Appreciations 4.164

A wonderful visit with Sarah and Ida at MIA. What a fun morning!

Springlike weather!

Somehow getting my newsletter out while it was still technically January, despite my surprise feline-emergency, sleep-deprived weekend. Thank you, past Diana, for creating an editorial calendar, and putting all that info in one place. 🙂

Appreciations 4.163

The helpful information that can be found online, plus 24-hr Walgreens with first aid supplies, plus Mckenzie’s company during our (valiant, but unsuccessful) 2 am attempts to bandage Luna’s paw. (We did fiddle around long enough for the bleeding to stop again, at least.)

The wonderful, wonderful folks at Uptown Vet. Not only did they squeeze us in today despite being completely booked, but they were informative, sweet, kind, gentle with Luna, and funny. They’ve taken care of us and our pets for more than 20 years, helping us welcome new family members, lovingly and compassionately helping us say our goodbyes, and taking care of all the little things in between. Luna is resting comfortably now and will be fine in a few days.

IMG_3938New chapter 2 in the “Luna Goes to the Vet” story.
Chapter 1 – Get cat carrier out of the attic.
Chapter 2 – Get the unwilling Toby OUT of the cat carrier.
Chapter 3 – Get the unwilling Luna IN to the cat carrier.
Chapter 4 – Arrive at vet clinic. Get the unwilling Luna back OUT of the cat carrier…

At least the story has a happy ending. 😀

Changing plans to go with the flow. Today’s flow….reading, watching movies, and napping, and little else. 🙂

Appreciations 4.161 – short and sweet

Some days I like to wax poetic when I do my appreciations. I never lack for people, experiences, and things to appreciate and it can be so fun to roll them around in my brain and see which pretty things float to the top. (Well, I think that’s how it works. I can’t actually see inside my head, so it might be a different sort of process…) Some days it is 9:15 and I am ready for sleep, so I just make a little list and go to bed. 😉

Snow.

My brothers.

A newly swept floor.

Soup Saga – Batch #3

For those of you following the soup saga… I am loving the learning process. It is hilarious!

Batch #3 was my tastiest, if smallest, batch so far.

Pro soup-making tip: When using a colander to strain the chicken bones and veggies from the stock, remember that the STOCK is the part you intend to save, and maybe put a bowl under the colander rather than pouring half the stock down the drain. 😛

Appreciations 4.160 – BELIEVE

I love reading through last year’s appreciations. It’s so fun to remember last year’s fun — and to NOT remember it, sometimes! Last year, I appreciated Rufus. NO idea what that means! Hahaha! 😀

Longer days, warmer days, snowy days. How sweet to be able to taste the edges of spring while walking through a downy fluff of new snow.

believe

Believe. I like the intentionality of it, the hint of hope and possibility. It reminds me of the quote (which is often attributed to Henry Ford, but versions of which date back to Virgil), “Whether you believe you can do a thing or not, you are right.” So much of how we experience each day, each moment, is colored by our beliefs. I like that I can choose what I believe.

I also super like reading the history of quotes! quoteinvestigator.com

Appreciations 4.159 – good, good, good

Good work. Good friends. Good visits. Good night.

After a nice, solid day of work, I got to spend the evening with the Delaneys. So lovely! First dinner with Ellis and Ruby, then coloring, reading and cuddling with Ruby at bedtime.

After Ruby went to sleep, I had time to do Qi Gong, finish re-reading The Tao of Pooh and start reading The Journal of Best Practices: A Memoir of Marriage, Asperger Syndrome, and One Man’s Quest to Be a Better Husband, which seems like it’s going to be a great read.

Then, I got to enjoy a wonderful visit with Terri. Even got a few minutes to visit with Katie at the end of the day! What a brilliant night. ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Appreciations 4.158 – lots of stuff!

Lots of sleeping in the past 24 hours – naps and waking up after 9 am this morning (which is practically unheard of for me!). I wonder if it has anything to do with starting Qi Gong. Interesting!

A nice unscheduled day yesterday. I only did 30 minutes of work work, so it was just like a day off. How nice to sleep, read, draw and relax. I also started batch #3 of soup. After talking with Pam, I decided to try adding mire poix to the soup this time. How fun to experiment with making food to see what I like. Isn’t it funny that I’ve never done this before?! I do love the way the house smells while I’m making soup. 🙂

Once the soup was going, I cooked sweet potatoes to eat with leftover chicken and made GF chocolate cake. It’s nice to have food and treats all set for the week!

Today’s word: whimsy. It makes me feel happy to think about it.

IMG_3905

Wodehouse words, phrases, and sentences – some just for fun, a couple I had to look up:
cachexia
poltroon
bally
blighter
paroxysm
a beefy blow
…became involved in a bush
“Those oily-looking depths suggested the presence of frogs, newts, and other slimy things that work their way down a man’s back and behave clammily around his spine…”

Behave clammily. Ah hahahaha!

Spent more time than usual on FB yesterday. What funny, interesting, dear people you all are. I especially enjoyed Corinna’s conversation with her friends about the “Be like Bill” meme that’s going around. Her reactions we so much like mine (I find some of them funny and celebrate everyone who is enjoying them, but mostly they feel too narrow (m/f only for gender) and shaming for my taste.) I love the interesting, inspiring, thought-provoking things my friends post!

Here’s my version for today!

be-like-diana-be-like-you

Doing things my way – my take on the “Be like” meme

If you’re a Facebook user, you’ve probably seen the “Be like Bill” meme. I like to participate in silly games like that, so clicked on it to get my personalized “Be like Diana” image to post… but after clicking “Try again” 5 or 6 times, didn’t get one I wanted to post. Some of them are sort of funny — and I celebrate everyone who is enjoying them — but mostly they feel too narrow (m/f only for gender) and shaming for my taste.

I am lucky to have the tools at my disposal to find a way to play (thank you, Photoshop!) and made a couple that fit better for me. 😀

Be-Like-Diana

be-like-diana-be-like-you

Appreciations 4.157 – luxury

Upside-DownLuxurious morning! Woke up at 5:30 and did Qi Gong. I love how it feels in the moment and I’m so excited to see what the long term effects will be when I’ve been doing it for awhile. Snuggled back under the covers, savoring thoughts of my sweet Saturday and pondering possibilities for today.

Got up and drew and wrote and colored while sipping delicious coffee. I love quiet time like this, with no time pressure, no deadlines or meetings or schedules to consider.

IMG_3903New rainbow piano socks from Pam. I love love love them! 😀

The openness of today. It’s been a long while since I’ve had a whole unscheduled day. I wonder what I’ll do!