Looking out our kitchen window at the birds.

So many juvenile birds this year – house finch, tufted titmouse, cardinal, and rose-breasted grosbeak.

I never get tired of watching birds – so grateful for the opportunity.

Our beautiful birds and flowers tablecloth, colored with fabric paints by our fabulous book group!

Back is getting better after two trips to the Chiropractor.

My calendar is wide open tomorrow – thank Heavens.

Looking forward to the upcoming Wes Anderson movie (Asteroid City). His movies are delightful gems.

Grateful to Mary Ellen who was encouraged by Katherine to post here again. It’s a ripple effect – here I am too! Hooray!

Making gratitude a priority

Creator God overseeing and guiding me.

Grateful for the energy to be of service. Church fed 150 people Sunday in drive thru.

A funeral for a well loved woman. Grateful to be able to provide a meal for those who attended.

I am still here. Hubby is chugging along. Mein kinder are well! The grands are grand. The great is great.

The beauty of the Earth. The thirsty flowers rebound after a drenching.

Another week of life to get my priorities straight.

(This Gratitude List is because Katherine said she missed mine. (

1. Goddess
2. Picking up clothes at the cleaners to store for winter. The proprietor was very helpful.
3. Getting a chai latte at my favorite coffee shop, Espresso Yourself.
4. Not finding a seat, I walked outside and went to the bench by the crosswalk. A white-haired woman was sitting there. We talked and it turned out we had many things in common.  Her name is Caroiyn G. We exchanged phone numbers.
5. Finished my latte and went to the consignment store and dropped off two large garbage bags of outsized clothes.
6. On my way out on a walk, I ran into Maureen L. She said it was her birthday, and I gave her a big hug. She was on her way to her partner’s for birthday cake.
7. Walk around Jamaica Pond.
8. Made an omelet for dinner. Grateful for groceries and basic cooking skills and a dishwasher.
9. Talked with my mother on the phone.  She had a busy day with the realtor and errands and took the afternoon to relax and read.
10. Worked on questions from the Artist’s Way.
11. Went to my church where there was a meeting, and spoke at the meeting, and the business meeting afterward, and picked up a service position. Grateful that there is a meeting so close to me.
12. Got on the online meeting, caught the tail end of it, and then the after meeting, Spoke about the meeting I went to, and then on the topic, I spoke about assuming things, which is a weakness of mine, and something I’m trying to work on. Grateful for the help I receive daily.

• another beautiful day
• growth
• big things, little things and all the in between things
• sweet memories made with those I love
• family and friends that feel like family
• peace within
• home there is no place I would rather be

1. Goddess

2. Going to the morning meeting, even though I had to leave early for choir rehearsal.

3. Singing with the choir at church.

4. Lunch with my mother and David.

5. Working with GG.  We took on my bedroom, and she helped me clear my closets, and get rid of clothes that no longer fit me.

6. Hosting the evening meeting and the after meeting,  Grateful to be of service.

1. Goddess

2. Morning Pages

3. Help from a wonderful woman at the bank. Went there for dollars and quarters.

4. Seeing Eileen at the cafe.

5. Chairing the meeting, and leading a discussion about prayer.

6. Hugging Karen for a long time, she told me her daughter is coming to visit, and hugging her again for a long time.

7. Going out to lunch with Kellie, Janis, and Janet.

8. Texting Alison, Alicia, Melissa, Nykhole, Craig, Freedom, Gerry.

9. Sending Alycia a birthday card.

10. Going to Papercuts bookstiore, and buying a book for Cassie and two books for myself and ordering two more. Learning that Stephanie Burt will be reading her poetry at the bookstore in a couple of weeks.  Stephanie was a huge inspiration for me in coming out.

11. Cleaning the bathroom

12. Ate dinner. Waffles and a banana.

13. Talking with my mother on the phone.

14. Logging on to the evening meeting and volunteering to be timekeeper.

15. Grateful for a life of happy usefulness.

1. Goddess

2. Morning Pages.

3. Coffee.

4. Working on my essay, having received one of the papers i needed.

5. Kind compliments on my essay from Ben and Mary.

6. Went to buy lunch at the supermarket. Hot outside.

7. Annmarie indulged my vanity and took a picture of me. I wore a straw hat, a peplum blue and white floral embroidered top, royal blue nail polish, white jeans, white socks, and grey everyday sneakers. Grateful that I can afford pretty clothes and can dress how I want.

8. Attended part 2 of the ACRL/MLS workshop on Open Educational Resources and Affordability. Listened and participated and got some great help.

9. Talked to my mother on the phone.

10. Grateful a car didn’t hit me crossing an intersection. Almost happened again, in the rainy night, when a motorist ran a red light. Full of thanks and prayers, especially that my brakes worked.

11. Dinner at Punjab Restaurant: vegetable samosas, garlic naan, and Malai Kofta.  The service was excellent.

12. Fellowship at the cafe.  And then the skies opened up. Grateful I remembered to bring an umbrella.

13. Meeting at the church, poignant and moving.  A lot of women talked about losing their fathers.

14. Arriving home safely, despite the pouring rain.

15. Listening to relaxing Louisiana music and some blues.

1. Goddess

2. Helpful criticism from Jen.

3. Help from Mary Ann.

4. Mary Ann got accepted into her continuing education program.  I wrote a letter of recommendation for her, and I think I helped a little bit

5. Kind compliments from Jane, Annmarie, Leslie, and Mary Ann.

6. The go-ahead on my next presentation from Bob,

7. Going to 40 South Street, putting in a request for the white embroidered dress in the window, buying a floral dress and a straw multicolored (white, robin’s egg blue, fuchsia, and navy blue) straw hat.

8. Phone call with my mother.

9. Going to choir practice, like I said I would. Natasha worked us hard. John and Jim welcomed me, John gave me water, and I followed them both on the tenor line. Mary has an enthralling voice (I have a massive crush on Mary.) She looked back and smiled at me several times. The singing voices resonated beautifully in the church.

10. Walking home in the moonlight and the cool breezes.

1. Goddess

2. Kind text from Alison.

3. Good news from the Behavioral Health Program. I will have an intake next week.

4. Annie called and said they will reroute Hannah’s birthday gift to her new address.

5. Productive day at work, finishing an essay, and submitting a proposal.

6. Mary Ann helping me with In-Text citations and footnotes.

7. Jen has a lovely singing voice.

7a. Letting a driver turn left in front of me.

8. Photographing peonies and sweet William.

9. Making amends to Steve P. He responded generously. Grateful for him,

10. Eileen’s support.

11. My mother working at the library.

12. Great meeting on topic of fear and chatting with Craig G. afterwards.

1. waking up this morning
2. finally regaining access to this site, (I am so happy I kept trying)
3. sunshine, blue skies and a cool breeze
4. AC to keep us cool, calm and mostly collected
5. an endless source of reading material
6. family always
7. feeling comfortable in my skin again
8. renewing the promise I made to myself
9. each new day that brings with it the opportunity to get it right
10. my ability to be grateful anytime and anywhere
11. always looking for the good
12. life, each second is a precious gift