Carin's Gratitude

It's that season again when the breeze is warm enough To go out in nature And the hike is not so rough The ground is dry enough The rock's not so slippery As we climbed the trails above Not so muddy but rocky There's not much greenery But a hint of good scenery With young growth below, yet premature Give a hope that reassures Then Easter Day we were looking forward to Came by and flew through A few weeks of preparation With our three generations Putting up decorations Getting gifts all ready Making food for everybody Some are healthy, some . . . just yummy The egg hunting that used to be for our children Some many years ago  are now enjoyed by our grandkids Who reminds us of those early years The happy birthday days of festivities The joy from those activities Makes me grateful for simple things  That has not changed Spending time, playing, and eating together Can bring joy altogether

Hey. We are a small group of nurses volunteering in Colorado called PNACO . Our group is non-for-profit for the state and United States. We have grouped all over the US and in the Philippines benefitting local communities.  Our next fundraising is BINGO online via zoom best used with a computer. Join us! Let me know if you want to join under comments.

Here are some random photos I picked From my collection that makes me think The smiles and laughs shared With the people who care I share my birthday month with some loved ones Some close, some far With distance or heart In my thoughts they are present Sometimes that's all that matter The experience, tastes, and feelings matter too Simple things like easter bombs "cocoa" A manicure with massage And more sweet happy birthday cakes A workout in different virtual destinations I cannot go there for real but virtually I can New Zealand, Spain, the Pacific Islands All in one day Imagined or virtual They can bring joy

I turn golden this year and celebrated with my forever soulmate. Years ago, I did not anticipate celebrating the day with a group of 2 :). It is happy, nevertheless. We had a weekend get-away to a city nearby, in a hotel, and eating out twice a day in selected restaurants we managed to get reservations at. We are grateful we were able to do this. Another time, we spent the evening with a vaccinated couple with wine tasting and dinner while we join a Zoom get-together with other wine-taster couples and the Wine producers in California (if that's what you call them). We had good bottles of wine - Zinfandels and champagne of some brands I did not think I would have tried. This afternoon, we had my volunteer meeting via Zoom talking about our fundraising  to benefit a scholarship and COVID victims. Then, we played BINGO online. It was a good way to end our rather serious meeting. I feel grateful for good food, volunteers, my husband, my friends, and all the mediums we use more often th

I harvested some greens from my indoor hydroponic planter . The greens can't get fresher than these, harvested right from my dining room. They are perfect with the Costco-size beef and pork.  I cooked six dishes. Most left-overs will be frozen for later like after-work dinner when most times, we are too exhausted to cook. I am grateful for the memory of cooking comfort I remembered from childhood in the Philippines--peanut stew, adobo, pork chops seasoned with lemon pepper, and sour soup.  I am grateful for the recipes readily available from the internet, the oven, instapot, and air fryer. I was able to cook 6 dishes in 2 hours, preparation time included. You'd think I was in a cooking contest under time-pressure. Only the judges (my family) are more forgiving and very appreciative of my cooking. I am grateful for the simple things I get to enjoy with my family--walking outdoors, however cold, before the snow hit--picture taking, and watching TV together. I am even thankful for

Surrounding  Visiting Spending time with the people you love Takes a chunk of your time Yet the pay off is worthwhile I did these just yesterday and the day before While the days were bright, no rain, no pour So today it’s wet and we could not go out  I am thankful we did as we all look up

Welcome to my first post in the New Year 2021. Most of my off days are still spent indoors. It is cold outside. 39 degrees in Colorado. With still some social distancing, I still have many things to be grateful for this second wave of COVID. A family member was hospitalized in December but released in early January in better health. The COVID population in my hospital is low. I completed my 2/2 COVID immunization. It is something to be thankful for being in Tier 1A as I work in the intensive care unit. A working fireplace to sit close to - at home. A pedicure service for me and my daughter (and a cheese grater for callus removal *laughing out loud*) Chair massager at home to go home to after a long day at work. My family loves the chair, even little Josiah who is not even two. Funny Josiah whatever he does. He eats like a dog with a spoon and fork in his hands. Who needs those spoons and forks? They are just props. Kiddie masks fitting Josiah. He does not mind much wearing it. For many