Saturday, June 3, 2017

Thankful Day

Ten Things of Thankful

This week saw a lot of work (as in, several 14 hour days), and this weekend is mostly the same, and next week will be more so.  The week after that is vacation, so everything has to be done NOW.  If i'm behind in my reading of blogs, i beg your pardon, i am trying to catch up. 

That is something for which i am very grateful, that i have so many blogging friends.

This past week, Ms. GA and Mr. B left their cats and their plants in my tender care.  The cats were fine, i was very, very concerned about the plants, as i can kill even silk houseplants.  We had rain.  Lots of rain.  Every single day they were gone, i only had to water a couple of plants on the porch that didn't get rained on.  While i won't get paid much for watering the plants (that part of the job paid by the hour), i am grateful for the rain for the sake of their lovely garden so that i didn't have the chance to accidentally cause harm.

Speaking of rain, i am very thankful that we finally had a dry day yesterday, and i hope for another today.  The one big storm was so bad this past Tuesday that streets were flooding and traffic was being diverted, and then we got more rain Wednesday and Thursday, and a couple of days to let the water levels go down is a very good thing.

Work has me running like a madwoman, and i am very thankful.  It's bringing in some much needed funds right before we leave, and i can go on vacation knowing that i tended to every client before i left.

Pepe  is here!  Yes, the 6 pound Chihuahua with the deformed back legs is once again running away from the cats that are bigger than he is.  We are watching him for the week, and i'm thankful because i have hardly seen him at all since #2 Son and Daughter-in-Law Becky moved out.

#2 Son set up the second fish tank pump before they left, and i am relieved and thankful.  When we have two pumps to plug in, we don't have to worry so much about the downstairs getting water.

We had our rEcess volunteer appreciation night, and i am so grateful the ministry leaders thought to do that.  They even brought veggie burgers for me, and everyone had a great time playing board games and laughing and talking.

It's funny how things work out sometimes.  Gracie's mom needed a babysitter, and the date and time coincided with the volunteer night, so i got to babysit Gracie and she got to be with some of her rEcess friends.  While i often see her on Sundays, i hadn't had this much time playing with Gracie in a while, and i'm very thankful it all worked out.

Lunceford the Land Yacht, Sweetie's car, was giving us a minor fit with all of the rain.  One of the wipers was malfunctioning, which is dangerous when you are getting a serious downpour.  Kevin and Lenny fixed it easily, and it wasn't expensive at all.  It's nice not to have to worry that the rain will start before you can get to your destination, and i'm especially grateful for the "wasn't expensive" part.

Last but certainly not least, i am very thankful for my Jalopy.  This past week i have averaged 40-60 miles a day in her for work, and she is taking it like a champ. 

Listing the things i am thankful for reminds me of my many, many blessings and how much good stuff there is in my life.  Try it for yourself and see if it doesn't make you really smile, then link up with Ten Things of Thankful, so we can all be thankful along with you!


Today is:

Birthday of SPB Yang di-Pertuan Agong -- Malaysia (in this elective monarchy, the current king's birthday is celebrated on the first Saturday in June, regardless of his actual birth date)

Broken Dolls Day -- Japan (all broken dolls are taken by their children to monks for burial)

California Artichoke Festival -- Castroville, CA, US (lots of fun in the Artichoke Capital of the World; through tomorrow)

Callynteria -- Ancient Greek Calendar (a service of atonement and cleaning Athena's temple; date approximate)

Capitol Hill People's Fair -- Denver, CO, US (arts, entertainment, and fun; through tomorrow)

Chimborazo Day -- to publicize that while Mt. Everest may be the highest, the top of Mt. Chimborazo in Ecuador is the furthest from the center of the earth

Dare Day -- Manteo, NC, US (a fun festival and unofficial kick-off for summer)

Derby Day -- Epsom Downs Racecourse, Surrey, England

Do-Dah Parade -- Kalamazoo, MI, US (a "Salute to Silliness" that is worth seeing)

Drawing Day/Pencil Day -- used to be sponsored on the first Saturday with the motto "Drop Everything and Draw", but even though no longer promoted by any specific group, you can still enjoy some time drawing today

Dr. Charles Drew Day -- honoring the man who made blood transfusions possible

Eel Festival -- Jyllinge, Denmark (through tomorrow; every restaurant and pub in town serves fried eel, and there's lots more fun around town)

Elfreth's Alley Day (Fete Day) -- Philadelphia, PA, US (one of the oldest continuously inhabited streets in the country)

Enshu Hamakita Hiryu Matsuri -- Hamamatsu City, Japan (honors the river god Ryujin; through tomorrow)

Festival to Bellona -- Ancient Roman Calendar (goddess of war)

Impersonate Authority Day -- at your own risk, i will not bail you out just because i noted an internet holiday and you decided to celebrate it ;)

Jack Jouett Day -- Virginia (the "Paul Revere" of his day and place, rode to warn Governor Thomas Jefferson that the British were coming, 1781)

Kuramae Jinja Matsuri -- Kuramae Jinja Shrine, Tokyo, Japan (a big two-day celebration held every other year at one of the shrines where Sumo originated)

Mabo Day -- Australia

Maritime Gig Festival -- Gig Harbor, WA, US (parades, entertainment, and fun with the view of Mount Rainier to grace it all; through tomorrow)

Martyr's Day -- Uganda

National Chocolate Macaroon Day

National Egg Day

National Family Recreation Day -- US (seems to have been started by the community of Arvada, CO, US, wanting families to enjoy the great outdoors together)


National Lemonade Days -- Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation wants everyone to either run or patronize a lemonade stand some time between now and June 11 to help fight childhood cancers, one cup at a time 

National Trails Day -- US (be safe out there, if you want help becoming a hiker there's info here)

Opium Suppression Movement Day -- Taiwan

Pull Your Pants Up Day -- internet generated, various dates given, and some are trying to make it a national movement; to encourage young men to pull up their pants for 24 hours and see if they enjoy having both hands free

Repeat Day -- i said, "repeat day" (no, i don't know who comes up with this stuff, sometimes; if i do, i try to place the blame appropriately)

Sjómannadagurinn -- Iceland (traditional Seaman's Day was alternately celebrated June 6 or the first Sunday of June, depending on which authority you ask, but is now a weekend long Festival of the Sea)

St. Clotilde's Day (Patron of adopted children, brides, disappointing children, exiles, parenthood, parents of large families, queens, widows; against the death of children)

St. Kevin of Glendaulough's Day (Patron of blackbirds; Dublin, Ireland; Glendaulough, Ireland; Ireland)

Strawberry Festival -- Independence, MO, US (one of many such festivals all over as strawberries come into season -- look for one near where you live some time this month, and go have a good time)

Toppenish Mural Society's "Mural-In-A-Day" -- Toppenish, WA, US (professional artists work to paint a complete and historically accurate mural in one day, accompanied by an arts and crafts show and food fair)

Wicket World of Croquet® Day 2017 -- The Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site, Indianapolis, IN, US (croquet tournament fundraiser, includes an Alice and Friends game for the little ones) 

Worst Day in the Fairy Year -- Fairy Calendar (must be nice to know when your worst day will be)


Anniversaries Today:

U.S. Air Force Academy first graduating class, 1959
The Duke of Windsor marries Wallis Simpson, 1937
Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo founded, 17


Birthdays Today:

Lalaine, 1987
Rafael Nadal, 1986
Anderson Cooper, 1967
Charles Hart, 1961
Scott Valentine, 1958
Deniece Williams, 1951
Suzi Quatro, 1950
Curtis Mayfield, 1942
Larry McMurtry, 1936
Norman Brinker, 1931
Raul Castro, 1931
Chuck Barris, 1929
Colleen Dewhurst, 1926
Allen Ginsberg, 1926
Tony Curtis, 1925
Leo Gorcey, 1917
Josephine Baker, 1906
Dr. Charles Drew, 1904
Ransom E. Olds, 1864
Jefferson Davis, 1808


Debuting/Premiering Today:

"Dragnet"(Radio), 1951
“Casey at the Bat”(Publication date), 1888


Today in History:

French scholar Peter Abelard is found guilty of heresy, 1140
Hernando De Soto claims Florida for Spain, 1539 
Construction of the oldest stone church in French North America, Notre-Dame-des-Anges, begins at Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, 1620
Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo is founded in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, 1770
President John Adams moves to Washington, D.C., to live in a tavern (the White House wasn't ready), 1800
In Humen, China, Lin Tse-hsü destroys 1.2 million kg of opium confiscated from British merchants, which prompts the First Opium War, 1839
In the last military engagement fought on Canadian soil, Cree leader Big Bear escapes the North West Mounted Police, 1885
The poem "Casey at the Bat", by Ernest Lawrence Thayer, is published in the San Francisco Examiner, 1888
The coast to coast Canadian Pacific Railway is completed, 1889
One thousand unemployed Canadian workers board freight cars in Vancouver, British Columbia, beginning a protest trek to Ottawa, Ontario, 1935
Launch of Gemini 4, the first multi-day space mission by a NASA crew, which included the first space walk by an American, 1965
A blowout at the Ixtoc I oil well in the southern Gulf of Mexico causes at least 3,000,000 barrels of oil to be spilled into the waters, the worst oil spill ever recorded, 1979
SkyDome is officially opened in Toronto, Ontario, 1989
Aboriginal Land Rights are granted in Australia in Mabo v Queensland (1988), a case brought by Eddie Mabo, 1992
USS Carter Hall engages pirates after they board the Danish ship Danica White off the coast of Somalia, 2007
A pageant on London's River Thames marks the highpoint of a series of events celebrating The Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II, 2012

Three of the most extremely well-preserved and most complete triceratops specimens ever found are unearthed in Wyoming, 2013

13 comments:

  1. Great things to be thankful for. That is so sweet that they supplied veggie burgers for you at the appreciation dinner. I hope you post a photo of Pepe for us to see. Have a great weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I agree with you Mimi about blogging friends except I don't have as many as you bloggers as you guys. The few I have, I love and respect for their time to go onto my blog.
    So you are go on a vacation. Any particular place or what the vacation is about. Whatever it will be, you'll will enjoy yourself and you deserve your vacation. See ya my friend.

    Cruisin Paul

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love your thankful posts, but all your post are thankful post. I'm not sure you know that, but they are. I love that about you. Your upbeat and positive attitude.

    Have a fabulous weekend. ☺

    ReplyDelete
  4. Enjoy your well-deserved vacation.

    ReplyDelete
  5. It was a busy week Have a great weekend. Greetings from hot and sunny Europe

    ReplyDelete
  6. Good luck on the plants. There was one season I did vegetable gardened and everything just grew well. This year, I killed three potted plants I got as gifts. :(

    ReplyDelete
  7. Why is it that right before you are going on a vacation, things are heaped on your plate in extra helpings of time demands and work? I'm glad you look at it positively. I think the vacation time will be that much sweeter. Glad it stopped raining. Sunshine always improves my outlook. Have a good week.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Sounds like flat-out running around...though it's good to have a specific endpoint in sight, the vacation as a sense of 'a lot of work but for a defined period of time'
    We've been getting similar weather up here in the Northeast. One morning last week we had sun and just today, the sun stayed out until early afternoon! Cool temperatures, though
    always good when car repairs are 'not that expensive'

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wow! I got tired just reading your schedule! Hope you find energy to push on to the vacation aka light at the end of the tunnel!

    ReplyDelete
  10. What a busy week! Hope your vacation is terrific!
    I completely agree on the topic of blog friends. Definitely the best part of having a blog.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I'm imagining the dog running away from the cats, and it makes me smile!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Those are some long hours! You will be so ready for your vacation. Knowing you were a bit worried about whether the plants would survive under your care, having all that rain come was surely a welcomed relief. My folks had a Chihuahua for many years. He was one of the larger breeds of Chihuahuas and was a very mellow dog.
    I love the names of your vehicles. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  13. I am so sorry for arriving late this week, but as always I am uplifted by what I read here! Your workdays are so long and physically demanding, and yet you never complain, rather looking on the positive side of extra funds for your vacation and having everything done so you can leave with a clear conscience! I am sure that whenever it starts to rain a great deal there everyone worries about more flooding issues. Hopefully this year will not have those kinds of issues.

    It was very, very nice that they had an appreciation gathering for the rEess volunteers, it is such a wonderful thing to provide this service so parents can have a little time for themselves.

    I can imagine this little Chihuahua guy running ahead of a pack of playful, chasing kitties, we have similar bouts most mornings with Toby chasing the girls around the house at top speed until they all wear out and plop down for naptime. :-)

    I understand totally about not getting around to blogs all the time, I too am grateful for so many wonderful ones to read, and we do the best we can. Life is for living, blogging has to fit in when it can!

    We will eagerly be waiting for your vacation right along with you, and the stories you share when you return! XOXO

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for meandering by and letting me know you were here!
Comments on posts more than a week old are moderated.
If Blogger puts your comment in "spam jail," i'll try to get it hauled out by day's end.