Playing with fall colors in my bullet journal. Fun to color. Fun to have a system that works SO well for me to manage my work, play, and energy. 
Eggs.
Bright sunny warm weather in mid-November.
Appreciations 11/11/16
I so so so appreciate the wonderful people who’ve been showing up on Friday nights to talk about race. I am incredibly grateful for this space to talk about race and racism and privilege. I’m so clunky about it and I know that I can sink back into the comfortable bubble of privilege so easily.
It feels important to talk about this and about other challenging issues…even – or maybe especially – with people whose views are different from mine. Can I find a way to connect, to listen with curiosity to other people’s experiences and ideas, to build on common ground? I feel so fortunate to be part of a group of people who want to do that. It gives me hope.
I also super appreciate the massive kid group hugs I got tonight! I was a walking tower of affection! What fun to have little ones I love all crowding in for hugs. Breathing is a secondary concern in that situation. 😉
Awesome license plates and kids who know to send me pix of them. 💜
Appreciations 11/10/16
My fabulously funny friend David! I texted him one of my “Thank you for being a bright light in my world” messages yesterday. He replied, “Wait – is this a reminder that I’m supposed to be your light bulb supplier?” In a hurry to get to a meeting, I just texted back, “Duh.”
An hour later, an Amazon Prime Now delivery person knocks on my door… and it’s light bulbs from David! And not only regular light bulbs…he’s included a colored LED remote controlled light bulb! So. Much. Fun!!!
Dinner with Katie and Cina and Sarah and Ida. Comfort food and laughter – just what was needed last night.
Today’s echocardiogram. I’m so glad there’s technology to track my heart’s function and help us figure out how to keep it going. Plus, it’s pretty neat to see and hear heart valves working. Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh. 😉
Appreciations 11/9/16
The sun rose this morning. Feeling all the feelings led me to reach out to the people who make my life good. What a beautiful way to start the day.
MN elected the first Somali-American Muslim woman to US office last night.
My cousin Debb was re-elected to the school board last night.
Looking for goodness today
If you are happy about the election, then I am happy for you. I’m not happy about some of it, and I’m not interested in changing your mind or trying to convince you that I’m “right”.
I AM interested in us finding connections and common ground, and in doing all the good that we can for all the people we can.
To that end I want you to know that in my search for joy and hope this morning, I’ve connected with so many lovely people who brighten my life. You brighten my life. ❤️❤️❤️
Sending you hope, solace, congratulations, comfort, care, and love in whatever quantities you need. Thank you for making my life better by being part of it.
Year 5 Appreciations…Sept/Oct 2016 😄
Here are a few of the things that have made my life beautiful during the past few weeks…
Gorgeous weather, wind, sunlight filtered through leaves, rain on the roof at night, thunder, the colors and smell of fall leaves, and sycamore trees.
Snuggle time and play time with Ida.
Luna’s face-plant nap.
The excellent effects of using my light box in the morning.
Walks with Jeff & Tom, Sarah and Ida, Katie and Cina.
Yummy dinners with Debb, the Duncans, the Delaneys, the girls.
My evolving, fun, and oh-so-helpful bullet journal!
The return of my internet after a day without it!
Enlightening and helpful therapy, conversations with friends, dreams.
Apple picking with the Duncans, Katie, and Cina – complete with comfortable temperatures and apples as big as Ida’s head!😉 We picked 16 lbs of apples!
Reconnecting with cousins at Dennis’ memorial. The chance to celebrate and remember this wonderful, sweet, funny, talented man.
Getting projects like the side steps, backyard path, and raspberry pruning done (with help from my brothers, my dad, and Mckenzie).
Getting some big work projects done.
Ingrid Michaelson concert with the girls! So. Much. Fun!
Connecting with Terri & Ellis, Sara & Rochelle, Sarah & Ida at our Friday race meeting. What a wonderful connection we made discussing our thoughts, feelings, and ideas about this complicated issue. ❤️
RAINBOW SOCKS!
Appreciations…Starting year 5
This year I will continue to notice appreciations, but I might not post every day. I’m happy to report that my neural pathways for appreciating and gratitude are firmly established. Yay! It’s been incredibly helpful this year! Depression and anxiety from the heart trauma this past spring have tried very hard to trick me into a different, more negative way of looking at life, but my sweet little brain always nudges me back toward happiness eventually. 🙂
Here’s the start of Year 5…
1. Farmer’s market produce – yummy! Plus, the fun of seeing new friends from Friday group at the market. Turns out they only live 2 blocks from me!
2. Fun cars seen in my neighborhood!
3. Another gorgeous night for a walk. I love these cooler night temperatures!
4. Luna, who is taking full advantage of the chaos up here as we work to incorporate 2 stories worth of stuff into the upstairs. 😉
5. Amazingly beautiful weather. Walks at this time of year are the best!!
Appreciations 4.353-365
353. The hilarious Star Trek DS9 model kit David got for me. I love it! 😀 Fresh corn on the cob for dinner with the kids last night. ❤️ Legos.
354. Learning to nap. 😉 Lack of sleep has made things pretty challenging the past few months, so I am actively teaching myself to nap. So far, I’ve done 2 10-minute naps. It’s a start! 😛 Bunbun walk.
355. Another really helpful session with Lynne. I so appreciate her help during this crazy time in my life.
356. Wonderful afternoon and evening with Ruby! It’s always such a treat when we get a long day together. ❤️ Bedtime snuggles with Ruby. There is nothing like cuddling with a 6-year old who loves you!
357. Fun trip to Glam Doll with Katie, Cina, and Mckenzie. Fun way to start the day. 🙂 Nice neighborhood walk. Yummy dinner with the Delaneys.
358. Driving Terri & Ruby to airport today. It was so nice to see them… and to feel useful for a change! Much progress on project Duncan-Move-In. Lots of clutter upstairs, but the new space is looking better and better. 😉
359. Walk up to farmer’s market this morning. I love farmer’s market days. Finally putting paint on walls. So much prep before we actually get to start painting! Katie and Cina for knocking out the first coat on the entire basement in under 3 hours! Amazing!
360. Last night’s beautiful moon lighting up my nighttime walk. 😀
361. The thrill of the hunt… for anything in my house these days! Moving all that stuff upstairs has turned my space into a giant find-the-hidden-objects game. 😉
362. Basement is looking better and better… getting closer to finishing all the tasks!
363. Amazing lightning show during late evening walk with Mckenzie. Gorgeous!
364. Phew! Got all the painting, cleaning, and moving of furniture done…just in time! Delicious brunch with the kids to reward our hard work. ❤️ I so appreciate all time and energy Katie, Cina, and Mckenzie put in to help me get this project done!
365. Move-in day! How exciting to see the newly fixed-up basement filling up with its new household! 🙂
Appreciations 4.341-352
341. Walk with the kids. Bird tree!
342. Nice visit and walk with Jeff.
343. The amazing symmetry of this flower. More amazing nature… just how did this whirlybird seed get impaled on the spiky plant? Wow!
344. Amazing trees in my neighborhood… faces and Easter Island heads!
345. Super fun and delicious dinner with the Delaneys. Body art by Ruby. 😉 
346. Good night’s sleep. Productive day.
347. Surprise coffee with Cina who showed up this morning and said, “Hey, it’s mom coffee date day.” Sweet!
348. Thundery morning. Helpful appointment with Melinda.
349. Good check in appt with my heart doc. Staying the course, no bad effects from meds. Plus, Amy is sweet and so fun to talk with. I like having a good health team.
350. Surprise visit from Katie and Cina — they even brought me coffee! Nice visit with my brothers as we drove down to Rochester. Good to see Debb, Tim, Beth and Blair — even if it was in the hospital waiting room. Glad Dennis is improving!!
351. Multi-colored flower. Beautiful weather.
352. Farmer’s market walk with Sarah and Ida! Yummy farmer’s market tomatoes. Afternoon of sorting through Katie’s papers and mementos with the girls. Lots of funny stuff! So. Many. Drawings. Luna cat and her wonderful poses.
Appreciations 4.333-4.340
The fatigue from low BP, meds, health issues has hit me pretty hard this past few weeks. Most days I just didn’t have the energy to do much of anything. I’m happy to report that I’ve had a couple better days this week. Woohoo! So here’s a week or so worth of what’s been good… 😀
333. Nice little chat with Debb. I so appreciate people patiently reaching out to me — especially since I’m not doing much reaching out / replying / responding these days. Midweek day off from work. Okay, with the fatigue I didn’t have much of a choice, but I am so lucky I have a boss who’s so understanding… 😉 Gorgeous full moon.
334. My wonderfully supportive and helpful therapist who’s helping me traverse this depression. 
My wonderfully supportive and helpful family who love me even when I am less than sparkly. My wonderful and supportive friends who also seem to love me even when I’m not so sparkly.
335. Coffee! Toby in a box, er, bin. Really fun time hanging out with the kids.
336. Air conditioning. Holy moly, I have appreciated that so much this week! My idea for a lemonade-mobile where I drive around the city on really hot days and pass out cold lemonade and water to anyone who has to work or be outside on those days. Oh, and a cocoa/coffee-mobile for cold winter days. Wouldn’t that be a fun thing to do!? Maybe someday I’ll do it! Mckenzie, who’s helped me with all manner of projects this week – none of which I could have done on my own.
337.Wonderful, thunderful morning lazing on the couch with the windows open. Lovely. Cina — for finishing up her EMT classes and giving the kids and me a reason to a) plot and scheme secretly b) build things with legos c) spend time with a bunch of really nice people at a surprise party! Really good garlicky hummus.
338. Walking up to the farmer’s market with only a little bit of dizziness. Yay! Cuddly cat couch time. Early bedtime!
339. Waking up with some energy! After more than a week of waking up feeling exhausted, it was such a relief to feel like doing something — and so nice to be able to accomplish a little Skynote work, a little cleaning, a little work on the basement. Pretty flowers and weeds from my yard. 🙂 Hanging out with the kids in the newly, more inviting living room. I didn’t think another couch upstairs would work, but it really does!
340. Nice visit with Mom and Dad this morning… including the satisfying task of helping them organize their front closet! 🙂 3-nap days. The new living room arrangement makes those naps even more comfy. Farmer’s market rainbow carrots. Yummy!
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