Thursday, February 26, 2015

Gratitude for February



The last Thursday of each month there is a posting about Gratitude over at Vidya Sury's blog. One writes about 3 things that one is grateful for.

Now February has been a cold, cold month in my neck of the woods. It was a balmy -15C today but with the windchill it felt more like -35C. I mean...really?  Why not just chop my nose and toes off ahead of time. I did have things happen or came at a time when I needed it and for that I am so grateful.

1. The Oscars-yup that long, long , long..zzzzz show that only geeky film nuts love to watch. I know hardly anyone who likes to watch the Oscars with me except for my friend, Ron, who comes over every year with his predictions. My hubby, bless his heart, would never watch them but he does because he knows how much I like this awards show. It  reminds me of the times, many years ago, when I would watch this with my Dad. He has been dead for 27 years and this is one of the times I miss him.

2. My friend V.J. also known as Vancouver Jeff not to be confused with my ex-Jeff. I have known this man since 1985 and we had many memorable ( well we really don't remember but that was the fun) times together. He has been my brother in so many ways and I can always count on him even when I call him an ass. He is this right now and you will agree with me because he is on an island in Thailand and has been there since November. He won't be back until April. He works like crazy during the tourist months taking people to Banff, Jasper and Lake Louise staying in 5 star hotels (bastard) and enjoying the great food, sights and everything the hotel has to offer. He makes enough money that he can take off for the past 3 years and just enjoy life in Thailand (Bastard). He has been snorkeling, swimming and enjoying life. The beautiful thing is he calls me regularly and just when I needed him, he called and I felt better.  He knew what to say to make me laugh, forget my pain and joke about life.

3. We have 4 cats and one doggie and I will showcase all of them but the one I wish to showcase this time is our Jade. Now I have a niece Jade and she is my wonderful sweetheart but she is in that stage of she knows all and has disdain for anything she considers mediocre (she read Nietzche when she was 15 for crap's sake-who does that??) because she is all of 19-ughhh. Nope this is about our loving Jade (you know the one from my earlier post). She is a rescue kitty who was left in a home with other kittens and they were so hungry they ended up eating crayons. We took her and she is just the bees knees. She purrs and head butts us constantly. In the morning, after breakfast, she comes to me and sits on top of my chest while I am watching T.V. and then butts my face and licks me. We have a love fest and how can I not be grateful for that! Yes she was a bad girl with our Wallace a few months back but she just loves. She purrs and needs constant love and that is the sweetest thing that even I go awwweeeee.

What have you been grateful for this past month?

59 comments:

  1. Jade found a good home with you,
    Someday you should go visit Jeff. Sounds like his life is quite the adventure.

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    1. I would love to visit him there...he does have an adventurous life

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  2. Birgit.....a cuddle from my great neice...she calls me granma as she doesn't have one....makes up for all the rest! xxxxx

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  3. Is that Jade in the picture? She is a beauty!
    We also have four cats and a dog!!!

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    1. Yup that is our lovey Jade:) You have the same amount of pets as we do-wild!

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  4. Jade is a very pretty cat! Glad she found a home with you guys. I agree with what Alex said, maybe a trip to visit Jeff could be in order some day (maybe Jeff could help pay for the trip too :)

    I'm grateful for our second month in our new location going pretty well with us getting around learning new things and seeing new things ;)

    betty

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    1. Jade is our sweetie and one day would love to visit V.J. Glad you are getting to know your new surrounding

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  5. Your Jade is very gorgeous, glad she found a home.

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  6. I'm grateful for the writing I've gotten done so far. I'm grateful for my family and all we mean to each other, and I'm grateful it's almost five o'clock--quitting time. :-

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    1. It's wonderful to hear how well you are doing with your writing and family is always important. Quitting time is the bees knees:)

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  7. Wow, sounds like he has the perfect job. Where can I sign up? lol

    She sure found a great home with you and loves it through and through.

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    1. Oh...yes he has...seeing all the sights from glaciers to horseback riding and then he can go to Whistler or on a cruise to Alaska...all work! The bugger! He does work his butt off though and has to deal with many characters.

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  8. Jade is a cutie patootie. I like the image of her laying on your chest as you watch TV. Your V.J. has the job I always wanted when I was a young thing. :-)

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    1. She is a cutie and licks me and head butts me and purrs. So does V.J. until I squirt him with a water bottle:)

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  9. I love your Jade. I am grateful for seeing Garrison Keillor with Favorite Young Man. I am grateful for all the comments on my blog. I am grateful that The Hurricane and Physicist adopted a kitty. He is my grandkitty.

    Love,
    Janie

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    1. Glad to hear you had a wonderful month and that another kitty found a home

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  10. What a nice list. At the moment I'm sniffling, so I guess the only thing I'm grateful for right now is our wonderful weather. And that this ick I'm feeling will pass.

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    1. It always sucks to be ill so I wish you a speedy recovery

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  11. It sounds like Vancouver Jeff is one blessed man. He has a great life and a great friend in you. I love this post!

    I'm grateful for my improving health. Even with a migraine today - I'm still able to keep a part-time job. W00t!!

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    1. He does have a great life. I am glad you are improving as migraines are just horrible so I hope it passes soon

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  12. Jade looks very sweet and innocent.

    I'm grateful to be alive, in good health, to see the sunshine and for kindhearted peeps like you who make me laugh.

    Happy weekend, Birgit.

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    1. She is sweet and somewhat innocent:) Glad you have sunshine and health is always #1

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  13. It's wonderful to have a friend who really "gets" you. I don't know what I'd do without mine. Jade is such a cutie! I'm convinced having loving pets de-stresses people and adds years to their lives.

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    1. I have known this man for 30 yrs and we get each other. It is wonderful and I am blessed to have great friends. Animals help people in so many ways and they definitely calm them down

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  14. I'm sorry you lost your dad so long ago. It sounds like you have some wonderful friends though, and I'm glad your hubby was a good sport about watching the Oscars with you. I'm sure you kept them laughing through the whole boring ceremony! Oh and Jade is adorable!

    Julie

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    1. I lost my dad when I was 23 and it is sad that I did not have him longer. I don't know of an Oscar ceremony that isn't boring:) Jade deserves all the hugs

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  15. Jade is a doll... according to Richard Parker. He's a ladies' man, that one!
    Grateful? Plenty reasons to be... an endless list. And you're on it too! Grateful our "paths" crossed, we share a fulfilling hobby, you make me smile, laugh, spill my coffee, and I can mutter "oh she's as nutty as I am" and not feel bad about it! Thank you, Birgit. Now get yourself on a plane and visit VJ. Thailand trumps Canadian winter, I'd say!
    hugs, Asha

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    1. That is so sweet for you to say this and Richard Parker is a sweetie too, that ladie's man:) One day I would love to visit my friend in Thailand

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  16. I am laughing over Vancouver Jeff - yeah! Ya know, if I'd lived nearer, I'd have watched the Oscars with you. I have a thing for these award shows and love them!

    Sweet Jade! ♥ I am grateful for a whole lot of things and right now - especially for painkillers!

    Just two days back my friend called from Toronto and we had fun b*itching - she about the cold there and I about the heat where I live, wishing we could swap some of it. Take care. Cold makes me shudder!

    Thanks for joining the Gratitude Circle, Birgit! Am looking forward to A to Z with you!

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    1. It would be fun to watch the Oscars with you:) Painkillers do help and I am hoping we will get a little warmer..A bitchfest with a friend is always great

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  17. It sounds like you have great things to be grateful for this month- even in the freezing cold. Love that your friend calls you just when you need him! Jade is too cute. :) I am grateful for my friends, getting oil delivered on time so we didn't run out, and good books from the library. :)
    ~Jess

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    1. Oh in the winter you don't want to be without heat. Glad the oil came and that you have a library nearby.

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  18. We adopted a Siamese once, about three years old. She had been abused, but she gave me that look that said 'please, take me, I'll try to be good'. And she was....one the sweetest cats I've ever had. I still miss her to this day.

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    1. Love to see a picture of your cat even if she is in heaven. It is hard when we lose a pet. I still mourn the loss of my Katie girl but I can smile at all the memories I had with her

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  19. Is it true when a black cat crosses your path that its good luck? Theres a black cat at work that tippy toed all the way over to me. She was meeowwing and trying to tell me something but I know not what. Your Jade sounds like a really friendly cat.

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    1. Black Cat is supposed to be bad luck sadly. This is why there are more black cats in the SPCA/Humane Society. I think this pussy cat is asking to come home with you and deserves to be all snuggled up

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  20. I like Thai food a lot--one of my favorite styles of cooking--but I'm not sure that would be enough to entice me to stay in Thailand (or even a beautiful Thai island) for months. I like home too much and we have a wonderful Thai restaurant down the street from us.

    Arlee Bird
    A to Z Challenge Co-host
    Tossing It Out

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    1. My friend is a bit of a nomad. I love Thai food myself but not too much in hot land for me:) My friend says the food is almost always very hot and they have 30+ weather right now(celcius).

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  21. Jade's a beautiful cat. I have 4 dogs and 2 cats, all of which are rescues, and I couldn't imagine life without them.

    And I don't know him, but can I call Jeff a bastard too? I spent a few months in Thailand about 5-6 years ago and it was just beyond amazing. No 5 star hotels for me, but the beaches are the most beautiful I've ever seen in the world and sleeping on the beach with the waves crashing right against the cottage walls is like heaven on earth.

    (Note: I was there a few months to train Muay Thai kickboxing, not to be creepy with cheap prostitutes)

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    1. Oh yes you have a perfect right to call him that:) Last year he went on a boat trip where he slept in a hammock on deck and watched the midnight sky, swam with jellyfish(they did not sting) and beautiful tropical fish. That is cool that you do kickboxing

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  22. I'm grateful for friends and family.

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  23. Grateful? February's been rough. Can't deny it. I'm very grateful to have a loving home. Even when we're all fighting off ailments of one kind or another, we do love each other.

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    1. February has been a long month even if it is short. I am glad that it is only -6C today and tomorrow -1C. My hubby is sick now too

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    2. Sorry to hear about your husband. I hope he gets better soon!

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  24. I'm so glad you said that about the Oscars. I felt like I was the only one NOT watching but now that you mention it, I didn't see many people talking about it on Facebook--not compared to events like the Super Bowl. I went through an era where I cared about movies--mostly in my 20s--but I eventually grew out of it. I think at one time all the movie stars are your age or slightly older and you look up to them...then you pass that age and one day you go to the movies for the first time in two years and realized every actor in the previews is young enough to be your child...then grandchild...

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    1. I agree with all the young people at these awards who have no idea who Bob Hope is or John Wayne which is so sad since they are legends in their industry. I have never seen the superbowl since sports and me don't click:)

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  25. February was a rough month. The 3rd coldest Feb in Tennessee's history. The last time it was colder than this year was in 1958. But, there is always something to be grateful for,right? Like for the brief moments the temperature got above freezing or that our electricity stayed on during the worst point, and of course DD#2 tonsillectomy went well. She's still unable to eat solids, but hopefully this will change before long. I hope the inconvenience (she's married & this procedure is difficult on grown-ups) this has caused her will be well worth it and that her over-all health improves. I'm even more thankful it's now March. :D

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    1. We have had 23 col weather alerts here for the month of February and sad when we find it warm when it is -6C. I hope she feels better soon as that is never fun

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  26. Sweet kitty! You have be grateful for that one. I watched the Oscars with friends and we had a good time because we ate, drank some good wine and guessed the winners together. That's the only way to get through that marathon.

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    1. Our jade is a keeper:) One has to watch it with friends because it is so long plus we need to cut up the dresses and things that they say...it is our duty:)

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  27. Lots to be grateful for! For me, it's always first and foremost the health and happiness of my family, but I'm also always grateful for my wonderful doggies!

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    1. Family, health and animals are always at the top

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  28. It's always great to be thankful for things in your life! And your kitty is oh-so-adorable!

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