It's important to recognize and remember the good things in life, so I've decided to make a point of jotting down my monthly blessings.
So what made me smile (or laugh) last month?
- 5 years as a bookseller at Barnes & Noble.
- 5 years in a smoke-free house. (Congratulations to my husband!)
- Discovering a delicious recipe for lasagna. (Thank you, Trisha!)
- Easter brunch with good friends. (Thanks, Shirley!)
- Two superb thrillers. (Gone by Mo Hayder and Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn)
- Early tornado warnings.
- Onguard Weather Alerts for Android. (see above)
- 94 miles on my bike. (Thanks, Katie!)
- Ice cream before dinner!
- Gentle spring rain.
- Covered porch with rocking chairs.
- Tulips, columbine, bleeding heart
My husband's been smoke free for 5 years too - that's quite an accomplishment!
ReplyDeleteLots of good things!
ReplyDeleteI love tulips and so many other flowers. Nice list.
ReplyDeleteSo important to be grateful for the little stuff.
ReplyDeleteWonderful! And I really need to try that lasagna recipe.
ReplyDeleteGood for him!!!!!!! That is the best.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great list and huge congrats to Rod!!
ReplyDeleteYay for husbands who have quit smoking! Mine has been smoke free for over a year and a half!! Love your list!! They help put life into perspective!
ReplyDeleteCool list and special congrats to Rod for staying smoke free. Love the bird photo, too.
ReplyDeleteKathy - Isn't it wonderful?! I am so proud of Rod. It wasn't easy, but the reward (a new motorcycle) helped with the motivation. ;)
ReplyDeleteKelly - It was a good month. I'm looking forward to re-reading all of these posts at the end of the year. I'm truly blessed.
Kay - A friend and I walk every Tuesday evening and our pace begins to slow down as we get back to my neighborhood. There are so many beautiful gardens in our area and I love to see what others have planted. I say I don't care much for gardening, but I think my alter-ego would disagree. Once I'm out in the yard, I enjoy myself. It's just the mental roadblock of wanting to sit and read or putter on the computer that gets in the way. ;) Today I plan to put some annuals in the front bed and pot a few begonias for the porch. I have geraniums and lobelia in a few pots on the deck and in the back yard, and (finally!) got two hibiscus in the big pots on the deck. It won't be long before I can sit back and enjoy it all.
Diane - I find this little exercise very helpful. At times, I can be a fairly negative person, if I'm not careful. This helps me find the joy in all I do, day in and day out.
Andi - Thanks! I made the lasagna again this past weekend for a dinner party. It turned out just as yummy, although I let it sit in a low-heat oven when I realized we weren't quite ready to sit down and eat. It still tasted just as good as the first time I made it, but the cheese (on top) wasn't quite as gooey.
Nan - Isn't it wonderful?! I know he still craves the cigarettes, but he's said he really wouldn't want to actually smoke them. I'm so proud of him.
SuziQ - Thanks! I think it's just wonderful that he's been smoke-free for half a decade, especially since he started smoking in his teens!
Staci - Yay for your husband!! I've never been a smoker, so I have no idea how difficult it is to quit...well, other than to watch Rod struggle several times until this last time. He wound up using Chantix, which worked like a charm! That and a bribe for a new motorcycle. ;)
Nancy - Thanks! I'm so proud of Rod, especially since he's tried several times in the past.
I love the bird photo, too. It almost wound up in the "trash" bin.
I love this idea of counting your blessings at least every month. I used to be diligent about keeping a thankful journal but have gotten out of the habit. I think I'll have to copy your idea!
ReplyDeleteAnd congrats to your dear hubby on his smoke free accomplishment!
Kristen - Hi, there!! So nice to see you again. :) Thanks for your nice words about my "gratitude posts." I've been having a lot of fun with them and think it will be nice to look back on each month at the end of the year.
ReplyDeleteI'll pass your congrats on to Rod. I think he's over the hump, but I know it's still a challenge to stay smoke-free.
Ice cream before dinner, huh? I think that I need to start doing that. (ok, really don't). And I'd love to know if you have any tips for a smoke free hub. It's something I desperately want for our household.
ReplyDeleteYour header girl reminds me of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Tempted to look up the cover to see if it's the same statue? Either way it's a gorgeous picture!
Yep! I'm not a huge fan of ice cream (give me chips & guac any day), but it was hot out and sounded so refreshing. I'm usually not hungry enough for ice cream after dinner, so I said we should have it before we eat and as logical would follow, I wouldn't overeat at dinnertime. Yeah, right. ;)
DeleteHmm, as far a smoke-free husband, all I can say is BRIBERY. I told Rod if he quit smoking, he could afford to buy a new motorcycle. That was enough motivation, but he also had some help with a drug called Chantrix. It's not cheap, but we figured it would save us a lot of money in the long run. And, the bribe was a good incentive to keep him off the cigarettes. If he went back to smoking, he'd have to sell the bike. ;)
I loved my girl bird feeder. Unfortunately, she toppled over in the yard a couple of years ago and broke one of her arms. We glued it back on, but she toppled over again (I HATE squirrels!) and we weren't able to repair her. At least I still have her picture. :)