Saturday, August 17, 2013

10 Things of Thankful . . .

are sometimes very hard to find, let alone think about.
When life starts handing you the pits, instead of the cherries, all the stuff that can weigh you down can get in front of what's still good in your life. 

But, if you just take a few minutes, and try to think of the pluses, instead of the minuses, it's amazing how many things you can come up with.
So here are my cherries:

I'm thankful that God had such a sense of humour that he made me. I know he has a sense of humour, because I do, too, under all the pits :)

Start as you mean to go on? :)


I'm thankful that I was given the gift of carrying a child for 9 months under my heart. Having been told I'd never have children, this was such a gift for me that I still thank God every day for my beautiful, amazing girl :)

Hubby, & Brex at 1 hour old :)


I'm thankful for a husband who is so unselfish that he always puts myself and our child before himself. My hubby is an amazing man, and we will be married for 30 years in October - and I love him even more than I did at the beginning and, even better, he loves me like that, too :)

True Love :)


I'm thankful for a warm, dry house. We lived in so many places that were falling down around our ears - houses that weren't that old, but so badly built that we had to battle mould or drafts all the time. We now live in a 300 year old house that is as warm, and snug, as we need, and wanted :)

Fred, guarding the house :)


I'm thankful for the gift of love that our dog, a Jack Russell Terrier called Fred Barker, gives unstintingly to us. He will be 19 next march. He is as deaf as a post, and is so arthritic he has a job stepping over the tiny lip on his bed but, the minute he sees either of us, his tail wags, and he gives us that amazing doggy smile we fell in love with when we first rescued him 18 years ago. 

Fred, aged 10.


I'm thankful for our cat, Kushka, who was rescued as a tiny kitten. We took her into our home, and our hearts, when she was barely 6 weeks old, and had to keep feeding her replacement milk for a month as she had been in such a bad way. She'll be 5 next birthday, and she is my constant companion, lying as close beside me as she can - she has always seemed to be aware that sitting on me would only bring pain. She purrs like an engine when pain takes me over, as if she is trying her best to soothe me, and she has always been there for me, no matter what.

Kushka, breaking in the new cover I crocheted :)


I'm thankful for the gift of crochet. I hadn't crocheted before I started to learn last July, and had got into a bad place in my head when I'd had to give up knitting and cross-stitch, as my hands couldn't cope with either any more, so to find that I was able to hold a crochet hook enough to use it, was a fantastic thing to happen to me :)

My Spring Fling cushion cover.

I'm thankful for the internet, as it took me out of myself, and brought a world full of the most amazing people into my life, and into my heart. After I got housebound, the world became a very drab place, as I had come from a large family, so was used to company, and noise, and all the other things that come with family life. I had always loved visiting all of our many friends homes, and going places and seeing people whenever I chose to, so to be housebound was a kind of torture for me but, once I had the internet in my home, it opened up a world of possibilities I couldn't have imagined - and also enabled me to keep in touch with my daughter, wherever in the world she goes :)

Brex, in an Amazonian village, in Peru :)

I'm thankful for the bounty of things that surround me, for internet shopping, for a free health system that is very much needed for me now, for the chance to be able to do what I can to stay focussed on the future, so that I can stay true to myself, and true to God.

Me, on our 29th wedding anniversary :)


I'm thankful for the chance to have lived this life that I have - whether good or bad! To have been born in a time, and a place, where women are able to make whatever life they dream of, and for the chance to be able to have my voice heard all around the world.


Ten Things of Thankful

15 comments:

Lizzi said...

Katy, when you said you'd struggled to think of Ten Things this week, and had finally managed to put something together, I didn't realise you'd put it together out of DIAMONDS!

Each thing on this list is so wonderful it could have another list to itself! Thank you so much for sharing these gems with us.

You are an amazing lady, and your commitment to developing this attitude is paying some SERIOUS dividends :)

Unknown said...

fabulous list! I love the name Brex I've never heard it before she looks like a real adventurer. Congratulations on 30 years and congratulations on bringing old fred to 19! he is adorable.I hope to do the same for my skip.

Christine said...

Ah! So many wonderful things to comment on!
A sense of humor is most definitely something to say Thank you! for. (Great photo!)
Your miracle baby, Brex...I would love to sit and chat with her about all her travels. Good for you, encouraging her adventurous heart. I can't imagine it's easy to let your daughter head out to all of these exotic places.
I don't think I've ever heard of a dog who lived to 19. Very impressive.
Your attitude is inspiring, to be thankful for this life, whatever it may bring.

Kari said...

Katy -- This is beautiful! Truly...I know what you mean about life handing you more pits than cherries.. it is hard to come up with 10 things sometimes, but I am so glad you powered through it. You did awesome!
^^Also, ditto everything Lizzi said^^

clark said...

19 years!! jeez louise!* how amazing how luck you are for such a lifespan.

and the humans are amazing too! lol



*we have had only dogs, so my immediate focus is meant as no disrespect of your human family members

Cyndy @ Back in the Bush said...

Rescued pets are just the best!!
What a wonderful thankful list.

Ouch Potato said...

Thank you everyone for your lovely comments :)
Lizzie: I read about how diamonds were formed many years ago and, apparently, the earth puts huge pressures on certain carbons and, over the aeons, this produces the diamonds - I guess my, and all of humanities, thoughts are produced in the same way, by the enormous pressures that life can bring to us frail and mortal beings. I guess that's why there are so many outstanding people writing here in the Blogosphere :)

Zoe:Brex was actually named Rebecca but, as a child, she adored Ready Brex, the oat cereal popular at the time, and so the name stuck! Lol
Thankyou for your congratulations, and, as far as Fred is concerned, being in a loving family, having great things to eat, and having lots and lots of exercise seem to be the key as far as longevity is concerned - although I have to say, I had an uncle whose terrier lived to 21, so we have hopes :)

Christine: My miracle baby grew up to be a stilt-walking Pyrotechnic, & she'll be flying over the pond to the USA on August 23rd, to go to the Burning Man Festival in Nevada :) It'll be her second year going there with one of the groups she belongs to - the UK Fire Collective :)And yes, I have done, and will always, encourage her to make the most of her god-given life, and to stretch herself as a human being, as we all try to :)

Kari: Thankyou for your comments :) It's true that life is often more pip than cherry, but it taught me to savour the cherries when they do come, however scarce they may be :)

Clark: I totally understand your focus, as both Bob and I often wonder at the amazing ways of our various pets :) Most of them have lived long lives - Fred's lifetime friend, our Lurcher Rosie, died last year, aged 17, and he grieved a lot for her, so we know we are blessed in this way :) We also had a Ferret pair that we named Bandit & Edie, who lived long and adventurous lives, until they died at age 12, within a month of each other, having given birth to a host of amazing babies :)

Cyndy: Yes, they truly are the best :) We have been blessed with many rescue pets over the years, from a'medicated' mouse, who gave birth 5 minutes after we got her, to goats that were related to Houdini, and each one has contributed something quite profound to our lives :)

Unknown said...

Lovely blog you have! New follower here, hoping you'll follow back :)
http://thecraftiestallie.blogspot.com/

Mary-andering Creatively said...

Ah, I love your fur babies. I have a 13 year old terrier mix. I three other dogs and a cat too. I am so glad you have the health care you need. We need that system in the USA. Loved reading your list.

Mrs. Always Random said...

This is an amazing list...so heart-felt and pure. Thank you for sharing.

I LOVE your daughter's name...I have never heard it before and think it's simply divine! And the pictures of her are so sweet. I'd love to hear about her trip especially.

And crochet...so fun. That pillow is beautiful and you have every right to bethankful for the ability to crochet again.

Thanks for sharing your list! :)

Kristi said...

Your dog sounds wonderful, and how nice to have had 19 years (so far) together!

And what a wonderful gift to have your daughter! Miracle babies help us realize what a blessing they are, don't they?

Dyanne @ I Want Backsies said...

I love your wedding pictures! And the one of baby Brex. Isn't it great to be able to scan these old pics in and use them?

I am intrigued by your 300 year old house. Mine is over 80, and it's a mere infant compared to yours! You need to post more pictures of it.

Bless Fred's heart! I had a cat that was 21-1/2 when he died.

I like to crochet, although I haven't done it in quite a long time. No worries about dropped stitches! Make a mistake, and it's easy to unravel and start again.

Great list!

Michelle Liew said...

An amazing list to be thankful for! Please say hi to Fred and tell him he's doing a wonderful job of security!!

Ouch Potato said...

Allie: Welcome to my Blog, Allie - I love your's and am looking forward to reading more :)

Mrs Always Random (sorry, I don't know your name!) Brex is actually Rebecca, but was fixated with Ready Brex (the cereal) as a child, so the name stuck! Lol
As for her trip - I've another blog with wordpress that I use to practice my writing with, and I'm currently writing the story of her last few festival trips, in the viewpoint of her latest mascot, RaggaRory the Lion, who was crocheted by me! :)
Here's my writing blog:
http://katythenightowl.wordpress.com/
Hope you enjoy it :)

Unknown said...

Katy, what a beautiful, beautiful list. How you write about your love for your husband and your daughter is just so touching. I can't believe you only started crochet last July - you have an amazing talent for it! I envy your 300 year old house ... you don't find any of those here in Australia! and wow, your daughter looks very adventurous and brave by the looks of that photo - you must be very proud of her :)