Gratitude # 13

I am grateful for Friends. I have had many good friends in my life. I have learned a lot from all of them and have had many hours of fun, living, loving and lots of good company with them all. Even with all the miles that separate some of us they are still near to my heart. I wrote about one last night and I will share more in the coming post of those who are extra special, but they are all special to me.

 

I even appreciate those friends who are gone from my life.  They are gone because our paths have changed or we moved and lost contact.  You know how it goes.  At the time they were in my life they added to my life with their friendship.  Some of the friends that are gone are not forgotten, I wonder how they are and how their life turned out.  I hope they are well and life has turned out good for them. 

 

I enjoy and am grateful for the new friends that I am making and how they enrich my life also. 

 

Isn't it wonderful to have friends in our life and not to be alone.  They help us grow and do things we won't do by ourselves.  I hope that they view me as a good friend like I view them.

Miriam and Mary

Here is a picture of one of my friends from Nantucket, I meet while visiting my grandparents.  We wrote for many years even up until high school.  Gone but not forgotten. 

 

And I just love that social media thing that has allowed me to

re-connect with lots of old friends.   

Gratitude # 12

For my friend Karin, she was my hiking buddy. Because of Karin I worked out like a crazy women and backpacked the Grand Canyon down the South Kaibab trail and out the Bright Angel trail. I slept in a tent during a freezing night up on the rim and carried my 50 pound backpack down and out. Remember going out means going up! This was the first hike we did together. I weighted the backpack when I returned to work and it weighed 40 pounds without the water.

Karin and I at Havasu Falls

The night before the hike down in to the canyon we sleep in our tent on the rim and it was 32 degrees when we woke up in the morning. Thank heaven for a sleeping bag good enough for freezing weather.

Our second night we had camp at the Bright Angel Camp ground and the third night at the Indian Springs Camp ground. A storm had moved in the evening we were at Indian Springs and it was raining and cold. We didn’t pack a tent down because we didn’t want the weight to carry. We had two tarps which was fine at the bottom but not fine at Indian Springs. We slept under a picnic table and it was a miserable night.

Sleeping in freezing weather was never on my list of things to do in this life but I am so glad I did the hike. We did our hike in April so the lower levels of the Canyon won’t be so hot. It was a wonderful adventure!

We have hiked the Havasupai Canyon two times together. We got smart on these trips and let the horse pack our supplies down. We camped in style with a Coleman stove and a 2 man tent. We had a great time hiking.

 

 

Gratitude # 11

 

Today and every day I am grateful for my lovely home in a nice neighborhood. I love coming home to my home, it just makes me feel good inside. I sigh a sigh of relief when I pull into my garage. It is my haven from the world.  I pray that all that enter here come with peace and love in their hearts and I hope they feel our peace and love when they enter.

 

Richard & I made it a good home, not just a house. It is just the right size and close to the things I need. I also have nice neighbors and a great ward (church) Community. It isn’t big and fancy but it is warm and comfy.  It meets our needs. 

 

Richard closed in our patio and made it a lovely room for computers and my short arm quilting frame. He is so talented with his building skills. It was fun to see him work & learn when he built this room. Plus the end results are wonderful. He is also did a great job on his Man Cave. We even use it for Thanksgiving dinner as an over flow, the kids love to eat out there. 

 

 

And I make the quilts to cuddle with and decorate with.

Such a good fit.

 

Plus this year our home has had an almost complete remodel inside so it is even more beautiful!

Gratitude # 10

I am grateful for nature and all the marveles it holds. My favorite is the ocenn. I love the ocean and the marvels it holds. I love the sound of the waves on the sand as they lap in and out. I love the feel of warm water on my body and the ablity to float.

I have scuba dived in the Atlantic Ocean around the Florida Keys and in Bimini. I have seen fish and coral of many colors. I have taken a night dive in a ship wreck and saw fish sleep in the ribs of the ship and night shrimp dance on the bottom of the ocean. I have seen waters so clear that you think it is 6 feet to bottom and it is 12 feet.

Scuba Diving in the Florida Keys

I have hiked the Grand Canyon and every time I see the Canyon I marvel at it’s beauty and majesty. I have huffed and puffed as I climbed out of the canyon but every step and every pound of that backpack was worth it. I have sat behind Mooney Falls at Havasupai Canyon and swam out from the falls. I have felt the power of the water falling. I had an under water disposible camera with me and took pictures as I floated out from the falls.

Climbing down to Moody Falls 1995

I have hiked the Grand Canyon once, Havasupi Canyon three times.

I enjoy seeing all the beauty that has been created for us to see and enjoy.

 

 

Gratitude # 9

I am grateful for technology. I really like such things as electricity and running hot and cold water. Cars are another thing I like.  I like being able to get in one and go where I want to go.  It also allows you to be with friends and see wonderful sights of this beautiful world we live on.

 

I also really like computers and the Internet. It was fun to use instant messaging with my cousin in England. It is grand fun to meet her and other cousins because of a website like Ancestry. It is exciting fun to find census records and stuff on line.

 

EQ on the Left Linda in Miami on the right

I use Skype to teach a friend in Miami Florida to use Electric Quilt software.  Plus we visit and talk.  Sometimes we do more talking than teaching and learning.  We show each other what quilting projects we are working on.  It is so much more fun than pictures.  It is wonderful to receive an email within minutes instead of waiting weeks for letters to go back and forth. Though I do miss letters in the mail box.

 

I do like these modern things a lot.  They have also helped me work on my genealogy and my quilting my two favorite pass times.  It sure sounds like a win - win to me.

 

 

Gratitude # 8

Today I am grateful for Saturdays. Yes, today is a Saturday. I enjoy my day of being with friends and doing the a secret project and being creative. Some Saturdays are for running errands and doing chores. Some Saturdays are for resting and hanging out. They sure are a nice change from the work week. Today is my last Saturday before a work week. This will be my last week working.

My husband is very excited because I promised him when I retire I will go grocery shopping by myself and we won't go any more after dinner on Saturday evening. I'll be doing it by myself on a week day.

It was also our first cool day of the fall. A high of 63 degrees. It feels wonderful.

 

Gratitude # 7

 

I am grateful it is Friday. OK all the things I am grateful for don't have to be serious; we need to be grateful for some of the small things in life. The work week is over and I can have a change of pace. I like having a change of pace it renews my body, my mind and my spirit.  Working is good and I am grateful for being able to work but I like reaching the weekend. 

 

This Friday is different, just a little, it is the Friday of my last weekend that is followed by a work week.  Next Friday will be my retirement day.  A new chapter in my life will begin. 

 

Now I am going to go sit in the recline, watch some TV and fall asleep. 

Gratitude # 6

Today I am grateful for my health, physical, emotional, mental & spiritual. OK I might not be as physically healthy as I was in my 20’s or 40’s but I am in good shape for my age and trying to get into better shape and I am grateful to have the opportunity to take care of myself and others.

 

Mary in Sedona AZ Fall 1986

When I see a person younger than myself with major health problems I feel compassion for them and the trails they face.  It reminds me of how fragile life and health are, and it make my gratitude fly on wings of prayer to heaven.  

Health isn't just about the body it is also about the mind and spirit.  I am grateful I can renew my sprite each Sunday at church and each day during scripture study and with prayers.  

As far as my emotional health I have frequently said, "I like my kind of crazy the best, at least I understand it."  :-) 

 

I am a little behind with my posts but some nights after work I am too tired to write. 

 

A very small speed bump in the road of life.

Well here I'm in all my glory after my cataract surgery. It was hard to smile with all that tape on my face. That shield and patch were very annoying. It was also annoying that I could not read. I survived a whole 24 hours with out reading! A small miracle in itself. I couldn't get my glasses over my shield. I ended up making a run to the doctors office yesterday afternoon because it felt like I had an eye lash in my eye. Sure enough my eye bottom lashes had turned up and were in my eye. Do you know how hard it is to keep an eye closed when the other one is open, even with it patched down. I reclined in my lazy boy watching TV and sleeping. Which of course meant I didn't sleep well last night.

Today when to the doctors and I had my patch removed and my eye examined. I can now see 20 - 40 in that eye for distance. And that is less than 24 hours after surgery. I had a mono vision lens implanted.
I have to admit I was very nervous going into surgery, after all I understand all the risk and complications that can occur. The idea of anything near my eye drives me nuts let alone anything in it. I can't even stand others putting in eye drops. My logical brain said this is very minor, the most common surgery performed, high success rate and all. But it's that old emotional brain that get scared and worries. I also come from a long line of worriers, so I can do it well.

I'm grateful for many things, just to live in an age of implantable lens is wonderful. The care is so much easier than it was 40 years ago when I was an LPN and did private duty for cataract patients who had to stay in bed and couldn't turn to the operative side and a whole bunch of other things. I had a good skilled doctor and nurses and best of all I have a good husband you held my hand and took care of me. Plus he and Kinsen have to do the kitty litter boxes for the next 2 weeks!! The surgery wasn't as bad as what my imagination can conjure up. All I saw was a bright light and at the end I could see the drop the doctor put in, it looked like a circle spreading across my vision. The anesthesiologist said I fought the anesthesia all the way. I wasn't trying to, but I needed double of the IV stuff as well as the local anesthesia around my eye. Like I said I was really nervous. Nurses just don't make good patients. We don't like being on the other side of the needle.

I'm glad it is over and I very glad for my gift of vision!! How precious a gift it is. Go enjoy looking at beautiful things today. I know I will.