December 29 &30, 2023,
I woke up at 12:30 a.m. and wrote my blog. I went back to sleep around 3:30 a.m. listening to The Six Pillars of Self Esteem by Nathaniel Branden. At 6:30 a.m. I awoke again. I posted my blog and prayed my thanksgivings and gratitudes.
- Thank you for family. I am grateful to have a family.
- Thank you for salad. I am grateful for healthy food.
- Thank you for this morning. I am grateful to be alive.
- Thank you for kindness. I am grateful to give and receive kindness.
I made my bed and went in the house. I greeted Christopher and Finn who were up and about. I got dressed and made tea and a smoothie. Angel woke up and came into the house. She ate breakfast with Finn and they got dressed. The kids got into the pickup, I drove across the highway to pick up a friend and we all went thrift store shopping in Cameron. My friend Rachelle was meeting us there with her 2 boys. I took the back highways there and it was a beautiful drive.
The thrift store was a lot of fun. Everything was 1/2 off and I found a lot of great treasures. The kids all behaved themselves and each got a toy. We all walked to the bakery a couple of blocks away. The kids ate a snack and played in the play area while my friends and I sat talking and eating. I was thoroughly enjoying having a slow paced morning, playing with friends. We finished eating and headed home.
Back at home, I showed Christopher all my thrift store finds and put them away. I sat on the porch and showed Angel how to use a circle crochet loom that I had bought a kit of at the thrift store. She was interested in it and we decided we would work on it more this evening. She ran off to play with Finn. I set up another of my thrift store finds which was a seed starting kit. I planted tomato seeds and put it in the hoop house. Then I put fresh water in the duck pools and sat outside in the sun with the dogs and ducks, reading The Secret Life of Plants. After a while I set the book down and dozed in the sun. It was a beautiful sunny chilly day and I was cozy snuggled up in my jacket. Christopher sat with me for a bit before I got up to start a bath and do chores.
The bath felt so good. I alternated getting out, taking a cold shower and getting back in. It was invigorating. Then I alternated stretching and relaxing. It was a great bathing session. I felt renewed by the time I got out. The kids got in the bath after me and stayed until supper was ready. Christopher made me a big salad for supper, which was delicious. We all shared what we were grateful for while we ate. After supper, I cleaned up the kitchen while Christopher showered. Finn’s dad came and got him. He was happy to be going home. He had been missing his parents. I went in the banana hut and jumped 200 rebounder jumps. Then, I got the laptop set up to watch a movie. Angel and Christopher joined me. We watched the first half of National Velvet while Angel and I started making hats on our circle crochet looms. Then we said our good nights. Christopher and Angel went in the house and I fell asleep right away at around 8 p.m.
I woke up from 12 a.m. to 2 a.m. I wrote my blog and went back to sleep. I woke again at 5 a.m. I prayed my thanksgiving and gratitudes.
- Thank you for another day. I am grateful to experience it.
- Thank you for water. I am grateful for the life it brings forth.
- Thank you for audiobooks. I am grateful to listen to them.
- Thank you for joy. I like feeling joyful.
- Thank you for fruit. I am grateful for how good my body feels eating it.
I stretched and jumped 100 rebounder jumps. I went in the house, made tea and got dressed. I headed to town while Christopher stayed with Angel. He would meet me later at an office building I was cleaning that morning. After that I had a residential house to clean by myself and a bid to do for organizing a lady’s house. I arrived at the office building and started cleaning. Each office, I cleaned with love leaving an energy of peace and well being. Christopher and Angel arrived an hour later. We got the place nice and clean, Angel even helped us out with dusting and the garbage. When we were almost finished, I left to go to my residential cleaning opportunity while Christopher and Angel finished up.
I visited with my clients while I cleaned and enjoyed making their house sparkling clean. When I finished I took the back roads to do a bid on organizing a couple of rooms in a house. The drive was fun and it was a beautiful day. The sun shone bright in a clear blue sky dotted with fluffy clouds. I arrived and talked to them about what I would do and how much it would cost. Then we sat and chatted about local events. I told my story about moving to Texas and she told her story about moving to Florida and then moving back.
When I arrived home, I did a few chores. Then Christopher, Angel and I went on a walk in the woods with the dogs. I did training with Chance on the walk and he was a quick learner. By the end of the walk he could go off leash and would stay walking right next to me. I know I can train him to be a good dog, especially since I keep practicing with him on a consistent basis. Right now I’m using a hand he’s training tool that makes a zapping noise and offering a lot a positive reinforcement for good behavior. I have a training collar coming in the mail and that will enable me to work with him off leash more.
When we came back home, we all sat outside in the sun for a while. Angel and I crocheted with our circle looms and chatted with Christopher and each other. My step brother, his 5 year old son, his wife, her sister and her sisters 4 year old son arrived. They live an hour away and came over to visit. We greeted each other and exchanged gifts. I showed them around and we watched the kids jump on the trampoline. Then we all went on a walk in the woods to the gulley. The kids climbed around the edge of the gulley while the adults watched and talked. When we got back, we sat on the porch of the banana hut and conversed some more while the kids played on the swings. It was wonderful having them over to visit and I felt grateful to have such a wonderful family.
They headed home as it was starting to get dark. I soaked a long time hot bath, alternating stretching and fully relaxing my body. When I got out, I told Angel and Christopher good night and went to bed in the banana hut early. I jumped 200 jumps on the rebounder and called my sons that live in Utah. First my oldest who is 30 years old and he said he was gaming at a friends house. Then I called my other son who is 28 years old and had a fun conversation with him and his wife. After getting off of the phone, I turned off the light and fell asleep around 8:30 p.m.
Thank you for reading my blog and being a part of my life. I dearly appreciate you.
Love,
Victoria