grateful in a nutshell....

October 14, 2019 Arlene Giddings

a random grateful list in which i try not to be too sappy or lame::

family & friends that are always there for me…even when I seem to push people away
my kids…i know they fall under family but really, they get a line of their own. There is literally nothing that makes me happier than these two humans. Sometimes it takes my breath away a little bit…how much I love them. I would be lost without them.
a job that i love
health
home (even though it is acting like a temper tantrum-y 2 year old lately)
books that provide me an escape from real life occasionally
dirt roads
microwave popcorn
geese
fall leaves
hot chocolate
polka dots
people who make me laugh really hard (even if it is sometimes at my own expense)
ice cream
early morning texts/late night phone calls
homemade (not by me) chocolate chip cookies
turkey dinner (not made by me)
new-to-me treadmill
a working furnace
naps
that people are always so sweet & supportive about all of my little “interests” (ie cards; 50 before 50; blog; patreon; etc, etc, etc)
lemon squares…well…lemon anything really….
heated blankets
good conversation & connections
cold diet coke in a can
music (that also provides an escape sometimes)

Happy Thanksgiving…and I am not sure it has to be said
but I am seriously grateful for every person that stops by this
little space in the internetsphere to read my ramblings…so…yeah..you!! :)

out and about...

June 23, 2018 Arlene Giddings

If you have been here before,
you know I like to try to get out and about
with my camera and some diet coke
every Friday...well...really...every chance I can get
when it's nice out, Friday or not.
I am definitely not limiting myself to Fridays
but they often work best.

A couple of weeks ago,
I had no plan in mind but wanted to
go on a trail.
I love trails...but have become slightly
nervous of coyotes after hearing a portion of a trail
that I have been on before had been closed
due to coyote behavior....
and I'm not going to lie....
my personality is naturally a little anxious
so this...well...it freaked me out a bit.

So I thought I would do the Cavendish Grove trail
because it seems to be pretty wide
and groomed and well traveled.
And I told myself coyotes don't go to Cavendish,
it's for the tourists.
I told myself coyotes don't go to the beach.
I told myself it would be ok.

And it was.
I walked part of the trail. I still haven't done the
"Homestead Trail" because I didn't bring any water,
or anything to eat, or most importantly, bug spray.
So I had to save that part for another day.

But I did stop at a bench that overlooked the dunes
and a shallow expanse of blue water.
There were ducks and geese just hanging out...
until suddenly, there was a loud ruckus
and everyone was flying and diving and quacking and honking
and I saw an eagle fly over the tops of the trees.

At least...I think it was an eagle. Hahaha.

It's funny how Cavendish Grove still reminds me
so strongly of Rainbow Valley.
It's a little bittersweet to visit that spot.
But, then, I am glad that at least we are still able to go there,
I am grateful for the park and trails it has been turned into.

it's the teeny tiny things that count...

January 10, 2018 Arlene Giddings

even when things suck,
there are always good things...
you just might have to
look a little bit harder for them...
but they are there.

TODAY
♥ all that was wrong with the car was a fuse...and it was fixed right in my driveway
♥ a beautiful mild night after the last couple of days of frigid cold
♥ counting the stars while taking the dog out
♥ hitting 20.00 right on the mark at the gas pump...i love when that happens
♥ sweating out my stress and frustrations on the treadmill to REALLY loud music
♥ jet stream so strong in the hot tub that i literally can't stand up against it...it pushes me across the hot tub but it feels awesome on my neck & shoulders!
♥ lunch with a best friend

♥ lemon lemon 7 up...it's very very lemony
♥ new moisturizer that makes my skin feel awesome
♥ texts from a best friend
♥ the sauna all to myself
♥ an interview for something interesting for my boy...fingers crossed...but thankful either way for the thoughtful teacher that went out of his way to recommend him for this.
♥ the sunset that i could see from the treadmill...it literally seemed to last forever...or...an hour anyway
♥ studded tires
♥ being tagged in silly things by my girl...which is kind of our way of saying i miss you...

and really....what more needs to be said.
plus....LOOK HOW CUTE THEY ARE....oh my heart.

random gratefulness...

October 11, 2016 Arlene Giddings

thanksgiving is over...
but in the spirit of thanksgiving,
here is a very random list of things
that i have recently been
thankful for...

my family and friends
a warm cozy orange house
fall leaves
dirt roads
marshmellow bananas
3 day old chicken fricot
tylenol
youtube yoga videos (especially those specific to calming raging headaches)
hot apple cider
pjs with feet
maple french toast bagels
trips to moncton to see my girl
jasmine thomspon
hazelnut cream candles
secret weddings

tragically hip
a huge flock of geese that flew right towards my window at work
pigs
judge judy
tomato soup with basil

getting lost on dirt roads and finding my way out of trails in the woods

sugar doughnuts
forehead kisses
the song emma wrote

polka dot rain boots
people so sweet and supportive at the bullet journal session i did
watching almost famous again
that campbell knows all the words to tiny dancer
talking to my mom on the phone
bonecrushing hugs
early morning mist in the fields

friday i'm in love (summary::may)

June 3, 2016 Arlene Giddings

i keep a gratitude list where
i try to write 3 things every day
that make me happy.

here are some of the things
that made the cut
in May:

watercolor robots
sunshine
no headache today
game of thrones with stirling
canned corn
pc points
perfectly cold coconut cream pie from water st bakery
a good hair day
chicken fricot
polka dot rubber boots
a new space to put my pens and stuff
emma's mother's day gift...so sweet
seeing my family out in the sticks
surprise smurfs at work
emma playing purple rain on guitar
got my new bullet journal
robot shoes and mismatched socks
blackberry gingerale
my bff starting working days
bridget left me a comment
living your potential course
an unexpected and very sweet gift of a zentangle book
5 days off in a row!
emma got accepted to a school
hiking adventures with an old friend & a hand drawn map
oreo cookies
bare feet
campbell treating to ice cream at dairy bar
felicia day liked my tweet!
canned corn
overboard with emma and stirling
milk duds
giggly texts with M when i was stressed out and needed a release (& also couldn't find a bathroom...which i also really needed...)
sunshine when they called for rain
a trip to kool breeze with my mom
recreating the "little red car" photo
bob's burgers
stovetop dressing
bare legs
emma and her 8 chocolate bars
stirling's bone crushing back cracking hugs ♥