short story, TTOT

10 Things of Thankful – August 2

barefoot beach blur break
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Good Morning! It’s time to share about all the wonderful things for which we are grateful. Namely, 10 Thinks of Thankful or TTOT! This week, I have the pleasure of co-hosting TTOT, joining a wonderful group of dedicated peeps. It’s an honor to be asked. There are no hard and fast rules, just make a list or not a list, but mainly share ten things for which you are thankful, more or less. I promise there will be no head bonking if you can’t come up with ten, or listing, numbering yada yada yada… Just hop in. There’s a link at the bottom of this post and you can link up by going there and adding your post link. It’s easy and always wonderful to add more to the gratefuls. So, without further chatter, here are my 10!

  1. Poetry Dive – I dove into a month of poetry with Jena Schwartz. It was a great way to write to prompts on a regular basis and write it raw, no edits, just write your poetry and post. It’s a vulnerable and empowering experience and I am grateful to have done this. The feedback from other poets was helpful to encourage me to take those poems and develop them. Who knows? I may have another secret project…well, you know I do!
  2. art artistic blank page book
    Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
  3. Laughter – Last Saturday I got together with a couple of Blog Squad members and we had a blog working session. Whenever I am with this group I always find funny things to laugh about. One of the women in the group, also the founder, Missy Cheney Farrow, has a fun blog, often poignant humor about her kiddos, and I look forward to reading her posts right away. They are the kind that make me stop what I am doing and read. So here’s her link so you can LOL and go AWWW with me: Midlife Margaritas
  4. Six Sentence Story – This weeks prompt word was Pad and I saw so many variations from this word. I have a lot of fun with this group. Here is my STORY
  5. Family – This should be #1, but regardless, it’s important to have family and friends who become family. I may have mentioned before that I have two children. One is my daughter who is grown and the other is my son, also grown. And my daughter was adopted by me when she was 10 and my son adopted me about six years ago, no official paper or date, but as a grown man he decided I would be his mother. His wife is like a daughter to me and we met before I met my son. There is also a third child, one I think was a boy and I have written a couple of poems about him, he didn’t come into this world alive, but he grew in my womb and in my heart and would be 19 by now. Another time, in another way, I will tell more about his story, but suffice it to say, I am grateful for the time we had.
  6. Celebrations – August is my birthday month and I will be 65 next week. I have a good friend who has her birthday next week, as well. We get together and have a birthday dinner, just the two of us, each year. Once we work out our schedules, this will likely happen next week. I also get a lot of freebies for my birthday, so I look forward to the fun yums this month.
  7. Weight is still slip sliding away. YAY
  8. blue tape measuring on clear glass square weighing scale
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  9. Air Conditioning – What would we do without this? I remember back in the day (yeah I am THAT old) when you could get by without A/C When we lived in Texas we had air coolers which were like glorified fans. We ran them in the living room and made pallets on the floor. It looked like we were camping.
  10. Swimming – It’s been a rough week of not being able to get to the pool as much, but oh it has been so nice when I have gotten in that water. It’s not soupy hot and sooo refreshing. I am soooooo grateful for this and wish I could invite everybody to join.
  11. Tea – This week I tried a new tea, recommended by my friend and oh boy is it a game changer. Plus, I got it free because of a special this week at one of my grocers. It’s a Cinnamon Chai by Paromi. I like the other chai I have, as well, but this is another lovely treat. It’s also caffeine free.
  12. Appliances – As I sit here listening to my washing machine running, I feel ever so grateful not to have to run to the laundromat. Hopefully, those days are behind me. It seems that more apartment complexes are furnishing these and I am so happy. If they did not, I would have to get them, but oh isn’t it nice that I don’t have to do that.

So there you have it. Those are my TTOTs – Come join in!

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short story, TTOT

10 Things of Thankful – July 26

abstract art artistic autumn
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It’s time for TTOT!! I hope that you will join in and share your gratitudes soon! Here is the LINK!!

1. Rain – After a good, hot spell we got some lovely rain and it’s brought the temps down.

2. Pool – Still grateful for the pool. It was closed last weekend for maintenance and we were so sad, so happy now that we have been able to dip as of yesterday.

3. Sleep – It’s been a better sleep week.

4. Understanding people – Yesterday, I was not having brain power and the rest of my body was dragging. I simply could not think. I tried to do some tasks, but I was only hitting walls, so I had to ask for forgiveness for some responsibilities and I was granted such. Today is a new day. And I am writing this, so that’s amazing progress. Let’s hold on to hope.

5. 6. Friends who understand things happen and Exercise – I had a coffee catch up date with one of my BFFs and I had to cancel due to previous duties taking longer than expected. I had to cancel, but I did make it to the mall after I was done and I did call my friend and we talked while I walked around the mall. Nice to have modern technology to do so.

7. Chocolate Tea – I found a roobois chocolate tea and it’s taken the edge of my cravings and it is caffeine free.

8. Water and Specifically this bottle – I hydrate big time and I knock things over big time and now I have this amazing water bottle with a LOCK! It’s been tested a few times since I got it and I love it!

9. Finished edits – I finished editing a book of poetry for one of my favorite poets.

10. Six Sentence Story – This week was using the prompt word: Wave – Here is what I did Right Here

So, there you have it! Hope you had a thankful week, as well!!

TTOT

10 Things of Thankful – July 19

59570631_10161656399150203_7526113635647619072_n photo from New Bern adventures

What?!! Another Friday already!! This means it’s time for TTOT! Won’t you join us? Just list 10 things you are thankful for from this past week. Once you go with it, you will find so many thankfuls and it really helps keep the smiles going. Just go here TTOT

Ten Things of Thankful

person eye
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1. 2. Eyesight and Fast Doctors – As this past week I have found the need to attend to some visual issues I am extremely grateful for having two eyes to look out from. While my left eye is working harder to help my right eye, I am grateful that I have a spare. Not everybody is so fortunate. And thankful for eye doctors who see me quickly as when it’s your eyes, you kinda freak out… No worries, it is something I have to live with and it could be worse.

brown rosary on yellow surface
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3. Support Systems – When 1 – 2 happened I immediately called on my prayer and good thoughts warriors and they stepped up to the plate. And not the least of these, my love for taking me to the doctor and was there with me the whole time.

4. People who accommodate your needs – I had a nice surprise yesterday from someone who told me to take my time on something in consideration of 1 -2

5. Six Sentence Story – Here’s this week’s story: Escape Is In The Finding

person holding compass
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6. New Adventures – Someone I am close to is embarking on a new adventure and I am happy to be along for the ride.

7. Poetry Projects – I am trying to work on a couple of poetry projects and would like to focus, but sometimes I get distracted with LIFE, BUT I believe in what I am doing and it will come together. Grateful for the grace of time to devote to this.

8. Haiku – I love writing haiku and started – just today – in something I hope to may a weekly devotion to – here’s my contribution: Piano Memories

9. Beta Reading – I have a couple of books I am beta reading, well make that three… After these, I am taking a break, but it’s fun to be a part of the growth of writers. One of the books is from one of my fellow TTOT people.

10. Weight Loss – Still losing poundage 🙂

That’s it! Come and join in, wontcha??

short story, TTOT

10 Things of Thankful – July 12

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Sunflower from Dorothea Dix Park in Raleigh NC

1. Sunflowers! Every year the flowers are blooming about this time at Dorothea Dix Park in Raleigh NC and we like to take pictures. Visited this last weekend, but just a few are blooming. Tomorrow there is a big event, but we won’t be attending that, but hope to get some photo opps on Sunday.

2. Vacation – We went away for a couple of days and swam at Hanging Rock State Park. It was such a pleasant day there and the water was just the right temperature. I could touch bottom all the way to the ropes.

3. 4. Art and Family Fun! We had the opportunity to see Mama and created some “fireworks” by blowing on paint dots with straws. Well, we got a little carried away and cheated with the straws a bit. It was fun to do this and to spend the day at the retirement home.


5. Poetry – I am participating in Dive into Poetry for this month and having fun with the various prompts. I am saving those poems, once edited, for my next book.

6. Six Sentence Story is still growing strong. Here’s this weeks at this LINK

7. Memories of those who have passed – I have been doing a lot of thinking and working through grief in all of its facets and this seems to have landed in my poetry world in the Dive group. It’s a good thing and as feelings come they are finding places to do their work.

8. Connections with those who are present – I heard from a dear family member this past week and it made my day and many more. When you have a soul connection with someone, it hurts when there is not enough connecting. I am grateful for my soul injection.

9. Swimming – I have not been to the pool as much as I like this week, but it only makes me appreciate it more when I can’t get there.

10. Peaches – Oh my goodness have they been ever so sweet!!! It’s officially peach season. It is short lived and greatly loved. I may have to go get some more and try making peach sorbet. I made some with strawberries and it was delicious. Of course, I made it sugar free, not that you would know it.
…..

That’s it for this weeks TTOT! Why not join in? Just go to this LINK

poetry, short story, TTOT

10 Things of Thankful – July 5

human hands and us flag
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It’s that time again to be thinking of all things thankful! Here are my 10 and I hope you will join in with yours. You can go to this LINK to join in!

1. Remember the Secret Project? Well, here it is. This is an article I wrote for Midtown Magazine in Raleigh. New Bern Article

2. Six Sentence Story and a celebration. It’s that time of year to remember my special someone and I when we decided to be a couple. Here’s the story HERE

3. Family. It’s been the time for daughter to join for a weekend and it’s a holiday weekend. I’m sure I will have more to post about it next week, but, for now, let’s just say it’s bound to be fun!

4. Poetry Reading – Remember last week when I posted about the upcoming poetry reading? Well, it happened and here’s a picture of the audience and the poet Aruna Gurumurthy. Nice turnout and lovely words of expression.

5. Poundage has me 20 # less than when I rebooted and a total of just over 60# from my all time high. It’s a long process, for sure, but I am happy with where I am going.

6. Dive Into Poetry – I joined the July Dive Into Poetry group and it has been doing daily poems. Yay!!

7. Tea – Again? Yes, my journey into teas has become fun and I am grateful as I am finding the natural medicinal qualities are helping my zzzzs

8. Reading – I am currently reading a book for the book club we started. I hope it picks up as I have no problem putting it down. How is this good news? Well, when you read something that is questionable, it makes you appreciate when you read something interesting. I have three of those on my back burner, but I can’t wait to shift the pots.

9. Mammogram Results – Every year I have to get a mammogram because one year I had a benign lump removed, so I am on the watch for further developments and the good news is that I made it through this year with no issues.

10. Other tests. It is that time of year when I also get blood work done and I am happy to report my A1C is still looking good. I had to changed my eye prescription, but it’s all good as the words “diabetic myopathy” are not being spoken.

That’s that and there you go! Hope your week was awesome!!