The Doggy Diaries... gone to the dogs!

Thursday's Thirteen No. 5

Thirteen Things I Am Thankful For

1. Of all the blessings in my life, I am most thankful for my husband. He is the light of my life and the only person who can always make me smile, even when I'm sad and feeling rather blue. He is the very best friend I've ever had. Having seen how few truly good men there are in this world (I'm talking about real men here, folks, not boys whose bodies have aged and matured but who still act like the boys they are. I'm talking about men who own up to their responsibilities, who do what it takes to get the job done with work ethics that are par excellence, who would never think of being unfaithful or disrespectful to their wives, and who take immense pride in providing for their families no matter how hard they have to work to do so.), it boggles my mind that I was one of the lucky few. You know what I'm talking about, don't you? ... I was one of the lucky women who, in my random travels through life, happened to bump in to one of the dwindling number of real men out there. Not only did I bump in to him, but I ended up marrying him! To me, that is a miracle beyond all belief, yet here I am, living this miracle every day. So yes, I am most thankful for my darlin' hubby. He's the absolute best!
2. I am incredibly thankful that both DH and I are, as far as we know, in very good health. Having seen some of the medical ailments inflicting other members of my family, how common poor health is among the population in general, how ailments and poor health impact daily life and the stress and worry they bring, it is both a wonder and something to be truly thankful for that both of us are doing as well as we are.
3. I am thankful that I live in a comfortable, homey abode located in a nice neighborhood where I don't have to fear for my personal safety. That may not make sense to some people, but a scant three years ago, we lived in such a neighborhood. At the end of our time there, things had become quite bad, indeed, and even though I had a very large dog to "protect" me, I was still very scared of walking around in that neighborhood. So having enough money to afford to live somewhere other than a neighborhood like that makes me very thankful.
4. I am thankful that (knock on wood) we have reliable vehicles to get us to and from work each day. I've had an unreliable car before, and the stress of worrying if the car would turn over in the morning or leave me stranded on the highway took it's toll on me. Now, not only do I have a reliable vehicle, but I have one of those "real men" husbands who takes pride in maintaining our vehicles better than I would expect from a dealership! All I need do is mention that I think the oil needs changing, or I saw a drop of fluid on the driveway, and he's out there giving it his 100-point inspection. And if he discovers that it will be a bit expensive to repair the problem, we don't stress over it because both cars are paid-in-full, so the money we save in car payments each month can go into repairs when the need arises. True, our vehicles are both more than ten years old, but they run like champs. What a feeling that is! ** Now throwing a bit of salt over my shoulder, knocking on my wooden desk, and making sure I don't cross paths with a black cat or accidentally break a mirror! **
5. I am thankful that I have three (yes, three!) families who love me and will be there for me, no questions asked, if I ever need anything. That kind of family support is something I've always had, but never fully appreciated because I just believed that all families were that way. (Naive? Absolutely! Then again, I've always been fairly naive and gullible about many things.) Now, as I've grown older, I've learned that not everyone is blessed with such wonderful families, and I am truly thankful for mine. Let this be an example that just because you may have had something all your life and never realized how special it is doesn't mean that you can't one day grow to appreciate what's been right under your nose the entire time.
6. I am thankful that my life has settled down and is no longer worthy of being nominated for a daytime Emmy. Yes, I am a drama queen, but thanks to the influence of my stable and rock-solid husband, I have entered Drama Queens Anonymous and am in rehab. My time in the theatre has pretty much come to an end. Oh, sure, every once in a while the stage still beckons, but my performances are becoming fewer and farther between. Believe me ... that's a GOOD thing!

Hmm ... this list is so serious it would make a great Hallmark film or television show for the WE network. Let's lighten it up a bit, shall we?

7. I am thankful for ... what else? The Sims! Those wonderful little walking, talking ones and zeros that exist nowhere but in the cyberspace of my computer. To have such control, such power ... I'm a god, and don't anyone forget it. Let no Sim anger me lest I teach them how vengeful gods really act. They might find themselves living in a one room shack with no plumbing and only an outhouse with no walls to relieve themselves. Or, worse yet, they might find themselves stuck in the purgatory that is the "Sim-bin." Ha ha ha ha ha! Cackle cackle! Ha ha ha! ** storm clouds start to swirl above me **
8. I am thankful for American Express for allowing me to spend so freely. They're just so generous and altruistic to let me spend and spend on anything I need without having to fork over any Ben Franklins. Well, generous, that is, until the end of the month when, strangely, they like to send me a statement and proceed to act as if I actually owe them something! Harumpf! The nerve of some people. ;)
9. I am thankful that I am a safe driver. Otherwise, I'm sure my auto insurance company would have a field day with my premiums!
10. I am thankful to have great hair. It's thick, and other women have always commented positively on it's color. DH is now in charge of cutting my hair, but when I used to get it cut at a salon, the stylists would always gush over my hair. Not that I'm some kind of remarkable beauty in any other physical aspect, but my hair really is top notch.
11. Speaking of physical attributes, I am thankful for my freckles. ** thinking, thinking ** Nope, sorry, 'bout that. I must take back those words. No matter how silly I'm trying to be, acting thankful for something that has done nothing but garner me strange looks and teasing comments is beyond my capacity as a drama queen. So, let me think. What can I put in place of freckles here? Oh, I know. I've got it! ... I'm thankful for the spiders living in our house. Yes, they love to annoy me with the cobwebs they leave all over. But darn it, if it weren't for cleaning up after those spiders, I'd have nothing to do around the house! How boring would my life be then?!? ** wink, wink **
12. I am thankful for Post-It Notes without which I wouldn't be nearly as organized as I am. Plus, they come in such wonderful colors these days. No longer am I limited to light yellow. Now I can really shout from the top of my lungs, "Hey, look at me! I'm so effervescent that I need lime green Post-Its to write my To-Do lists!"
13. I am thankful for Tapioca pudding. DH loves the stuff, especially when I make it from scratch. When he's devouring an entire container of my homemade Tapioca pudding, it's like hearing the words "You're a culinary goddess. Thank you, my dear wife, for opening my eyes to another level of Tapioca. I never knew pudding could be this good." Ha ha! OK. So he doesn't say that. But we can all make-believe, can't we?!?

So have a wonderful Thanksgiving, everyone! I'll see you on the flip-side of turkey day when the real craziness for the year begins. Au revoir!