appreciation

DianaK

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. 💜

123-go-license-plate
DianaK

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-faceplant-10-13-16Luna’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.

bullet-journal-oct-2016My 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!

dennis-waterfall-painting-oct-9-2016Reconnecting 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!

rainbow-socksConnecting 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!

DianaK

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!
cool car

3. Another gorgeous night for a walk. I love these cooler night temperatures!

IMG_48194. 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!!

DianaK

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.

bunbun walk354. 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!

farmers market haul.jpg

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! 🙂

DianaK

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. 😉 body art 7-31

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.

DianaK

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. ❤

 
IMG_4570335. 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. ❤

 
lego ambulance

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!

 
july weeds 2016july flowers339. 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!

DianaK

Appreciations 4.329 – 4.332

329

Sunflowers.

Toby and his weird pose of the day. Must. Hold. Foot.

Katie and Cina. They make me laugh! ❤

330
Nice afternoon walk with Jeff.

Ida time. ❤

Drive home along Theo Wirth Pkwy with my window cracked enough to hear the thunder – but not so much I got soaked by rain. 😉 Beautiful lightning show. Beautiful drive.

331
Remembering the pretty fawn I saw on the way to Sarah’s last night.

Sunday morning Farmers Market blueberries. Yum.

Books that make me laugh out loud. 😀

332
Farmer’s market green beans. I love summer!

Trying out a new schedule with reduced (that is, more realistic) expectations. I think I’ll get just as much done – maybe more…since I won’t have to spend so much time beating myself up for not getting more done. 😉

Delicious, scrumptious dinner with Ruby and Ellis. Thank you, Ellis! That was soooooo yummy! ❤

DianaK

Appreciations 4.328

Rose july 2016Delicious, revivifying coffee! 😉

Another wonderfully productive work session with Ellis. I am so grateful for her company! It really helps me do things I’m not able to do when I’m alone — and even inspired more productivity this afternoon after our time was done. Thank you, sweet friend, for your wonderful energy!!

Roses in the rain..gorgeous glowing growth against gray skies. 😀

Dinner july 2016Fabulous dinner prepared by and eaten with Katie and Cina. So yummy. And so much fun to have dinner with them!! ❤

DianaK

Appreciations 4.326-4.327

326
Beautiful weather. I love the cooler temps!

My excellent health team. I like my doctors so much. They are really wonderful.

Insurance. I am so grateful to have good insurance. The past few years would have been a nightmare without it. Today it saved me over $600 in prescriptions. Yikes.

327

lilies

Morning walk with Katie. So many pretty gardens in the neighborhood!

Delightful errands…including hearing a busker singing at the co-op. What a fun and unexpected treat!

2 bunniesEvening walk and bunny sighting. 🙂 The weather these past few evenings has made for such pleasant walks.

Lovely impromptu visit with Jeff and Maura who were out on their porch as I was returning from my walk. Fun!

DianaK

Appreciations 4.321 – 4.325

321

Blooming Black-eyed Susans.

Fun errands with Katie including silly, friendly clerks, rainbows, and chance meeting with JimmyD and his kids.  ❤

Luna’s spectacular display of her flower-dumping skills. Never do things half-way… 😛

322
Visit with my folks before they head up north. I’ll miss seeing everyone at the cabin this year. Glad I got a chance to visit with Debb a few weeks ago and see my folks today.

Wonderful, encouraging and supportive meeting with friends who want to talk about what’s been going on in the news, process it, find ways to connect, create community, and effect change.

Sweet nighttime walk with the kids. ❤

323
Bacon.

Sunglasses.

The fun community created by Pokemon Go. I talked to many more folks today than I might have otherwise. Plus, it’s fun to have a Pokestop at the end of the block! 😀

324
farmers market veggiesMorning thunderstorm. What a wonderful way to greet the day.

Fabulous farmer’s market trek with Sarah and Ida. Midsummer is the BEST time for farmer’s marketing! ❤

Wonderful dinner and visit with David. We always find so much to talk about and laugh about. 😀

325
Looking forward to a fun and productive work & visit session with Ellis and Ruby! ❤

Fresh vegetables.

Coloring.