Weekly: Reflect on 5 things for which I'm grateful.

1. Snapfish Eldest Daughter sent the link to her photos from Jan. – Mar. I just love having the ability to get those pics of hers, and it gives me a glimpse into their daily lives I wouldn’t have otherwise – their friends, daytrips, etc.

2. Penguins Comedy Club My friend scored free tickets to the local comedy club and was nice enough to invite me for tomorrow night.

3. Manicure/Pedicure Certificate! from my boss, who is the greatest.

4. CA Trip Wednesday am heading out to visit Eldest Daughter & her fam – can’t wait!

5. The world in bloomFinally things are waking up, and I have some tulips and phlox blooming out front & bleeding hearts out back. Hope they don’t get frosted and die this weekend … (like last year)

Though I’ve been slacking on this, I decided I need to do this to get through a day that should be great, but which I’m struggling through.

1. Sunshine! It’s finally sunny again! Warming up! And I heard a mourning dove this morning for the first time in months.

2. Kaiya Little Kaiya will be 5 next week, and has been accepted to the K-8 Montessori school for the fall – yay! Though she’s in a Montessori preschool this year, it’s a different one. Fortunately, this is not a bank-buster in CA the way it would be here.

3. Other birthdays Last Fri. was Hubby & Youngest Daughter’s birthday. We had a great meal to celebrate, and she loved all the gifts I gave her.

4. My new friend is doing better today – yay!

5. Annual Tax Day Party A friend who’s an investment advisor/CPA has an annual tax day party at Biaggi’s tonight, which is great. Can’t wait to get my hands on some Tuscan red!

I may have to simplify and find something (one thing) for which I am truly grateful.

1. Easter was actually quite stress-free this year!

2. Middle Daughter started training for a better-paying job today. Then had the ambition to come home and make an excellent dinner for us, without being asked. Chicken breasts in a delightful orange sauce and steamed green beans – mmmmm! Which was great, since I didn’t get home from work till almost 8.

3. Out of the office tomorrow for a training seminar, which is appealing because any change of scenery is what I need right now. Even potentially slumber-inducing seminars on estate administration!

4. My CA guys are OK after emergency surgery (my s-i-l) and 3 prescription meds for 3-year-old Aidan’s ear infection.

5. Day Trip next Saturday to Bellevue for a murder mystery event at their bed & breakfast.

1. Booze and Basketball Tonight – going out with friends to a great Mexican place, then to a local college to watch my boss’s son play in his basketball tournament.

2. More booze and Celtic music Tomorrow night – dinner and concert with a group of legal eagles.

3. Healing Back I’m back to some running and am training on the stationary cycle, too. Need to add in swimming soon.

4. Grandkid DVD The adoptive parents of my grandson were kind enough to send us a DVD of July – Christmas which was awesome. Made me laugh, made me cry … they are so thoughtful.

5. Great sales including a few pair of long pants for our Amazon-length legs.

1. Eggplant Parmesan Last night when I got home from yet another 11-hour work day, I was greeted with an incredible sight – my youngest 2 daughters (with whom I’ve had so much trouble the past 13 years) were just serving up this fabulous meal they cooked for us – eggplant parmesan, spaghetti and broccoli. SO delicious! And they seem to have had fun cooking together. All is right with my world when all is well with my girls.

2. Retail Therapy Took the daughters clothes/purse shopping Sunday, which was great! Got some super deals, too.

3. Mom is OK She totalled her car, but she’s not injured.

4. Great Parties and concert over the weekend. Mardi Gras at the harbor is always a hoot, and this year was no exception. New drink of the evening – Smurfs (some kind of blue schnaaps and Squirt)

5. Hot Stone Massage For Valentine’s Day, Hubby got me a certificate for a hot stone massage, which I’m having tonight. Can’t wait! In fact, anything “hot” sounds really good right now, it was -1 this morning – brrrr.

1. Wii Got to play wii for the first time last Saturday – did the bowling. I was doing really great, too – until about halfway through when Craig gave me a shot of tequila! It was all over then …. :D

2. Lord of the Dance I’m not really sure if I’ll like this, but my friend Liz wants me to go to this with her Friday night. I haven’t seen her in forever, so we’re going out to dinner then the show and just catching up finally. Should be great!

3. Great Job Though I’m really buried and at my wit’s end there right now, I am soooo grateful for my job. I know people whose job situation is so awful, and know how very, very lucky I am to be where I am.

4. Daughter Progress Both younger daughters are making steady progress in the right direction.

5. A Warm House This crappy weather makes me appreciate it so much _{though I was almost stuck here today – my little Prius could not get out of our unplowed court!}

1. Swordfish I tried this for the first time at the Japanese hibachi grill place, Osaka, last Saturday celebrating our friend Brooke’s birthday. Mmmm! _{the plum wine wasn’t bad, either!}

2. Another Orp visit My boss’s law school buddy Orp (a nickname he picked in law school which stands for the mythical Ordinary, Reasonable Person used as the standard in many laws) came to town Monday night and a small group of us had a great time at dinner and the riverboat.

3. Another bullet dodged The “check engine” light on my Prius turned out to be really nothing, and the service bill was only $42.50. Whew!

4. Fitness Center Though we did have about 2 days of warmer temps, on the whole the weather has been horrible, and I’m really grateful to have a nice, warm place to work out, and where I don’t need to worry about slipping on the ice in the dark.

5. Return to Wednesday Night Dinner Hubby and I have a group of friends we go out to dinner with every Wednesday, for the past 8 years. Stuff going on with one of my daughters had kept me away for about 2 months, but I was able to join them last night at one of my favorite places – a local Thai restaurant.

It has been a killer week, for so many reasons, but there are always things to be grateful for:

1. Good Friends They always pull you through. Tonight I get to share a few bottles of Tuscan red with some.

2. Good Progress with my mentally ill family member. Healing words and many steps in the right direction.

3. Fitness Center Though I’m being suffocated by workload, etc. and haven’t been there much, I was able to renew my membership 6 days ago.

4. New Dishwasher Though we really can’t afford it right now, we had to replace our dishwasher, and I have to admit I love our new one – much quieter, bigger, etc.

5. The kindness of strangers When I picked up some prescriptions, the pharmacist gave me the bulk rate for one, even though he’s really not supposed to. And was just super-nice. I need to remember to try to be that kind stranger more often.

this goal because I’m having a super-tough time right now and need to start actively looking for the many things I have to be grateful for, rather than only being pulled about by the negative stuff.

1. Scones with lingonberries I baked and tried these for the first time last night, and it was totally delish. I used to hate lingonberries; I guess I’m becoming more the Swede I am all the time!

2. Best Boss on the planet I was reminded of this fact earlier this week when I received my W-2, today when he took us out for lunch again, and every time he just drifts into my office to chat for a minute.

3. Great books Just finishing The Memory Keeper’s Daughter, which I love! And have been gifted with a few more I can’t wait to start! _{and now I even have 43T buds to discuss them with – yay!}

4. Sisters-in-Law Had dinner with 2 on Monday and a great e-mail from the CO one today.

5. A warm house It may be coming apart at the seams (now it’s the dishwasher that bit it), but it is warm!