Comfort

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 a friend and a co-nurse who is finally resting after two-month hospitalization from COVID. She must be in heaven.

Until next time.

Visit

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

New Year 2021 Gratitude

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 things, kids are easier to train.

• Zen time painting cards for a cause (to support some COVID families). My nursing group is starting this project to sell for our fundraising.
• My coworkers still in the fight defending our patients from COVID.
• Ventilators.
• Trimmer to cut my husband's hair. He let me! 
• YouTube for hair trimming instructions. Shhh
• Cupcakes too good to eat. I ate the pearl-like thingies anyway. Delish.
• Chesla the Tesla my husband gifted me. 4 days a week I am on the road for two hours so the self-driving feature on the highway helps a lot and decreases my stress driving.
• Audiobooks to listen to while on the road.

Christmas Gratitude 2020

I will keep this short as I will miss the posting deadline. We are grateful for what we have. My little grandson has not fully realized it yet as Santa carries him. 

Overdue Gratitude

Hello, hello. I am here after two months. I have been meaning to write my gratitude but did not get myself to sit down and actually type and post it. My daughter turned 21, an adult but still young at heart and spirit. She is my forever baby and youngest and smallest. 

We celebrated 2020 style, just me and her in Estes. We stayed in a condo with a nice view. The place was by the stream and the water was not all frozen yet. We could hear the water flowing with its relaxing nature sound. We walked outdoors in with the cold breeze. Surprise, surprise, we were the only ones outdoors. The masks, I must admit, felt good to wear as our breath, at least, bouncing back on our face felt warm.

Paul and I celebrated our two-months anniversary in a neighboring state and ordered takes-outs. We hang out (in?) ate, drank, and talked. The drive was beautiful passing by packs of rams unsuspecting of the cars passing by.

We finally got our professional wedding (and video) shots. They are all beautiful in my eyes. The memories are even more beautiful and the photos are great reminders.

I got my first of two COVID-19 vaccines. I have never been so excited about a shot in my life for myself. But here I am, forced to sit down a day after. I have chills, fatigue, and left arm pain worse than after getting a flu shot. Whatever I am feeling, it is still better than getting sick from the gruesome COVID like my patients suffer from. 

Outdoor with Leaves (and Fire)

the trailer making experiment--

the texts are random, 

and we are not in Mexico. :)

In the unique climate of Colorado with cool morning and eves but up to the 80's-warm during the day, my vegetable garden seems confused about the weather. Should they strive or give up? The tomatoes and eggplants seemed to stop growing. The thermometer changes in such a wide range. The leaves continue to fall but not all at once. 

I took it upon myself to make raking and blowing leaves my Saturday workout donning a headcover, glasses, mask, long sleeves, and long pants. I must look suspicious with a powerful weapon--the leaf blower only to be defeated by the strong wind and nature the next day. By Sunday morning, it looked as though I did not clear the leaves the day before. What more? The strong wind seemed to have blown the whole blocks' neighbors' leaves to the end of the cul-de-sac, in front of my house. But at least, I had a proof--some 8 bags full of fallen leaves. Nevertheless, I have a list of gratitude to share.

• Workout from clearing the fallen leaves
• Audiobook, podcasts, and music to block the noise and entertain me while working
• Live mass online to listen to
• Fire table to warm us while eating outside in the backyard on cool autumn nights
• Smores
• One or two friends visiting after a few years
• A leaf blower, rake, lawn paper bags, and garbage day
• Proctor online to watch me take my midterm exam to the comfort of my home
• Funny shows on TV (I like Schitt's Creek, Married with Children, Friends . . . )
• Cheesecake delivery, pecan cheesecake was so good!
• Chinese food delivery
• Online shopping and delivery people
• New decors for the house Paul is sharing with me -- pillows, and wall decors stuck up high on used-to-be bare walls
• An extra (body) pillow (because Paul does not like small decorative pillows on the bed).
• Everybody in the family is staying healthy

Resistance

What resistance's about? We think we know

We watched the media, and they said so

The resistance's not fresh, but dark and deep

Let's pray from sunrise until we sleep

Whichever side we are on, our fate we own

Stay kind, do good, we're not alone

Raking Leaves

It is October and the weather and color of early Fall show some hints here in Colorado. I try to create some beauty around me to share with family and friends and use nature and circumstances as instruments of creativity.  I have many things to be grateful for. Here is my list.

• My son and family came to visit with his family. I have this backdrop in the backyard for them. He showed the kids how to rake and help clean up in the backyard to which his little boy made a face * I am not raking the leaves because you ask me to* kind of attitude. 
• Grandson later did it when not asked. :)

• We are still receiving unexpected wedding gifts even when we did not have a reception. 
• I am thankful for all the gifts and best wishes.

• Wally the dog earns his certificate for dog training 101 (online). 
• I thank him and the trainer for the video training. He learned to close the door, "stay" longer, and be better with "leave it." Human dad Paul is teasing us that we bought Wally's diploma. We did not!
• Nuts from the employee recognition team for staff. 

• Paul is (kinda) letting me slowly decorate the house. It was such a "man house" and so naked of decor. It is safe to start outside.
• Family pictures. Grandson is more interested in looking at the backdrop than being a part of it for photos. :)

• Free flu shot from work.

• My friends, family, and I are keeping healthy.

Read about gratitude from other bloggers here.

It's Fall 2020

I have so many reasons to be thankful

I am now married to Paul

Without a ball

We pull

A simple ceremony before the fall

And this weekend we borrowed my grandson

Who is now Paul's (also) grandson

Little Josiah gladly welcomed

Grandpa Paul without a question

He was such a delight

Easy to excite

With kisses, rides, bubble bath, and chocolate

But he got so active, we thought we had triplets

After that, Paul and I have decided

Milk chocolate drink? We should have skipped it

Because little grandson (and grandparents) 

Would be better without it

Oh after the wedding, we had small get-togethers

To celebrate after in good times and weather

We entertained friends, we barbequed together

And maintained a safe distance

As our health truly matters

My friends' son, so chatty 

Bragging about his stuff

He was showing me his airplane, scorpion, and other stuff

Oh, I have to tell you

I just got elected

As president-elect in a nursing organization

Where 11 years I invested

Nursing service volunteer work

Where I am needed

We did the inauguration via Zoom

When in the past we did this celebration

In a special destination

With a big production

But my team learned to do it online

And the organization turned out more than fine

We had a beautiful inauguration

The best for the time

To end this post, I had to look

For every autumn - ish picture from every recent nook

Here's my wedding cord

When we tied the knot,

A hotel shot where we booked,

From a casual shot, I took,

 the bouquet I used,

A coffee mug we chose

To go with our wedding cake

That's oh, so good

There's a shot from our last breakfast

Two days after the wedding

And the last pic was the time

To the altar, we were walking

That is all folks

Thanks for reading. 

Sunrise Amphitheater Elopement Wedding

 I am trying to load some pictures but they must be "heavy" and won't load. I got married a few days ago and I am beyond grateful finally tying the knot with my soulmate of ten years. We are living together now and are still finding new things about each other.

I can watch this raw video over and over, with or without audio. I am sorry, it is quite long--28 minutes. No editing has been done yet.

We did a wedding 2020 style, no visitors. Everybody is safe. No guilt.

Indoors or Outdoors?

Indoors or outdoors? These choices are as easy to answer like paper or plastic? We answered outdoors, of course. While we can and while it's available.

The weather is decent this week we got to have the top down for a little bit while driving to Steamboat Springs and breathe (mostly, I hope) fresh air. The experience is so freeing unlike wearing a face mask inside a store, for example. 

I thank God, for the beauty of nature we can still enjoy. I thank God for our health that we can still hike a little bit and get to see the falls. 

We have harvested a few tomatoes untouched by the birds. Perhaps they are really afraid of Mr. Scare Owl especially that he looks scary after the ugly feathers I attached to him. :) Thank you, Mr. Owl.

I am having another batch of donations as I unpack more belongings from my move. I am thankful I am lucky enough to have some extras to share.

I am happy to find little plants for the fairy garden. 

With the 4th set of grow lights, my indoor plants are perking up. Perhaps in two weeks, I would have some lettuce to harvest.

I hope you all choose to be happy next week the best that you can.

August Thankfuls

It is August first. It is my mother's birthday. We would have been celebrating in Las Vegas today and having a reunion but because of the current circumstances of doing our part to keep each other healthy, we canceled the get-together. We celebrated in spirit and togetherness via Messenger video. 

Here's my gratitude list.

• A visit from my son in my new home. He stayed a bit and we talked and ate together. Just the two of us.
• My reservation in a nearby city went through however last-minute. It will be nice to get away but not have to fly to a new area. It has been months since I did something for fun away from home. I will be doing short hikes with Paul. The patio picture is a little glimpse of the place.
• A picture from 2018 with my mother in Vegas. We went swimming. It was a good day on her birthday week.
• My grandkids greeting their great-grandma with a video.

• This week's humble harvest and the near future's.

• Support from Lettuce Grow where I got my planter. I don't think my plants are growing fast enough. They gave me some tips. One more grow light. I don't see a lot of difference so far from weeks 1 to 3.
• A new hobby that makes me smile--miniature garden. It is a sort of fairy garden without the fairy. I want to use little animals instead.
• 8 days off from work. 
• My daughter and daughter in law helping me do my last boxes of packing.
• My family in the Philippines for making my mother happy on her colorful birthday.

Indoors

Hello. Another week has passed, and another opportunity has come for me to reflect on things to be grateful for. But looking at 3 years ago, I am reminded of a riveting experience but is so amazing for me--a live show. My favorite is the performance by Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas. I first saw this group in Denver. I am drawn to their story and acts as they gracefully move from swing to swing, suspended in the air most of the time, or "acrobatting" in big productions platforms, sinking ships, or whatever their plot is as I hold my breath most times hoping they keep themselves safe. Their performance is flawless. I am glad I got to see their shows twice. 

This week is supposed to be my family's reunion in Las Vegas for my mother's birthday. She cannot fly overseas because of restrictions. We want to keep her healthy. I am grateful enough for her health and that no one in our family is severely affected by it healthwise.

As we take things kinda slow and mostly indoors, here's the rest of my "thankfuls:"

• I am thankful for indoor plants that do not only add color in the house but clean air.
• Have you heard that it is good to have a minimum of 1 plant to every 100 square feet of your home for air purification? Whether that is a myth or a fact, my hydroponic tower alone has 36. With my other plants, I have at least 51 for a 2,400 square feet home. I am thankful for the probable-cleaner-air in the house.
• I am thankful that many of my indoor plants are hardy and low maintenance. Watering once a week is very doable.

• My hydroponic planter and seedlings are doing well. The left is about two weeks old, the right is one week old. 
• I harvested two tomatoes. They are perfect. 
• I have more eggplants, cucumbers, and peppers coming.
• The potato plants I grew from old store potatoes are doing well. I added more soil to mountain them. (My $17 potato seeds I bought has not produced seedlings yet).
• Yummy shakes delivery to our door.
• Mealtime app to guide me on what meals to prepare with free grocery service. I just have to pick up the groceries while waiting in the parking lot. The veggie burrito bowl was so delish!
• Pick up service for donating items we do not use anymore.
• Good pup app dog training service. Wally, my border collie improved so much and not barking on every living thing passing on the street. I like the app so much, I will gift a subscription to my son who just got a puppy.

That is all for now until next week.