05/26/201605/26/2016 DianaK

Appreciations 4.278-4.279

278. Progress on the “reclaim the path” project — today we finished weeding and adding pea gravel & sand between the paving stones!

Chamomile Calm Tazo Tea.

Red apricots.

279. Coffee and lunch with Cina and Kat (today’s therapy transportation). They’re so much fun to spend time with!

Really helpful session with my therapist today. I keep thinking / hoping for a linear healing process… but the truth is that my PTSD journey really isn’t working out like that. So…I’m still learning to be okay with how things are, learning to be more gentle when I can’t do what I’d planned to do (like errands and a bunch of work), learning to take one day at a time. Well, in theory I’m learning these things, anyway… 😉

Hedgehog headwear. 😛

Wonderful dinner and walk with the Kat and Mckenzie. We saw so many bunnies and an owl, too!

Sweet support from the kids, who kept me company while I managed more of my anxiety by getting my hospital “go bag” ready, and writing down the different scenarios so we all know when to call 911 vs. drive to the ER vs. wait and call the heart clinic during business hours. It helps me to have these things figured out — but the process of recording them triggers so much anxiety that it’s been impossible for me to do them on my own. I sure am lucky to have such understanding, supportive people around me!

11/10/201511/10/2015 DianaK

Appreciations 4.82

Another beautiful day for walks with Sammy. Today we hung out at his house instead of mine. He seemed much more content. I’m pretty sure my cats liked it better, too… 😉

All the sensations of being outside today: the sight of beautiful blue skies and skeleton trees, leaves twisting through the air; the smell of dry leaves and someone’s last barbeque of the year; the warmth of the sun in contrast with the brisk wind; the sounds of leaves rustling as we waded through them. Mmmmm.

Seeing the kitties both on my bed at the same time when I got home. This never happens! Maybe they are at long last reaching an understanding!

Learning to let go of things, despite my genetic predisposition to stubbornness. I love the idea of #100happydays and it was fun to add it in to my appreciation practice for awhile (well, 23 days), but since its goal is to help develop a gratitude practice (which I THINK I might just have down after 3+ years…) and since I often forget to take photos, I’m going to let it go. See all that growing and changing I’m doing?!? 😉

09/07/201509/08/2015 DianaK

Appreciations 4.18 – Sights – Sounds – Stuff

Animal sightings in the yard this morning! Hummingbird and baby bunny. 🙂

Listening to the buzz and hum of all the insects while taking a break from yard work this morning.

Mowing the lawn for the first time since my heart got hurt a couple years ago. Phew! I needed a longish rest afterward, but considering I’d done a half hour of weeding first, I still call that a win.

Another sweet Ruby night. I love spending one on one time with her. And I love the bonus of a little time with Terri after that! ❤

08/30/201508/30/2015 DianaK

Appreciations 4.10

Two more huge piles of paper for the recycling bin. How freeing to say goodbye to decades of stuff that’s not needed anymore! (And how convenient to be able to record pertinent info in a Google spreadsheet, thereby removing the need to keep the paper.)

Google sheets. 😛

Cuuuuuuuuute little baby bunny hopping around our yard (really little – maybe 3-4 inches long!). Good little bunny stayed perfectly still when we got near, so I was able to take a photo. When we went back in the house, he was hopping around the yard again. I love having a bunny nest right in our front yard. I mean in our inner-city nature preserve. 😉

Perfectly beautiful weather for walkses. I love it!

Oh, I almost forgot – the truly gorgeous orange moon last night and stunning sunset this evening!

04/20/2015 DianaK

Appreciations Year Three: Day 243

Enough of a break from the dizziness to get some stuff done! Yay!

Delicious lamb chop dinner made by and shared with the lovely and talented Sarah. How wonderful to spend a little time with the Duncan girls! Yes, Stela, you, too. 😉

Baby steps into cooking for myself (other than toast, I mean!). So far: I looked up how to make pot roast in a crock pot. Hey, it’s a start! 😛

Giraffes, witches, camp fires, harmony, quilts, azaleas, satisfied smiles.

04/18/2015 DianaK

Appreciations Year Three: Day 241

My front yard aka The Rabbitat. 😉

Luna baby for all her cuddles and purrs and goofy flop-downs on the kitchen floor. Silly old cat.

Butterflies, dragonflies, dragons, flagons, fairies, merriment, peppermint, twitterpation.

04/06/201504/06/2015 DianaK

Appreciations Year Three: Day 229

License plates with excellent instructions.

Things starting to bloom!! Plus, bonus Easter bunnies on Easter, bounding across the yard when we walked by on our way to get bonus Easter coffee.

The fun of dying eggs with the kids.

Stars (real ones up in the sky and drawn ones, wherever they show up), the moon and the sun, little grassy grass and budsy buds starting to wake up and say hello, playing tag, slip-on shoes, remembering Gramma’s bubble bread (no, I have not tried to make a gluten-free version of it. Somethings you just don’t mess with!), green.

04/02/2015 DianaK

Appreciations Year Three: Day 225

Spring weather. I love the ups and downs, the thunderstorms and the sunny days. I love going for walks outside again!

The interesting perspective on things provided by a rare night of insomnia. Time has such a funny quality today.

Striped socks. Counting things, random songs that pop into my head, petrichor petrichor petrichor, jewelry, my laptop, neighborhood animal sightings >> red winged black birds, cardinals, rabbits, friendly cats, some kind of hawk or falcon, bats.

03/18/201503/18/2015 DianaK

Appreciations Year Three: Day 210

After finishing work yesterday, I felt like I didn’t have enough energy to go for a walk, but decided to go anyway… and was rewarded with a funny bunny encounter. 🙂

I am looking forward to my meeting with the beautiful and talented Lisa this afternoon!

I am also looking forward to teaching the drop-in class at HUGE today (Sense-ational improv: Incorporating all the senses into your scene). So fun that today’s class is a mash up of improv and songwriting techniques. I love when my little worlds collide like that!