On Tuesday I was thankful I no longer lived in East Tennessee where they had sleet and snow. It was a relief to know that friends and family were being careful and were safe.

I was grateful that the wind and rain storms north of us that brought tornadoes didn't hit Panama City Beach where dear friends live.

I was grateful that our weather never became as stormy as earlier predicted and we simply had clouds a little rain and some strong winds.

I am grateful that today the sun is shinning and although the temperatures are dropping we have a sunny cold here in Florida. This is especially appreciated when you are solar powered as I am.

I am grateful that I am healthy and able to bake cookies, cupcakes and cakes to pass out to the local Fire Departments on Thanksgiving. It is my personal long standing tradition. It feels wonderful to see their faces when I drop them off and they ask if they had done something for me during the year and I say no - it is just a little thank you.

I took my grandsons Jake and Jonah with me last year when they were here visiting. They enjoyed the first few but quickly got tired of riding from one Firehouse to the next, so we stopped and I delivered the remainder the next day. It may have been a short delivery day on Thanksgiving however it was fantastic to share the experience with them. They even got to sit in a fire truck and got hats.

Friday: I am thankful that I had a phone interview for a job that sounds well suited to my experience and skills. It has resulted in an opportunity for an in-person job interview the week after Thanksgiving.

Saturday: I am thankful that I saw the movie, "The Christmas Candle" it was lovely and a terrific way to get into the holiday spirit. I have always been a believer in miracles and a noticer of the many daily miracles that happen everyday. This movie was wonderful.

Sunday: I am thankful for my heating pad! My back hurt when I awoke and it provided great relief.

I am thrilled and grateful that my mammogram came back clear. The words on the report: "Your results from the following lab test are normal." I immediately said a prayer of gratitude.

Today I am thankful for overdraft protection. I totally forgot the date and the automatic withdrawal for my health insurance took place before I transferred money from savings to checking.

Today I was at the VA Hospital and grateful for the service of all the men and women I saw there. This holiday season I want to do something to show my appreciation for their service and sacrifice. I may not have much money; however, I care and thanks to my parents' genes I am creative.

This Monday I am thankful that my body was able to take me on a 5 mile walk around Seminole Park and most importantly; that my family and friends were spared from the storms last night.

Today I am grateful that while kayaking on the Little Manatee River I only "saw" gators sunning on the shore and going into the water. I didn't encounter them any closer. It was a reminder not to hang my foot over the side. I am sincerely grateful I didn't capsize and no one else did either. It was scary. Kayaking was still awesome fun!

Saturday the carpets got cleaned! Now that is a great reason to be thankful and I am.

Tonight I am praying that the storms bashing the midwest ease. I am praying that all in its path remain safe and the destruction small.

After a very trying week, this email touched my heart.

Hello, Judy
Thank you so much for the Islander Reporter. I truly enjoyed the article, which - of course- shows how brave you are.
And most of all want to thank you for writing your little book, which I have in my Nook since April and I must tell you that it arrived at a most appropriate time. I have shared it with people at my Cancer Center, my oncologist and many of my co-patients.
Your grace and humor have helped me through my most difficult times.
But, of course, I remember always your smile and your positive attitude.
My hopes and prayers are for you to stay well and strong.
All the best to you always

Irma Neel

Grateful that I don't live in a sink hole area. A couple of homes and boat were swallowed up in Dunedin. It was a relief to learn that my friend who lives there was safe and her home unharmed. With so many disasters happening in the world I am grateful to be safe.

Today I am thankful that I live in a condo because I left a candle lit in the kitchen. I totally forgot. Thankfully, I remembered before it was too late. I called the Guard House and someone from maintenence went in and blew it out.

Today, 11/12/13, I had my annual Mammogram. I am thankful that I had a lady who was professional and kind.

Sunday night, 11/10/13, I am thankful that in the wee small hours of the night I was able to substitue sleep for helping someone gain a new more positive perspective on a most challenging situation. Feeling helpful was a wonderful gift.

Saturday, 11/9/13, I was thankful that although my day didn't go as planned it was still good. This time instead of saying I had to settle for Plan B it was more like an altered Plan A.

Friday, 11/8/13, I got to go to the movies. I saw Thor and thought it was entertaining and surprisingly funny. Thor was fighting the powers trying to reign darkness on the worlds. It reminded me of a story I was writing many years ago as I was moving to Florida. It was about the Crystal Kingdom and the Knights that were fighting the evil power of darkness. I was thankful for the memory and for the people and situation it brought to mind. (smiling).
                                    

On Wednesday I was grateful that when the light went on telling me my tire was low, all it needed was air. It wasn't all the way flat.

Today I am thankful that my tires were still inflated this morning. I am thankful I wasn't involved in the accident on the Howard Franklin as I headed to Tampa Airport and that no one appeared to be injured. I was just delayed. I am thankful that I was able to reciprocate and pick-up my friend Mark. His lovely lady Christina had to work. Thankful that he had a safe flight back to Florida from Michigan.

In advance, I confess to being thankful tomorrow is Friday.

"There's a lot going on in the world today - and every day - that challenges our patience and pushes us to the edges of what we believe our limitations to be.

Technology has increased our expectations of "instant gratification". When technology doesn't walk the talk, shazam!

Mother Nature likes to shake things up a bit and let us know time stands still for no one, and just when you think you are in charge, you get a wake up call. You plan your day to head in one direction, and sometimes, off you go in another. (Hopefully, that direction was not influenced by ice, a deer in the road, or a zombie.)

Roadblocks come in the form of floods, broken promises, hiccups, fallen trees, illness, co-workers, missing trail markers, locked doors, bills, muscle sprains, no running water, change of heart and so much more.

Where does that lead you? Into the land of choice. One step back, two steps forward. Be brave, be strong. Even when you think you've got nothing left. You'll make progress. You'll surprise yourself. You'll be one of the changes you want to see in the world. Yay, you!"

"We must accept life for what it actually is - a challenge to our quality without which we should never know of what stuff we are made, or grow to our full stature." ~ Robert Louis Stevenson

My son Jim's bathroom drain is repaired. When I stayed there a couple of weeks ago the pipes made an on-going drumming sound. Happily, that has been fixed.

Today it is easy to be thankful. I am thankfulfor a long conversation with my daughter-in-love Carol. A beautiful picture from my sister Wendy. A picture from my neice Jasmine featuring her new home, beautiful. An e-mail from a friend from long ago High School showing he remembered something special about me. He remembered that over the years I shared that I enjoy wearing high heels. The clicking makes me smile and gives me confidence. These people thought of me today (smiling).

November 2nd. I am thankful to hear that Jack Peavy's daughter Sharon took him for his check-up at Mayo and although all the news wasn't what was wished for, new meds are being tried and I am grateful for these possibilities.

November 3rd. I am grateful that the weather was so beautiful today. It was wonderful to be able to drive around with the top down in November.

November 1, 2013

I am thankful that my grandson Jonah is okay after accidentally being hurt tonight.