tea

DianaK

Appreciations 4.314 – 4.319

Enough energy to get my appreciations posted. Hooray! Still taking things one day at a time, but definitely improved from a few weeks ago. The act of jotting down my appreciations (even if I don’t post them) and getting in 10,000 steps each day has helped me feel at least a little stable during this strange time. I appreciate the geek in me who likes to measure and record things. 😀

Here are my appreciations for the past week or so.

4.314
Good Earth tea. Getting my June newsletter done while it’s still technically June. 😉 A nice walk in the neighborhood with Katie.

4.315
Audio books narrated by Jonathan Cecil. His character voices are so effective, I often forget I’m listening to just one reader! Neighborhood walk with Cina. Wonderful visit with Terri.

4.316
A good night’s sleep. Coffee. Tackle hugs and playing with Ruby.

4.317
Star Trek. Comfy pillows. Sunshine.

4.318
The absurdity of cleaning out a closet at 4 am. So strange to still be wide awake at that time…but very satisfying to wake up after a few hours of sleep and look at my newly organized closet — and see that I’d already logged over 2,000 steps for the day. Hahaha!

Delicious dinner with the Delaneys.

Sidewalk chalk.

4.319
Waking up at 6 am (when the power went out) instead of going to sleep at 6 am! 😉

I finally decided to get out of bed to report the outage just before 7… and about 10 seconds after I reported it, the power came back on. Magic!

Electricity. Oh, yes. I appreciate power for my computer and phone, stove and refrigerator, lights, fans, washing machine… so many things that make life so much easier and more comfortable!

DianaK

Appreciations 4.286 – dinosaurs!

Coffee and cats in the morning. ❤

TinosaurAll the sense-treats from a walk through my neighborhood. So many delicious smells and sounds and sights. In one little walk this evening I passed a butterfly habitat in progress, people riding a tandem bike, kids playing catch, someone practicing saxophone, about a dozen little free libraries, and, of course, a tiny dinosaur (the dreaded tinosaur). 😀 I also love the fun mix of single-family homes, apartments, and cool independent shops. I love my neighborhood!

Tea and tabbies at bedtime. ❤

DianaK

Appreciations 4.280 – comfort

What am I doing?Audio books! They’ve been such a comfort these past few months. Right now I’m listening to Thich Nhat Hanh’s The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching: Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy, and Liberation. So many fascinating and interesting ideas. I’m going to have to listen to it several times. I like that this book caught my attention just now as I’m learning a new normal and finding my footing. I’m making little signs for myself to help me remember to be present and mindful. Good stuff.

Perfect timing. My dad needed a desk and I needed to get rid of one. Now my office has room for my keyboard… and I’m making progress on my Clear Everything Out of the Basement project. 😀

Orange spice tea on a rainy afternoon.

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 headwearHedgehog 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!

DianaK

Appreciations 4.103

Enjoying a few quiet moments this morning when both cats were sleeping on the bed with me. Maybe pretty soon they’ll be back to sharing that space without fighting. (They used to both sleep with me, but some weird territory thing happened when I was in the hospital last year and since then they’ve only fought on the bed.)

Peppermint tea.

Wonderful meetings with clients. I know I say this all the time, but I really do work with the most delightful, inspiring, funny, sweet, adorable, brilliant people on the planet. I’m so lucky to know them!

DianaK

Appreciations 4.97

Reconnecting with the ever energetic, smart, funny, engaging Jerilyn. What a fun conversation we had yesterday! What a joy to reconnect with her! 🙂

Looking forward to spending time with Pam today as she receives the Elixir of Radiant Life. Spending time with Pam always makes me feel happier, wiser, centered. How lucky am I to know her! ❤

Tazo Calm Chamomile tea. It is so comforting and soothing when my tummy is unsettled.

DianaK

Appreciations 4.29

The sound of the rain on the roof. Makes everything feel so cozy inside, just right for drinking a nice cup of coffee and working, and later, a drinking a nice cup of tea and working, and even later, drinking another cup of tea and snuggling up with a purring feline. 😉

Jimmy D Fall Reunion 2015Diana & Sarah Jimmy D Fall Reunion 2015Sussman and Rindo Jimmy D fall reunion 2015Alison’s “let’s get a photo” mantra. I never think to do that — and thanks to Alison, we always get some great shots of our outings. Thank you, my sweet friend! ❤

stained glass window sept 2015Standing in the freshly cleaned kitchen, turning out the lights, and looking out at the stained glass windows of the church through the dark branches of the trees. Beautiful.

DianaK

Appreciations Year Three: Day 363

Sitting by the window working, listening to the rain. What a cozy sound!

Tazo teas.

Finally finished painting my bedroom! Now the fun part – rearranging furniture, going through the stuff that lived in my room before the project – and only keeping joy-sparking things. I see another trip to drop off donations in my future. 🙂