, but it doesn’t really matter, because today I was thankful again. Since I get to make the rules, I say this one counts too. Anyway, one of my responsibilities at work is to keep the refrigerator log so when the inspectors come, we have proof that the refrigerator and freezer work and that we aren’t rotting our food on a regular basis. Today I performed my task right after arriving at work, which means I was a little sweaty from walking in to the building. Let me tell you, that freezer felt so good that I was tempted to grab a chair to stand on so more of my body could be exposed to the glorious freezing temperature. Granted, it took me more than 40 years to get to the point where I could be thankful for a freezer, but it happened and I am.

Today’s thankful: I can read

I know it doesn’t seem like something to be thankful for, but I am so very glad I can read. Think about the number of times in a day that you read. For me, I read the guide on the television at least several times a day. I read labels and books to my daughter. We all do that; don’t we? Anyway, it occurred to me today that I am so very glad that I can read. I spent some time online this morning loading electronic coupons onto my Kroger card. I read the store ad, wrote my list, and was able to read it back to choose said items. Without the ability to read, I wouldn’t have saved so much money. I’m not ever going to be an extreme couponer, but every little bit helps.

Today’s thankful: Blue skies, smiling at me

The sky was bright blue today. Mr. Golden Sun was smiling down and I am thankful to be alive, healthy and employed on this beautiful day.