Three Things...Gratitude Thread

[leebee]

One year, when she was living in Connecticut, DD came home for Mother's Day. It was a 6 hour drive for her to come home just to go to brunch with me, so that was pretty special. I nearly died when, sitting at brunch, I opened my Mother's Day card to find tickets to see Paul McCartney at Madison Square Garden! She knew seeing Paul was a bucket-list thing for me, and she made it happen!

Arriving home after work on my 50th birthday to find my sister, brother-in-law, and two nieces sitting in my living room!

I'll work on the third one...

 

[SpaceMan5]

Another vote for slow mornings - I love being the first one up and having my coffee with a cuddly kitty cat

You can count me in as well. There is nothing better than being up early before anyone else and enjoying the quietness, no tv's on, no cars driving around in the neighborhood, dishwasher, clothes washer, dryer all quiet etc
Having some coffee but having our two days hanging out with me on the couch.

 

[SpaceMan5]

I wish I could say hitting the lottery was an unexpected surprise for me.....but off to work I go.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Wildlife spotting in nature- You never know if you’re going to see anything or what you’ll see if you do. There’s nothing like being on a trail and suddenly spotting something you weren’t expecting…and hopefully it’s also a safe distance when the unexpected occurs.

DD18s IG reels- She loves to pm me reels now that she’s away from home. I never know when to expect them, but every now and then she’ll send one that has a “I never knew how awesome my mom is…” theme. Even better when it’s just because vs. buttering me up to ask for something.

@SpaceMan5 inspired this next one…not quite the lottery, but I love it when I win with one of our prize related fundraisers. I was talking to a softball dad earlier today and we shared that whenever we have to do things like raffle tickets and football squares, we just buy them ourselves because everyone else we know has similar fundraising and expenses for sports. It doesn’t happen often, but it’s really nice when I do and can win some of it back. Great unexpected surprise.

 

[WDWEPCOT]

I surprised myself I found a nice dress in my closet I don’t recall purchasing and it’s perfect for my upcoming cruise !!! I seriously can’t recall buying this dress

 

[leebee]

OK, I have a third. Gonna go with wildlife spottings. I love to come around a bend and see a flock of turkeys crossing the road or a herd of deer, feeding in a field. I've lived in New England the majority of my life, but summer 2023 was the very first time I'd ever seen a moose. DD and I were out driving, and I was hopeful but not optimistic, when suddenly we saw a young moose feeding in a marshy area by the side of the road. We pulled over and watched him for about 15 minutes, until he meandered on. It was amazing!

 

[WDWEPCOT]

An item on my wildlife checklist I have yet to be able to check off good for you!!! I was so hoping to see one in Alaska but I did not get so lucky!! That is one piece of wildlife I am not gonna find in my backyard! And if I do that is one lost moose so cool you got to see one !!

 

[SpaceMan5]

Got one more...how about finding some folded up cash stuffed into a jacket pocket you haven't worn since last fall

 

[bluecastle]

I would have to say the day my doctor confirmed that I was pregnant. We had been trying for 2 years, and though I hoped it would happen someday, actually having it happen was the best surprise ever!!

Surprise encounters/sightings of famous people. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. My favorite was shaking Bobby Kennedy’s hand when he was running for the Senate in NY. My dad scoped out the area and figured we might have a chance of being close in this one spot, and after he made is speech, he walked right by me and shook my hand! I never wanted to wash it. ( I was 12) On the streets of NYC, I have seen Carol Channing, Frank Zappa (talked to him), and Diane Keaton, all in the 1970’s. Probably more that I just can’t think of now.

I was totally surprised at my baby shower, even though I had seen a car that looked just like my sister-in-law’s parked down the block. (Talk about pregnancy making you stupid) But the best surprise of all was seeing my godmother there. I had not seen her for years (long story) and I was so surprised to see her there that I burst into tears. (Pregnancy may have had a hand in the as well)

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Leebee, I love your family surprise memory! How very special indeed.

Thank you all, always, for sharing

 

[PollyannaMom]

In honor of:

(apparently, Oct. 21st is one of the dates they travel to in the movie franchise)

Today's Topic (Mon, 10/21) - 3 things you're grateful for that are different now, or that weren't around, when you were born (technology, opportunities, conveniences, etc.)

 

[slo]

Good Monday Morning

#1 - The Internet - I’m sure this answer will be for most of. It’s amazing what the internet provides for us and I’m so grateful for it every day.

#2 - Cars - It’s amazing how cars have changed over the years. Never did I think I’d own a car that used gas and battery to make it run - my hybrid is a wonderful thing and I’m grateful every day that I’m getting 40 miles per gallon.

#3 - Amazon - Who would have thought that one day we could shop with the internet and have the item we ordered the next day or same day? No one - none of us thought this. Amazon is awesome and I use it all the time - especially in the winter when it’s cold out and dark out early.

 

[WDWEPCOT]

Air conditioning in cars !!! OMG so nice !!! Heated Seats / heated steering wheel / 5 way adjustable seats / memory for where you like YOUR seat position/ power you name it on the car - windows / door locks / brakes / tinted glass / CUP holders / Sirius radio - does any of this tell you I have a long commute??

Washer / Dryers - so many more options these days than when I was a kid - these machines do everything but fold the laundry for you !! I love the new technology on them until it breaks had a motherboard go out on a dryer 2nd week I had it thankfully warranty took care of it but still took several weeks

Cell Phones - internet and phones at your fingertips - what an amazing thing !! I can chat with my friend in the UK anytime I want - a friend I made on the DIS on my phone using the internet who would have thought we would have been doing that 40 yrs ago ??? I use that example because it’s overseas and you could never afford to call overseas I mean long distance in US was bad but overseas calls were insane !!! I’m grateful I can talk to all my friends no matter where they are and my friends are all over !!!

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Good Monday morning everyone

Kindle as it allows me to both read Ebooks and watch worship services along with movies.

I sure am extra grateful right now for my recliner chair which I don't believe was around when I was born.

Definitely Amazon and other delivery options.

 

[leebee]

The internet. Hands down, probably the most life-changing thing since the printing press.

Advances in medicine, from huge, insightful research and cures to small things, like shots don't hurt as much anymore because the physical state of the vaccine/medication is better AND they don't have to use big, honking needles anymore!

Remote control for the TV. When I was a kid, the remote control in our house was named "leebee!" Remember having to change channels, adjust the volume, vertical, and horizontal controls, wiggle around the antenna for a better signal? Now I just lazily sit in my recliner or in bed, changing channels, getting better, clearer pictures, etc. How times have changed!

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Modern Features in Cars - DD15 and I were out the other night practicing parking (in a truck that I can't even park). I remember rolling down the window to see if she was in the lines and thinking about how many of the vehicles in my childhood had manual window cranks. The following day, I was doing something in my vehicle where I had to put my window down and it reminded me of earlier versions of electric windows where you had to hold the button vs. the modern single touch. Of course, there are a million and one other features we have now that weren't even a dream back in my youth. I was talking to a dad the other day (we have the same vehicle) and we were marveling about our heads up displays and how it even knows the speed limit.

eResources - I loved a trip to the library as a kid, but sometimes the books you needed were checked out or in use by others. This plagued me through college. Nowadays, there are so many digital/web-based options that much of that info is now right at your fingertips without ever leaving your home desk. Of course, it doesn't replace the feeling of cracking open a good book (hence why I never went for a Kindle), but kids today have no idea how much it helps with work.

Online Shopping/Shipping - Amazon is king, but there are a number of online shopping options that make life easier. I often put in a grocery order via our supermarket's app. Even if I shop in person, we still have the luxury of clipping digital coupons to apply to our order. Even the app has a virtual version of the shopper card so there's no more alternate ids or fumbling for cards when going to check out. Beyond that, I love putting in a pick up order at Office Depot, Walmart or one of the local sporting goods stores and just having it waiting for me when I'm ready.

 

[WDWEPCOT]

Talking about vehicles / tell you your tire pressure it tells you when you need an oil change it still has idiot lights but it tells you what’s wrong with the big red warning You have GPS now so you can get lost with GPS it’ll talk to you and tell you where to go and then tell you to redirect when you get lost because it tells you five seconds before you need to know that you need take that turn it warned you on cars are around you when you’re driving it warned you when anyone’s around you when you’re backing up my car will even stop if anything around it when I’m backing up in my car will freak out if I’m about to hit something even if I’m not about to hit something and it thinks I’m about to hit something I really like these features in cars and I’m very grateful for them

 

[bluecastle]

Cell phones. Remember having a landline and only one person could use the phone at a time? Remember busy signals? Paying for every long distance call and paying more before a certain time at night? And for those of us who liked to pace while we talked, that cord was always getting tangled.

I’m with leebee on TV remotes. And there’s so much more you can do with them than just change channels!

I’d have to say medical treatments as well, being the beneficiary of cancer treatment that has changed over the years. I know so many people who are living with cancer rather than dying from it because of current treatment options.

 

[WDWEPCOT]

Medicine too !! Lots more and some of it a lot better for you !!

 

[PollyannaMom]

Agree with many already posted! - medical advances, internet, etc.

Also adding - the microwave (which was invented quite a while before I was born, but didn't become common in American kitchens until I was a teenager) - It saves so much time, and rescues my coffee from "the chill of distraction" almost daily.