Category: Miscellany

Thankfulness

November and December are months of reflection, appreciation, and celebration as families come together for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Of course, we are all thankful and grateful for everything we have in our lives, but we’re also very busy and our hectic lives prevent us from expressing all that we are thankful for every day of the year.

I’m taking the 30 Days of Thankfulness challenge on Facebook this month. Each day I am posting a status of something I am thankful for and I hope folks understand, that I am not just thankful this month. I am always thankful for everything and everyone in my life, each and every single day.

I would like to also take the opportunity to list 30 things here that I am thankful for and I hope it will inspire others to do the same. We are all thankful for something…and every day there’s something to be thankful for, even though it may be a bad day. So let’s reflect on what is good in our lives, instead of focusing on the bad. We’ll have happier hearts in the end.

30 Things I’m Thankful For

  1. I’m thankful for my children. I’m so glad they call me Mom.
  2. I’m thankful for my Dad, who has always been my rock, my teacher, my comedic relief. He’s always been there for me and is my best friend. I couldn’t ask for a better Dad.
  3. I’m thankful for my baby sisters, who caused me so much grief when we were kids. As adults, we have become great friends.
  4. I’m thankful for my grandchildren, who are all happy, healthy, and safe.
  5. I’m thankful for my furbabies, past and present. They aren’t pets, they’re family.
  6. I’m thankful for the friends I’ve made over the years, even those I’m no longer friends with. They have all made me stronger and helped me be the person I am today.
  7. I’m thankful for the roof over my head, even though it leaks in a few places.
  8. I’m thankful for laughing babies, kittens purring, soft rain falling, birds chirping, and wind chimes in the breeze.
  9. I’m thankful for the freedoms I have as an American citizen. I can vote, drive, dress as I choose, go to school, seek medical care, worship as I choose, and make other choices when so many others are not afforded these rights.
  10. I’m thankful for a nice hot bath on a chilly night.
  11. I’m thankful to my therapist for giving me a bath lift so I CAN take a bath
  12. I’m thankful for my favorite foods – pizza, chocolate, popcorn, Mexican food, cheese, soups, and a ton of other yummy things!
  13. I’m thankful for my eclectic tastes in music and to those who share their concert pics because I can’t go to concerts like I used to!
  14. I’m thankful for travelers who share their pics of the places they see, especially Scotland and its castles. I will most likely never get to go myself.
  15. I’m thankful for sweatpants and long sweaters on cool Autumn days and in early Spring.
  16. I’m thankful for lavender and tea tree essential oils because they have cured many a burn or infection!
  17. I’m thankful for modern conveniences such as the washer and dryer, vacuum cleaners, electricity, running water, crock pots, and air fryers.
  18. I’m thankful for the scent of lilacs in the Spring and the warmth of the sun on my face.
  19. I’m thankful to all the teachers who have not taught me what to think, but HOW to think for myself.
  20. I’m thankful for books, movies, and tv shows that not only provide entertainment and an escape from my pain but sometimes teach me something!
  21. I’m thankful for the little bit of mobility I still have. I can still walk, but not much. I’m not bed-ridden and that’s a good thing.
  22. I’m thankful for the pain meds that keep my pain level down on most days. Nothing else has helped in the least.
  23. I’m thankful for all of the kind, compassionate, respectful, empathetic people in this world. It helps to know humanity isn’t lost forever.
  24. I’m thankful for our new veterinarian, Dr. Missy. She’s very compassionate and loving towards my furbabies.
  25. I’m thankful for Capt. Morgan, who helps me on days that my pain meds don’t.
  26. I’m thankful for pawprints in the snow; cats, deer, bunnies, coyotes, bear…doesn’t matter, they’re all important.
  27. I’m thankful the spiders and insects go into hiding when it’s super cold. By mid-summer, I’m sick of them all! (Sick of spiders always!)
  28. I’m thankful for the memories I have (even the bad ones) because at least I can remember.
  29. I’m thankful for my nice warm bed even though the furbabies hog half of it.
  30. I’m thankful for the internet and to all of you! Thanks for reading!

thanksgiving-2903166_960_720

Remember to give thanks, no matter what your beliefs, situation, or surroundings. There’s always something to be grateful for. Peace, my friends. ☮

The Escape

Last night was an interesting night. It started off like any other night. I was crocheting as Dad and I watched the new FBI series. At one point I heard an odd noise and tilted my ear toward the back of the house. Dad asked if I heard something and I told him I had, but that I couldn’t be sure what it was. It wasn’t a worrisome noise and I didn’t hear it again, so it was forgotten.

Fast forward to around 12:40am. I was still watching tv and crocheting. It was actually more crocheting and listening to the tv. All of a sudden, I hear something jump onto the window a/c by the window where I sat. I thought, Oh crap. Another stray cat. I moved the curtain to the side slowly so not to frighten this stray cat, and lo and behold it was NOT a stray cat after all. It was Jack!

a145118411_10156784110009299_7841070914677506048_n

Jack comes in at 4pm feeding time and he is not allowed to go back outside because he’s such an asshole to get back in before dark. So, he WAS inside. As I got up to let him in, I asked him, “How the hell did you get outside?” Of course, he didn’t tell me. He thought it best if I figure it out for myself!

My first thought was that he must’ve found a way out of the “catio.” Sure enough, a quick look with the flashlight showed the exact spot where he made his escape. It’s not the best enclosure but it keeps my furbabies safe at night from coyotes and other such terrifying creatures of the night. Of course, if a bear wanted a cat bad enough he could easily rip that catio plumb off its base. But by then the cats would have all scattered back into the house and under my bed.

Covered litter boxes with a board to protect the openings from rain and snow.
Shelter (originally a dog house) they sometimes sleep in.

 

So, what’s a cat-mom to do? I couldn’t do anything about it that late and in the dark so I blocked off the cat door where they couldn’t go out there at all. I didn’t want Jack to escape again as I knew he would if given the chance. I knew Kitty wouldn’t even attempt to escape as she rarely goes out on the catio, and I knew Honey couldn’t escape even if she wanted to because she’s just too damn fat to climb up to the opening. Alice is another story. I didn’t know if she would try or not. I didn’t know if she would follow Jack, and I’d never find her in the dark. (She’s black as night.) Besides, she’s the best cat I have and I would die if she got lost in the woods. So, none of them got to go out on the catio.

That didn’t go over well. Alice and Jack meowed and scratched until after 1am until they finally gave it up and went to sleep next to me. It took putting the vacuum cleaner next to the blocked opening to get their little furry butts settled down!

Oh, and that odd noise I heard earlier? I think it might have been Jack forcing his way through that opening in the wire. I checked him over pretty good to make sure he didn’t hurt himself and there was no blood or bones poking out. He got lucky. If I had gone to bed before he jumped up on the a/c, then I’d have never known he was out in the scary dark!

They are happier now that Dad repaired the hole, even though it’s raining today. They go out under the board or in the shelter and they’re good to go.

My silly (yet annoying) little furbabies, how I love them so.

Crochet FYI

I’ve been working like crazy on some crocheted baby blankets and a few other items lately. Crocheting keeps my mind busy and the arthritis in my hands at bay. I can also make a little extra cash for the holidays and knock out a few gifts as well!

I came across a formula the other day for pricing my crocheted items to sell. Let’s just say I am still not a fan of any formula I have found thus far. This particular formula blew my mind.

_________________________________

Time + Materials = Cost

Cost x 2 = Wholesale Price

Wholesale Price x 2 = Retail Price

_________________________________

Holy cow. Let me use an example.

If I spend 2 hours on a “Messy Bun Hat” and I want to pay myself at least $8.00 an hour for my time, that’s $16.00. Let’s say my yarn for that hat costs me $5.00. That’s $21.00, right? Wholesale cost = $42.00 and Retail cost = $84.00. Wait, what???? $84 for a stupid hat? I would sell that hat to you for $20.00 plus shipping.

Of course, I’m not the only crocheter/crafter who thinks this way. It’s not that our time and work aren’t worth more, but we have to be realistic and we have to know our clientele. I know that I would never pay $84 for a crocheted hat, and I bet you wouldn’t either! It’s not because I don’t appreciate the time and skill that went into creating that hat, and it’s not because I don’t think the work is worth that much. It’s because I can’t afford to pay $84 for a stupid hat! I bet you can’t either!

Many crafters/crocheters bitch at those of us who sell our wares for less than they think we should. They say it makes them look bad, like price gougers. I don’t think that at all, just to be clear. I think perhaps they have a high-end clientele who would pay $84 for a crocheted hat. I do not. Simple as that.

So, if you purchase any crocheted item from me you are guaranteed to get a great price! If my price on a crocheted baby blanket is $80, you will most likely pay more it elsewhere.

Here’s my latest blanket, priced at $40 plus shipping. It’s about 30″ x 30″…and it has been sold! 

42862365_10156711344074299_9039631605060075520_n

You can check out my Crochet page for more — and I do need to add a few items so check back often!

I may have a contest later on with a crocheted prize! I’m open to contest ideas, so throw them at me!

Thanks for reading!

Not My Reality

This pretty much nails it… Agree or disagree, doesn’t matter and doesn’t make it less true.

Brandewijn Words

*scratch* *scratch* *scratch* *scratch*

A graying muzzle appears from the thicket covered den and sniffs the air. A low, throaty growl precedes the appearance of the this lone lupine. Something’s wrong. Teeth bared in a snarl, you can tell he is about to howl.

I am at a loss. How can people NOT understand how we got here. Where the fuck have you been for (approximately) the last 20 years? Do you truly not see that we allowed our society to become what it has? Christ, we asked for it. We fucking paid for it because we invited it into our living rooms almost every night.

Please read this Wikipedia entry :

Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents supposedly unscripted real-life situations, and often features an otherwise unknown cast of individuals who are typically not professional actors, although in some shows celebrities may participate. It differs…

View original post 393 more words

Getting My Groove Back

im-currently-in-the-process-of-getting-my-groove-back-20395966I’m not much of a people person. I never have been. I enjoy my alone time. Solitude. It’s what makes me tick. I enjoy being by myself. I accomplish so much when I am left to my own devices. When there are others around, I tend to get caught up in never-ending conversations, and other things that distract me from being productive.

The internet has caused me to be very unproductive. I’ve spent too much time on Facebook as of late, and the negativity has pulled me down into a black hole. I normally just let it roll off me like water off a duck’s back, but eventually, the accumulation of negative bullshit starts eating away at me and I react. Sometimes I over-react. That’s just how I’m wired. I can’t seem to control it.

This time, I took some time away from the negative posts and the people that post them. Back to solitude, the joy of being alone. The internet and the connection with others is grand, however, it becomes too crowded at times. Too many opinions, too much division, hatred, and misinformation. If you spend any time at all on Facebook, then you know what I’m talking about. You’ve got the conspiracy theories, the anti-government and anti-everything else posts. There are the animal abuse photos, and photos of battered and bruised women or children. Let’s not forget about the political crap. I don’t need to know nor do I give a crap what others believe about the current POTUS. And trust me, you really don’t want to know what I think either. Religion, in my opinion, should be kept private. It is none of my business what anyone else’s religious beliefs are, and my beliefs are my business. I am so tired of the assumption that if you “do this” or “don’t do that” then you’re going to hell.

Anyway, you get it I’m sure. The negativity eats away at your soul and slowly devours you….unless you stop it dead in its tracks.

My time away has been peaceful. Yes, I am still posting to my blog page and responding to messages and comments. On my personal page, I am still checking in on occasion. Since going low-key I have become more productive. I’m writing more. I’m reading more. I am nearly finished with a crochet baby blanket for my newest grandbaby when he arrives in September. I have made gift tags for my soap party favors for the baby shower next month. I’ll be making the soap sometime this week. I’m finding my groove again!

It feels good to step back. The connection Facebook provides can be a wonderful thing. I LOVE that I can check in on my friends and family without making a call, waiting for a letter in the mail, or driving several miles for a visit. But enough is enough. I’m feeling more balanced these past few days. I’m getting my groove back, as they say.