Grateful Thursday

One of the best parts of my day is our (or my) morning breakfast. I learned from my mother that if you fill the coffee pot the night before and all you have to do is press on in the morning for your coffee to magically appear, it can make a whole world of difference in your day. So, my dark, strong coffee in the morning with plain whole milk yogurt, granola and honey is just exactly the way that I want to start my days. Just exactly.

Grateful Tuesday

I have been trying to devote some thought these days to what I am grateful for. Sadly, I am not so used to doing this. I do a lot of thinking about what I wish I had, what it would be like if, and not about what I do have.

1. I am grateful for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. With BBQ Kettle chips. And pickles.


2. I am grateful for community acupuncture here in Portland. The treatments are extremely inexpensive. Not sure if they are effective yet but I am giving them a shot.

3. I am grateful for my newly repaired camera. Not so sure that it is focusing as well as it used to but it is in my hands and that makes me happy.

Birds

We are (or I am) currently obsessed with birds around this house. I am thrilled by their colors, their variety, their feeding patterns--Harvey is just convinced that they are going to bite him. "Look Harvey, there's a blue bird, " says Mama. "Wherl, wherl? " says Harvey moving his head back and forth without really looking at anything. "There H! There!" "Bird, bite me. Bite me"

On a particularly grey afternoon here last weekend, we turned an old orange juice carton into a bird feeder. Cut two holes on the side, stuck a branch though the middle for a perch, and used a coat hanger to hang it up. We got a beautiful hit immediately--a black and white little chirping thing, but the house, as far as I can tell, has been dead since then. Maybe the birds don't like the paint? the orange juice smell? Not sure, but we are still keeping our eyes out for them.

This One is For You, Gary

It has been one long, cold winter in more ways than one this January/ February. Our trip back to Brian's homeland has been a bright spot in the dimness. We spent time with cozy family and warm friends and got a good dose of home to get us through the rest of the season here in Portland, Oregon. Brian's travels ramped down and have ramped back up in a big way this month. We are looking forward to a weekend home and gearing up for nine days away from home next week. I have a whole season of Brothers and Sisters on hand to get me through the nights and two sometimes grumpy but mostly charming toddlers to drag me through my days. Just waiting for the warm to come. Just waiting.