2024 Happy Blog Challenge Continues

Happy things from Leap Day: There were opportunities for me to not go to work last night.  I didn't take them.  I got out of work about two hours early to start my weekend.  I was able to use some of my swag bucks (fake money work gives people for doing things, sometimes that is just showing up) to get a new backpack.  I'm planning to use it to bring my lunch and other work related belongings to work.  It is nice though, and I may get another to use as a computer bag instead of my Camelbak backpack.   At home I took a nap.  It was a good nap.  Sometimes I have a hard time sleeping Thursdays, today that was not a problem. At Keziah’s store she has a plant.  Recently she repotted it and the plant looks a lot happier. My ex-husband, his wife, and I went to the Mansion at the Kimball-Jenkins School of Art.  Our friend, Robert, gave us the tour.  I've done it before, but there always seems to be something new to notice or something ...

Happy things from today: Cats. Nanni & Winston. My storytelling telling abilities are not what I wish they were.  Suffice it to say that there were things said during breaks at work today that got me to laugh out loud.  Also at work today, I started training on working in the “yard” with the trucks.  I always like learning new things. On March 16, 2017, my pet dog, Hunter, passed away.  Today, I pulled out the cardboard box that holds his ashes.  I had never opened it.  It turns out that the ashes are in a very lovely cedar box.  I expected a bag.  It was very tastefully done, I just didn't want to see ashes and so didn't open it at the time.  I'm sure when this happened I was either told about this or read it and just didn't retain the information.  However, this weekend I will be seeing the friend that makes glass beads and can incorporate a tiny amount of the ashes into the beads.  I will give them some ashes and get the bead...

Tuesday things I am happy for: When I got to work, I thought I was prepared for whatever task they wanted to assign me.  I was wrong.  They had me unload the carts for the person inducting the packages.  This means that I picked up packages and put them down for over six hours.  The heaviest one I noticed was 46 pounds. In over two and a half years at this workplace, this is the second time I've been assigned this task.  It was hard, manual labor, and I did it!  I think I will sleep well today. Keziah is trying to find and/or make garb for Bel for the SCA event this weekend.  So far, she found an under tunic that seems to fit.  She plans to make a doublet to go over that. Since I noticed the iris peaking through a few days ago I have been checking the yard more often.  Today I noticed that the daffodils have broken ground as well.  Spring is on the way! ☮ Currently listening to Cat's Cradle , by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. Still reading the book I...

Happy Monday things: We all pitched in this morning and did some general house cleaning.  Bel and I even got most of the Christmas things put closer to where they belong.  We need a ladder to get them all the way away.  And only most of the things because I just saw a few stragglers! Bel and I got outside and wandered in the back property some.  We brought cutting instruments and cut back some of the plants with thorns.   The tree we call the Witch Tree is still standing.  I hope I make it back there more often once leaves are out to see how alive it is. ☮ Currently listening to Cat's Cradle , by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. Still reading the book I didn't intend to, Saving Nora .  The author appears to be Josh Williams.   Thank you for being part of my happy things.  Stay safe.

Happy things from today: This morning, Bel, my youngest, arrived for a visit.  I missed their first arrival to the house, everyone thought I was asleep.  They left with Keziah and came back and I got to see them then.  Bel drove most of the night to get here this morning.  It is wonderful to have them nearby, even though it is just for a short time. Keziah and I went to the cafe to meet with friends and left the rest of the family at home.  I needed breakfast and everyone else had eaten.  I have a list of things to research or write about when I go to the cafe on Sunday mornings.  Today that was mostly about hair cutting in the middle ages.  I think having a set time to write or do research (mostly) weekly will help me reach some small goals. Since Bel drove all night, it was a nice lazy afternoon.  In the evening we all had dinner together and watched a movie.  The movie, Princess Mononoke , is one that I remember that we went to see in...

Some happy things from this cold Saturday: Before heading out for the day I found Winston, curled up by the heat radiator.  He has always liked the warmth. This morning I met a group of SCA people (mostly part of the Forester's Guild) and went on a hike in garb.  There were sixteen of us total.  That size of a group was a little hard to keep together.  We had different time constraints so spread out in different ways.   It was fun and I hope to do it again sometime.  I'm thankful for the modern boots and micro-spikes that kept me safe.  I wonder what they did in the middle ages to not slip on the ice?  I think I read something about it  somewhere once, but I don't remember. In the afternoon some of our SCA household got together to hangout for a while.  It was really nice to sit and relax with friends.  That is something else I hope to be able to do more often. ☮ Currently listening to Cat's Cradle , by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. Still ...

5eHappy Friday! This morning I had a followup doctor appointment.  It is a fairly regular thing for a skin condition.  Anyhow, I knew they would have me step on the scale and I was not looking forward to that.  According to their scale, I've put on about fifteen pounds and I am not happy about that.  Okay, it might not be that bad, I'll step on my scale at home, before breakfast, this weekend to check.  What I am happy about is that the skin condition is currently stable.  Yay! This year I made changes to my health insurance and signed up for an FSA (Flexible Spending Account).  I don't know how to use it.  I also don't remember getting anything in the mail about it.  I looked at my pay information to be sure it was really something that was being deducted, and it is.  I'm happy for that.  I'll figure the rest out another time.  Looking at my pay information reminded me of things (other than income) that are good about having a...

Thursday things to be thankful and happy for: Work was offering voluntary time off today.  I did not take any.  The supervisor really wanted people to leave.  I basically told him thanks, maybe next week, when my son is visiting and I'll want to be home. I'm excited to be able to see Bel when they are here next week sometime.   Gideon and I stopped by Keziah’s store,  DIY Craft & Thrift, briefly to pick up some school work Gideon had left there.  Keziah was busy painting a new fixture. Yesterday, I noticed the iris plants coming up in the back garden area by where we park the cars.  I didn't notice them in the front triangle area.  Today, I noticed them in the triangle area.  Still no crocus, which I expected to see first.  I'm thankful for the signs of spring. My protégé sent home with Keziah late holiday gifts.  She is so thoughtful!  I'm going to try to find the time to take her out to dinner to thank her. ☮  l...

Happy Weaving Wednesday! At work tonight they assigned me to stow.  Stowing is what I was trained for first, but seldom do it now.  During lunch, someone came up and told me that I would be going to Problem Solve after lunch.  I felt like a weight had been lifted and a large smile crossed my face.  I knew that things had to be busy over there, or they wouldn't need me.  It was just the break I needed from stowing.  There was a lot to do at Problem Solve and I enjoyed it all. There was also a Safety Committee meeting today.  They served pizza.   It seems that I am anxiously awaiting signs of spring.  I even seemed to find some.  It looks like the iris plants are already popping up.  This particular area has tubers coming out of the ground, it is so full of plants.  I thinned some up two years ago, but there is still a lot more that can go. Since it is Wednesday I decided to pull out my loom and see if I could figure out the...

While getting ready to post this, I didn't see yesterday's.   I don't know what happened, but I have a back up, so it will be posted first. Last night, I woke up an hour before my alarm.  I'm tired.  Here are some happy Tuesday things: Somehow, I was able to stay awake at work.  I admit, it was hard.  I even worked the entire shift! When Gideon got home from school he wanted a hug.  Then he asked to have some of the Jax I had been eating.  I had to tell him that I ate the entire bag.  We laughed at how silly of a thing that was for me to do. Sunset! ☮ Currently listening to Lessons in Chemistry , by Bonnie Garmus. Still reading the book I didn't intend to, Saving Nora .  The author appears to be Josh Williams.   Thank you for being part of my happy things.  Stay safe.

(posting late...) Some happy things from Monday: This morning I had therapy.  I’m trying to reduce the amount of visits I have because I dislike them.  However, I felt like the discussion went well today, so that is good. This afternoon I went to the studio to help Keziah with the printing she is doing.  I didn’t do very much to help.  We did get to talk about who to give awards to.  I worked on looking for more pictures and photos of her and her work instead.   When I left the studio, our friend who also has a studio there, walked outside with me.  I noticed the moon in the sky.  We both commented how it is so neat when the moon is out during the day.  The camera in my phone takes much better pictures of the daytime moon than the nighttime moon. Moon amid the branches. Day moon. ☮ Currently listening to Lessons in Chemistry , by Bonnie Garmus. Still reading the book I didn't intend to, Saving Nora . The author appears to be Josh Willia...

Happy Sunday things: For some reason, today is the day that someone decided to introduce the cats to Cat TV.  I'm not sure where Nanni was, but Winston seemed to like it. Winston This morning Gideon and I left for a long drive to go to an event in Vermont.  It was a good thing that the event didn't start until the afternoon, even with their late start time, we were later!  We stopped and picked up some nice crepes for lunch in Montpelier on the way.  The snow, mountains, ice, and all the views were lovely. Waiting for crepes. The event, Mimir's Well, was fairly small, which I like.  It was far enough away that only a couple other people came up from Stonemarche.  There were only a few other people that I knew.  The day was all about taking classes.  Together, Gideon and I got to the last bit of Acid-etching on Brass.  Then I took a class on Cordage Making and then Making Oil Lamps for Your Camp.  Gideon went to the History of Games class...