Thank you for the reminder to be grateful - it is so well timed.
Today I am grateful for my daughter’s surprise visit a few weeks back to plant flowers on my patio. Her degree is in applied plant biology and her educated green thumb never ceases to amaze and delight me!
I continue to drop hints at starting a vineyard 😉
Looking at the gorgeous, thoughtful planters makes me truly happy.
Bedtime Sudoku (Hard) and mini cryptic crosswords. I think the older you get, the more you realise that the best part of living is sleeping 🤦♂️. And quilting, we produce our own fabrics in New Zealand specially for the quilt market, and I am eternally amazed and inspired by the work these (generally) ladies can produce. There are some extraordinarily talented textile artists around the world. Peace to you Allison 😊
I’m grateful for the opportunity, my carpentry skills and knowledge of old homes and the drive to care for our family farm in the ADK mountains that has been in our family since the 1830s. It’s a labor of love. I’m surrounded by ancestors and feel watched over. I feel a kinship with them though we’ve never met and intuitively know them through their artwork, ironware dishes, quilts, and countless artifacts that they used, valued or were just intrigued by. And I am so grateful for that connection in these times.
I’m grateful today, I went to the optometrist. I got new prescriptions for eyeglasses. My glasses are old, scratched up and it’s been too long since I have had new glasses, and I found out I still have vision insurance so at least one pair will only cost about $100.
Thirty years of Pilates has kept me sane and now able to get down on the floor with my six month old grandson. The trips up and down aren’t pretty but so what! My life is challenging and often bizarre. Gratitude lists are critical to my ability not to wallow in self pity.
I’m grateful for my parents every day. Even though they’re not here I hear their voices. They are so proud of me. Especially my dad.
2. I’m grateful for the self discipline I have.
3. Im grateful my parents instilled in me the virtues of doing the right thing. Being kind, honest and hard working.
4. The cold side of the pillow
5. My curiosity
6. This group. The community you’ve built through Substack. All really thoughtful, smart folks.
7. I love to cheer for others.
8. The ability to love with sincerity
Allison you always look sharp in black & white! I’m sorry you’ve had some challenges this summer. You’ve got a birthday coming up and I know you’re going to have a wonderful new year. Good things always come to good people.
Thank you for inspiring our community with thought provoking questions.
Running water, a blanket, and to show my weirdness ... we all have regular garbage PU. Every week someone picks up our crap. And it can be a difficult job. It encourages some to not re use, but it's a simple convenience. I was walking my dog through a huge cemetary and saw a young guy walking through the creek. His name was "Drift." Told me that before WWII Peoria didn't have this service and many dumped their crud in the cemetary. He spends his time finding old relics, bottles, dolls etc and posts them on FB. He's our midwest corn fed archaeologist
For all that's wrong with the internet, I am grateful for the connections I've made through it.
.
A therapist - one who specializes in people on the spectrum! - said that I have to be treated as one of one.
That's a lonely place to be, but he's wrong. I've been able to connect with writers, musicians, artists, etc. who I'm on the save wavelength with. It's made me feel less alone, and I've learned a lot from these people.
Setting aside any clinical or diagnostic categories, I see the common threads between the two of us, the bluntness, the nervous habits you share with my mom, and I appreciate you being out there in the world.
(FWIW, I'm skeptical about the quality of the diagnostics out there, particularly when it comes to women, especially high-functioning, gifted women. My sister doesn't register on them, but after a recent family dinner, my partner said she definitely is. I once had to Uber home from an event with her and my niece because she told me to fuck off after I asked her not to use a floss pick in the car when I'm sitting next to her. I have two ongoing jokes about this, that I'm probably more accurate than the assessments, and that being romantically interested in me should be a diagnostic criterion.)
7.5 years in remission, and so much more.
Thank you for the reminder to be grateful - it is so well timed.
Today I am grateful for my daughter’s surprise visit a few weeks back to plant flowers on my patio. Her degree is in applied plant biology and her educated green thumb never ceases to amaze and delight me!
I continue to drop hints at starting a vineyard 😉
Looking at the gorgeous, thoughtful planters makes me truly happy.
1. Finding out today that My hearing loss is not as bad as I thought
2. Having the financial ability to travel and escape Florida summers
3. I don’t care about having wine anymore..after a year and a half dry I can take it or leave it
4. My husband even though we don’t have the same taste in music or books
5. My book club
6. My health
7. Having some equanimity when disappointed by family and the perspective to forgive and work through my hurt feelings
8. My home
Bedtime Sudoku (Hard) and mini cryptic crosswords. I think the older you get, the more you realise that the best part of living is sleeping 🤦♂️. And quilting, we produce our own fabrics in New Zealand specially for the quilt market, and I am eternally amazed and inspired by the work these (generally) ladies can produce. There are some extraordinarily talented textile artists around the world. Peace to you Allison 😊
I second that for being grateful for fried potatoes. Had some this evening for dinner. Grateful that I can still run races at age 56.
* My 2 sons and the kindness they show to others. It’s beautiful to watch.
* My wife
* And that all of us are healthy.
unexpected thanks and a spontaneous smile from a stranger
small exquisite rosebuds for my altar
calming sun after so many grey days
a bike ride looking for grace
a gift of heartfelt words in my mailbox
Lovely
I’m grateful for the opportunity, my carpentry skills and knowledge of old homes and the drive to care for our family farm in the ADK mountains that has been in our family since the 1830s. It’s a labor of love. I’m surrounded by ancestors and feel watched over. I feel a kinship with them though we’ve never met and intuitively know them through their artwork, ironware dishes, quilts, and countless artifacts that they used, valued or were just intrigued by. And I am so grateful for that connection in these times.
I’m grateful today, I went to the optometrist. I got new prescriptions for eyeglasses. My glasses are old, scratched up and it’s been too long since I have had new glasses, and I found out I still have vision insurance so at least one pair will only cost about $100.
1. I am a teacher, so I love the unscheduled freedom of a summer day
2. Great books (currently reading Lonesome Dove)
3. Apple CarPlay on long trips (Down to Believing came on a random shuffle today)
4. Members Mark sandwash fabric
5. Brown butter ice cream at Cruze Farms in Knoxville
Thirty years of Pilates has kept me sane and now able to get down on the floor with my six month old grandson. The trips up and down aren’t pretty but so what! My life is challenging and often bizarre. Gratitude lists are critical to my ability not to wallow in self pity.
Interesting dreams
Memories of my recently deceased Father
My beautiful wife
Our 3 beautiful girl cats
Health improvements
Art (paintings, books, films, theatre, music)
My amazing siblings
My incredible Mother
True, unconditional friendship
You and your beautiful sissy
❤️❤️❤️
Sunshine
Fresh Air
Cousins
Harmonies
Jackson Browne
Cold beer on a hot day
❤️
Good morning Allison
I’m grateful for my parents every day. Even though they’re not here I hear their voices. They are so proud of me. Especially my dad.
2. I’m grateful for the self discipline I have.
3. Im grateful my parents instilled in me the virtues of doing the right thing. Being kind, honest and hard working.
4. The cold side of the pillow
5. My curiosity
6. This group. The community you’ve built through Substack. All really thoughtful, smart folks.
7. I love to cheer for others.
8. The ability to love with sincerity
Allison you always look sharp in black & white! I’m sorry you’ve had some challenges this summer. You’ve got a birthday coming up and I know you’re going to have a wonderful new year. Good things always come to good people.
Thank you for inspiring our community with thought provoking questions.
xo
Running water, a blanket, and to show my weirdness ... we all have regular garbage PU. Every week someone picks up our crap. And it can be a difficult job. It encourages some to not re use, but it's a simple convenience. I was walking my dog through a huge cemetary and saw a young guy walking through the creek. His name was "Drift." Told me that before WWII Peoria didn't have this service and many dumped their crud in the cemetary. He spends his time finding old relics, bottles, dolls etc and posts them on FB. He's our midwest corn fed archaeologist
For all that's wrong with the internet, I am grateful for the connections I've made through it.
.
A therapist - one who specializes in people on the spectrum! - said that I have to be treated as one of one.
That's a lonely place to be, but he's wrong. I've been able to connect with writers, musicians, artists, etc. who I'm on the save wavelength with. It's made me feel less alone, and I've learned a lot from these people.
This is one of my favorite things I've written, and it speaks to this:
https://parklifedc.com/2024/02/12/rip-mojo-nixon-1957-2024/
Setting aside any clinical or diagnostic categories, I see the common threads between the two of us, the bluntness, the nervous habits you share with my mom, and I appreciate you being out there in the world.
(FWIW, I'm skeptical about the quality of the diagnostics out there, particularly when it comes to women, especially high-functioning, gifted women. My sister doesn't register on them, but after a recent family dinner, my partner said she definitely is. I once had to Uber home from an event with her and my niece because she told me to fuck off after I asked her not to use a floss pick in the car when I'm sitting next to her. I have two ongoing jokes about this, that I'm probably more accurate than the assessments, and that being romantically interested in me should be a diagnostic criterion.)