grateful today

I’m so grateful for my neighborhood, I have a commute that’s less than 10 miles, lots of mature trees, and all my neighbors are quiet except for the fireworks aficionados.  And they’re only loud on July 4th, December 31st, and for some reason, June 1st.  I love the woods right across the street where I walk my dog every day.

She and I are a little under-socialized I think; sometimes I fret that I should walk her downtown more often, or at least on the street where we’d run into more neighbors.  But we both really love it out there.  -Katy

I used to stay at a Zen Buddhist Temple, where as part of the morning ritual someone would shout at the top of his lungs Impermanence Surrounds Us!! Today I am very grateful for impermanence.  Yesterday was mostly cloudy, and I was mostly sick.  I didn’t really get out of bed until 3:30 in the afternoon, and I didn’t “achieve” anything except groceries.

Today is mostly sunny, and I am mostly healthy.  I did my “3 Minutes To Rock” (racing around the apartment dancing with my dog to a three minute classic rock song) and then we took a long walk in the sun and snow.  What looked like dreary remnants of summer yesterday, seemed like beautiful, crisp reminders of abundance today.

And even yesterday wasn’t a bad day at all.  When I was younger I would have resented being sick, or feared being lazy.  But now I’m able to say “Hmmm… I can’t seem to stay awake.  Guess I better go to sleep then!”  -Katy

Bright stripey shadows on the snow.
The willingness to do some house cleaning.
Leaping lunatic kittens playing with big fluffy Annabelle.
Leftover birthday cake.
M bringing in the firewood. Lots of it.

- Estyn

It’s my birthday.  I like that.

I baked a cake.  My plan was to bake a cake yesterday so that today I could eat cake for breakfast and enjoy being a grown-up and the choices I am free to make, but that didn’t happen.  So I’ll be eating cake for breakfast tomorrow and enjoying my friend Jennie’s rule that you should celebrate your birthday for as many days as you are old.  I gots myself over a month.  Quite a lot over a month.

I got phone calls and packages and cards and emails from lots of people I love, and I am feeling loved. And I’m being taken out to dinner in a little while. Also good.

I give you a picture of my cake.

Cake #2 this year. Year is looking good. Cakey.

- Estyn

I love sleeping.    I look forward to it almost every day, especially this time of year.  There’s a story about my mom – she loved the feeling of falling asleep so much, that while she was in nursing school she used to set her alarm clock for the middle of the night, just so she could enjoy “time to sleep!” feeling a second time.  -Katy

Today I’m grateful for my friend Estyn, who reminds me that sometimes, all you can be grateful for is coffee.  Happy Birthday Estyn!  -Katy

The email newsletter came from Rick Hanson this morning and when I read his topic for the week — “Is It Alright Not To Know?” — it made me laugh and then take a deep breath. Nice to be reminded that I don’t need to know it all.

One suggested practice while listening to someone upset is to think, “Don’t know . . . Just don’t know for sure . . . It’s alright not to know.” I’m going to try this while listening to the critical committee inside my head.

- Estyn

Perhaps Eskimos have a name for especially loud snow. In the absence of the correct term we could call it falls-loudly-when-all-is-quiet snow, or only-she-who-whispers-hears-it snow. You’re the snow whisperer.

This morning I refilled the bird feeders and enjoyed hearing the chatter in the trees as I trudged through the snow. Three titmice were the first to eat. Usually only the chickadees are brave enough to land before I’m indoors.

This afternoon I had the feeling of satisfaction that comes when I successfully group errands into one trip. And then I felt proud of myself when I let go of expectations when half of them didn’t pan out as planned. I sang Walk Like an Egyptian loudly in the car on my way home.

I just had a dinner that included kale and garlic, two of my favorite ingredients. As I write, one adolescent cat is sitting between me and the screen monitoring the appearance of the letters, while another sits in my lap and snorfles on my hands while I type.

- Estyn

This morning when I stumbled out with the dog at 5:35 am, I could hear the snow falling.  Why is that?  Is it something about the size of the flakes or the air temperature?  Can we always hear it, but I’m usually not quiet enough?

-Katy

It’s been a very low key couple of days; catching up on sleep, coffee twice a day, TV, and knitting. The wind has been blowing hard and the building creaks as though someone were upstairs. It’s cozy on the couch.

My city weekends involve mostly take out food. I love cooking but I also love the sound of the doorbell. I’m about to enjoy crispy spring rolls and warm goat cheese salad. Gotta love New York City’s multi-culti menus.

— Estyn