Ordinary Gratitude

Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day is about more than chocolates and romance. Take time today to tell all the important people in your life how much you love them and appreciate them. Let them know how grateful you are to have them in your life.

Valentines from Dad

My dad always remembered every holiday. When I was a little girl, he would treat both my mom and me on Valentine's Day. Mom would get a big heart-shaped box of chocolates, which she had to share, and I would get a smaller box of chocolates all to myself. Sometimes he would have cards sent from Loveland, Colorado, with their special love stamp carefully affixed by hand.

With Valentine's Day ahead, I can't help but remember Dad. I may not have shown him how much I loved and appreciated him while he was alive, but now I'm grateful for that sweet memory of Valentine's Day.

Thanks, Dad!

He got a job!

One of my older brothers has been out of work for several months now. He was on half-time for months before that. After sending out numerous resumes, he had a promising interview last week. He called last night to say that all the searching had finally paid off and he got a job!

Woohoo!

My brother is in his 60s. All his life, all he wanted to be was an architect. When one of his high school teachers said that he'd never make it, he defied them and graduated college with honors. He worked for the same firm for over 20 years before he was laid off. With the economy in the toilet, commercial development was halted and the firm had no more work for him. They did their best to keep him on for as long as they could, but if no one is building, there's no need for an architect.

Today I'm so very grateful that my brother finally got good news. It's tough to make the switch at his age. But he persevered, never gave up, and never got down about it.

Tonsillectomy

My nearly-5-year-old grandson had his tonsils removed this morning. My son has been a nervous wreck, worrying about putting him under general anesthesia. When I got the text, "He's out of surgery and in recovery," from my son, I was so relieved!

"Great!" I texted back.

Later I sent my son another text message: "How is he doing? How are you doing? Relieved?"

"He's doing good," was the response. "Glad it's over. Man I was a mess!"

No matter where you live, worrying about your kids is one thing parents around the world have in common. Even my mom still worries about my brother who is in his 60s. It never ends. It doesn't matter how old you are or how old your kids are, they are still your kids, and you still worry.

Today I am enormously grateful that my grandson's tonsillectomy went well. And I want to thank everyone at Children's Hospital for taking such good care of my family.

Black Walnut Ice Cream

No matter how old I get, ice cream always conjures up memories of childhood.

Butter pecan ice cream always reminds me of my dad. On hot summer afternoons we'd take a trip to Baskin Robbins to peruse their 31 flavors. Dad always got butter pecan in a sugar cone. Mom liked peach. I'd get something different nearly every time. 

Black walnuts, especially in ice cream, always remind me of my grandparents. They lived in a very small town in Oklahoma. Black walnut trees were everywhere on their property. With nuts on the ground, the smell was intoxicating. My grandmother would have home-made ice cream loaded with black walnuts in the freezer when we arrived.

I picked up a carton of black walnut ice cream at the grocery store the other day. Last night my husband, who had never had this particular flavor before, dished up big bowls of this special treat after dinner while we watched television.

As I took that first bite I was flooded with memories of chasing fireflies and horny toads. I savored each mouthful and drifted back to my summer vacations in Oklahoma.

How I loved to sit on my grandfather's lap, the smell of pipe tobacco lingering around him, tiny burn holes in his shirt. He always had an entertaining story and called me Shuggie.

My grandmother would sit in her chair doing some sort of needlework. Knitting, crocheting, tatting, sewing, needlepoint, quilting, she did it all. Each piece expertly and patiently crafted with love; a beauty to behold. She made clothes for my Barbie dolls with all the intricate details of a designer label.

The family would gather around the big dining room table and play cards, usually Oh Hell!, which I always lost. My dad always called me Beetlebaum.*

 I languished in childhood memories while I finished my ice cream. Playing in the local swimming hole. Picking and eating fresh strawberries until my fingers and lips were bright red. Walking to church in my shiny patent leather shoes, holding hands with my dad.

All this joy from a simple dish of ice cream. I am so grateful.

*Back in the 1940s, Spike Jones was known for his silly take-offs on many of the classics including the William Tell Overture. That particular recording was of an announcer at a horse race. After listing the line-up of horses, the last lagging horse in the field was announced as "Beetlebaum." The inflection and tone of voice must have made it hilarious. Apparently this stuck with my dad, who always called the player with the lowest score, usually me, Beetlebaum. I've caught myself using the same name on occasion. Amazing what you pick up from your parents.

Strong bones

I am enormously grateful for my mom's strong bones! She fell again today; the second time in a week. Fortunately, this time there was only one step down, no furniture or other obstacles.

My husband and I were trying to take a nap downstairs when we heard a big crash! We knew what it was: Mom had fallen again. We both rushed upstairs to see what had happened. There was a moment, a feeling, as I was running up the steps, when I was afraid of what I might find. Just like last week, I got visions of paramedics, flashing lights and sirens. I was relieved to see her sitting in the middle of the living room floor.

My mom is over 85 years old. She's fallen several times over the last ten years or so, a half-dozen times in the last year, twice in the last week. She bruises easily, so she's always black and blue somewhere after a fall, but [knock on wood] she's never broken anything more than a fingernail. She even fell down an escalator at the airport a couple years ago with little damage other than bruises, especially to her ego.

Over the last 5 years, as the primary caregiver for my mother, I've become acutely aware of the importance of strong bones. I'm not very good at remembering my daily calcium, and I prefer soy milk over cow milk, so I may not be as fortunate as my mom when I'm older. I'm hoping heredity helps. In the meantime, I'll try to remember to take my calcium, magnesium and vitamin D to keep my bones strong.

I want to be grateful for my own strong bones when I'm in my 80s!

For now, I'm truly grateful to Nature, to God, to the Divine, to the Goddess, that my mother's bones are really strong!

Lindt Chili Dark Chocolate

I don't ordinarily focus on a particular product in my posts, but this time I just couldn't resist. I am so grateful for Lindt Excellence Chocolates, especially the new chili dark flavor. But I'm not the one who likes this item; my husband really does.

I happened to discover Lindt Chili Chocolate on a recent trip to the drug store. I picked one up and brought it home for my husband, who devoured it. He loved it! So today, when I was at the same drug store, I looked for it again. With all the chocolates on display for Valentine's Day, I had a little trouble finding it. When I finally did, I grabbed the last two bars they had in stock.

Needless to say, my husband was ecstatic when I got home with his special treat. When I gave it to him I said, "This is just a token of appreciation for all the wonderful things you do for me and my family." I got a great big kiss in return (which I am also grateful for!).

It's nice to have a list of little inexpensive things you can pick up for others. It's a great way to say "thank you" or "I was thinking of you." My husband and my mom are pretty easy because they always want chocolate, but if I can find a favorite chocolate, that's even better. One of my grandsons loves books, the other loves puzzles, so when I find them on sale, I grab them to share with them at their next visit. My old business partner loved flourless chocolate cake, so I would bring a piece for her to our one-on-one meetings along with something like cheesecake or scones for me. 

When someone tells you something they like, make a mental note or write it on a list to carry with you. Then when special days come around, or you just want to give them a treat, it will be easier to  choose a gift that really says "You're special."

A rose by any other name

...Is a wonderful way to show your gratitude.

Valentine's Day is coming, so why not take this opportunity to show someone you love how much you appreciate them? Roses are a great way to do this because each color has a special meaning. If you want to say thank you or express your gratitude, look for pink, dark pink or peach roses.

By the way, you don't have to wait for Valentine's Day to say thank you. Roses are a nice gift any time of the year.

For more information on roses and their meaning, read "What Is A Rose Saying To You?"

She fell but she didn't break!

I am so grateful that my mom is still walking and talking and moving around today. You see, this tough 85-year-old woman fell down a small set of stairs yesterday. I'm also grateful she has strong bones. She's bruised and sore, but doing okay. I'll take her to the doctor early this week when I can get an appointment just to check everything out. I'm sure he'll want to get some x-rays. For now, I'm just grateful she was able to get up and go to church.

Read the entire story at my other blog: Life with my Mom.

Mom's Zucchini Bread

Oh my! As I worked in my office yesterday afternoon, the heavenly smell of freshly baked zucchini bread drifted through the house! The wonderful scent of sugar and spices was overwhelming. At that moment I was so very grateful that my elderly mother lives with me... and that she loves to bake!

Mom's zucchini bread is legendary. She gives loaves away to her favorite people and mails them to family members across the country. Some folks are not worthy of an entire loaf (like valets at the casino or the guy who trimmed the bushes), but are fortunate enough to score a slice or two in lieu of a monetary tip. My husband and I call it Manna from Heaven because she has so many stories about surviving long plane flights or traffic delays with nothing to eat but zucchini bread. 

Last summer I planted zucchini in my garden just so Mom would be able to bake her favorite nut bread. Everyday I'd go out and check the progress in the garden. I'd carry in a giant green squash to be peeled, ground up, packaged and tucked away in the freezer for a winter day of baking.

I'm so happy and appreciative that yesterday was one of those days! This morning I enjoyed a hot cup of chai and a big slice of zucchini bread while I caught up on the news.

Thanks Mom!