Diane from Colorado was keeping her grandchildren recently and her 4 year old granddaughter asked her this question at bedtime: What was special for you today, Gramma? Her answer? All of it, Sweetie! All of it!
I know most all of you have grandchildren and I thought it might be a question you could use. We could all ask ourselves this question at the end of each day – what was special about today?
Finishing a quilt on the longarm was going to be special to me but after I took a break to do the chores I returned only to have trouble with the bobbin. I put a new one in and I had to pick out two full rows of bad stitches. This is the “look” I was going for:
Uneven lines – can’t do that either. Can’t sew wonky blocks and can’t sew wonky lines. I’m a creature of habit.
I am still receiving the nicest cards from you good people. And today I got another gift in the mail from Kathy B. It will be a perfect winter project – I could hardly look through the box because I’d want to start that project, too. Thank you, Kathy!!!
I’m watching Dexter on Netflix – who said they watched it? Wow, is it bloody and violent!
I will take pictures of Gracie and Greta – a reader said they’re missing them.
As I was getting cheese slices out of the frig tonight to put on top of burgers, I realized our cheese consumption has dropped to zero since Telly is gone. It’s been 3 months and I still find myself looking for her.
The Fever play tomorrow night, Wednesday, at 6 pm against Los Angeles on CBSSN – I honestly have never seen that station so I’ll just have to search. It should be CBS Sports Network but I can’t tell if we get that or not. Why doesn’t one network just pay the big bucks to show all the games????? Grrrr……
The chickens have eaten all the lower leaves of the hydrangeas – this is where they like to hang out.
I got 17 eggs again today – no, I don’t sell them but give them to all my friends. The eggs are still pretty small yet. When choir practice starts I’ll be taking them with me there, too.
I might have to put my hooded coat on tomorrow morning if I insist on drinking coffee in the porch –
I’m a bit late in responding, but each day has been good! Monday (Labor Day) I decided to take my friend who lives across the street to a very large antique mall. He was a bit blue because his family no longer gets together on these holidays for cookouts. We first stopped at IKEA to return a bookcase that refused to go together. I’ve put these things together before with no problem! Getting rid of it was wonderful!! The young lady doing the return for me was so pleasant! Gave her a great review…but won’t be buying any more furniture there! Other things, yes. Next, we spent 2.5 hrs walking the antique mall. He had such a good time! He’s never sure what adventure I have in store for him! I forgot to mention he’s a young 91. Yesterday I drove 40 min to pick up a friend who is legally blind so she could have lunch with us. We all worked together & some have been retired 20 yrs. She does live in the middle of nowhere! We both enjoyed the day & lunch was wonderful!! In a few minutes my 91 yr old friend & I are going for a walk to enjoy this beautiful scenery & weather. So much to be grateful for!! Hope everyone has a wonderful day!
What a heart of gold you have Alice. I know those 2 individuals really appreciate your gesture and time with a friend. These are true gifts. Bless you.
Alice – I think you’ve told us about your 91 year old friend before, right? How fun to have someone stroll thru the antique mall with! Families don’t get together even at my age – we always used to with relatives and friends both. I’ve always said kindness matters and your friends would agree – thanks for being so kind to them!
Mary, yes this is my neighbor & dear friend. 4 years ago his wife passed 2 weeks to the day before my husband did. He was married almost 66 yrs & I was married 55 yrs. He had also just had his 14 yr old pup put down when met him. Bentley & I did a “wellness check” (my pup) & I invited him for dinner as he just needed a good home cooked meal! We started taking evening walks together with my pup. All of my friends have sort of adopted him & he loves always being invited. He also now goes to church with me. He’s a wonderful man & his wife was blessed to have him as her caregiver for 25+ yrs. He’s a true gentleman! My friend who’s legally blind has a heart of gold! I worked with her at Walmart almost 20 yrs ago & she taught me so much about running my dept. I managed the Fabric & Craft dept there when it was 10 times the size it is now! We’ve become very good friends & a couple of us travel 40-45 min to get her when we meet for lunch. As you said Mary, kindness matters. I’m just trying to treat people the same way I want to be treated.
Alice – what’s this guy’s name? I’ll remember him. When’s his birthday? Could we send cards to him?
Mary, his name is Ron & he celebrated his 91st birthday on 7/2! In 2 weeks I’m taking him to Holmes County, OH to celebrate his birthday. He’s a country boy & loves the beauty of Amish Country! I’ll email you his full name & address. So happy you have a date for your surgery & no chemo or radiation needed!! Wish I lived closer I’d be happy to help you with chores!!
Alice – what a fun trip you have planned! Will you remember to remind me next June that his birthday is coming up? Or would you like us to send cards to him now?
Hope your doctor appointment goes well this week. I’m grateful for the great weather, it makes it easier for our landscaper to continue to work on our lawn. He got the sand point well in and its all hooked up. Hopefully we will see some excavating this coming week and the black dirt delivered. We are doing part of the lawn in a no mow grass mixed with Wisconsin wildflower seeds, let’s hope it works out well. The chickens have made themselves a lovely cool place to hide out, how clever of them. Telly was gorgeous, how can it be 3 months already?
Mary – What was special for me today? I was introduced to my best friend’s newest addition to her family. A feline baby 3 months old named Alexander. He’s a black kitty with white feet and a little bit of white on his neck. He joins his 5-month old “sibling” Kona, an orange striped tabby who may be part Oriental shorthair. Really it was just an excuse for us to get together to commiserate while playing with the kittens. She recently became a widow so since I lost my husband last year, I’m her advocate. She is my best friend. I’d do anything for her. We’ve known each other since 1975. We had a nice visit. The kittens were two bundles of energy!
If your doctor appointment is scheduled tomorrow, I hope all goes well, Mary.
Thank you for the continued blog about nothing.
Take care everyone.
Odd to say, but giving our kayaks to friends who live on a lake in New Hampshire was special today. We’ve had to finally accept that getting them up on top of the car and down again for kayaking has become just too hard. Our friends only need to get them down off a rack next to the lake, put them in the water, and go. Our friends are 15 years younger than us, and they have some nice years ahead of them on their lake in those kayaks.
That was a very nice thing for you to do. Maybe you can visit them and go kayaking on their lake once in a while.
Pat – yes, that was kind of you to give them to your younger neighbors. It’s hard to accept that we can’t do some things anymore. Give Sonny a hug from his admirer in Iowa.
That is a great question to ask ourselves each and every day. It will lead to gratitude which will lead to a happier self. Love your chicken pictures. Go Caitlyn!
My special is three-fold: 1) the beautiful fall-like weather; 2) getting our internet restored after my husband accidentally cut the line two days ago; and 3) eating out this evening – no cooking – Yay!
Fun to see Laurel’s sweet question in the blog 🙂 She is a sweetie pie, as is Graham. I am one lucky Grandma!
My house is now empty as the Grands went back to C. Springs yesterday and my daughter and her boyfriend left for Missoula, MT today after spending the last month with me. I’ve done the laundry and vacuuming and now just settling in to having the house to myself again. Skyler is going to be in withdrawals after having Jenica here for a month–Jenica is her human! I will be boring in comparison!! And now I can start my quilt! Haven’t really sewn all summer with everything that’s been going on.
I thought we had had our last 90 degree days, but it appears I was mistaken. Several more ahead in the coming days. The evenings are definitely getting a bit cooler and that’s a relief. Fall here is pretty wonderful.
Hard to believe Telly has been gone three months already. Akira has been gone almost 7 months. I still miss her every day.
We have beds! We have a king bed and a queen bed as of today! Yay we can sleep in the Iowa house on real beds instead of air mattresses or in the basement of our son’s house. The weather here is perfect and I got some more weeds out of the flowerbeds. AND best of all I get to see my grandsons every day while we’re here.
That question makes one focus on the good in a day. Sometimes when things aren’t going quite right it’s easy to focus on only the negative.
Today I have picked tomatoes, and collected Cosmos flower seed for next year, and will collect Marigold seeds later, cleaned out and refilled the hummingbird feeders, now I will work on. Fairy skirt project for my granddaughter, and get the elastic in the waistband. It was my grands’ first day of school today in Marshall MN. I like days like this when I can do things at a pace I set! Friday there is a craft fair at Slayton MN so will go to this as well. Not a lot of things on my agenda away from home. The weather here is beautiful, not too hot, slight breeze and no humidity. Thinking of you, Mary, with your journey ahead. I hope all goes well. I love this blog!
We had several special days in a row….
Thursday – We drove to Peoria to visit our grandson and see his new house and then take him out to dinner!
Friday – drive to Shipshewana to meet our son and family. We did a little shopping and then drove to Grand Rapids to stay.
Saturday – celebrated three September birthdays!
Sunday – went to church
Monday – spent the day doing family get togethers. Lots of food and fellowship!
Tuesday – saw the kids off to school and then said our good byes and headed home to Iowa! Arrived safely!
We had beautiful weather and such a nice time.
Mary your chickens are so beautiful! When you have a special dog, they are family and you never forget them!
Mary, I just looked at the forecast. The mornings are really going to be cool! Welcome to September!
Lucky are the ones that get your eggs. My best friend has chickens and I get some of them! My
Mother-in-law made the prettiest yellow noodles out of farm eggs. When she didn’t have farm eggs, she put yellow food coloring in when she mixed the dough!
Jacque – and right now I have about 14 dozen in my frig – that’s what I’ll do Friday. Deliver eggs!
I went early to Social Security office. They claimed they overpaid me $1800.00 Grrr. Then I treated myself to great pancakes at Cracker Barrel. Hard to find these days for some reason. Ha. Took to the porch with the dog to finish a great book, Finding Dorothy by Elizabeth Letts. Historical fiction about the widow of L. Fran Baum. Her life with her husband and then being in Hollywood when they filmed The WIZARD OF OZ.
Good luck Mary at the Mayo Clinic this week. I love the pictures of the chickens. They are beautiful.
Finally went back to Silver Sneakers yoga after being off since I had Covid in the middle of July. Definitely need some exercise every day in addition to walking the dog.
Telly! I can’t believe it’s been 3 months already. Looking forward to seeing Gracie and Greta… I love your idea of taking a moment to be grateful/thankful for an event of the day. Yesterday was a great day without any drama… lovely weather, walked with my neighbor (we pray together throughout the walk, for friends, neighbors, situations, etc. … made shepherds pie and zucchini fries… it was a good, quiet, lovely day….
Gosh, great question. I was able to get some yard work done that was long overdue, cleaned some house that was long overdue and got to spend some quality time in my quilt shop. What makes that special? I didn’t have my husband interrupting me every 15 minutes!
Life has been throwing monkey wrenches at us lately and I haven’t commented lately. My big win yesterday was that my senior dog (16.5 years), who has been so sick, had a good bowel movement!! Probably TMI, but that actually was the highlight of my day!
That’s so sad.
Jill, take the win! Something wonky like that just worries us to pieces. What a relief for you
Thank you. Some days, it’s the little things!
Jill – all good with me! I’d call that a good day, too!!!
My special part of the day was getting home after work and seeing my sweet Hank. That boy sure loves his mama :-). For him I’m very thankful.
I worked on landscaping after dinner. It may be dry outside, but that sure made our black dirt easier to dig and separate out plants. Very thankful for the job being so much easier. It was time to divide the irises, sedum and hostas. It’s nice to have daylight hours yet to do it in the evenings and not wait until next spring when it’s either too muddy to work on or plants double in size so quickly you miss your window of opportunity. Still plenty to do outside, but I’m happy to be able to do it plus have beautiful weather right now.
Mary, love the pictures of your chickens! I am happy that I have been able to use orphan blocks to make place mats for Meals on Wheels. It is a great way to use up scraps and hopefully bring a smile to someone!
We use a phrase in our family – “what’s good and new today?”. There is so much each day to pause and say praise for.
Ours yesterday was going into the big city about 20 minutes from us which people avoid due to crime. We have three children who work downtown at law offices and accounting firms so to them it’s nothing going to work. We had to go to the county offices building to file paperwork which we could have paid our lawyer to do when we have a visit there next month. But we chose to do this ourselves and put our big girl and guy panties on and park in a ramped garage and see if we could figure out how to still pay fees ! Everything has changed for doing business. We enjoyed walking around the big buildings after being screened and having pockets emptied and purse searched for weapons. We did what we wanted to with no problem and an attendant in the parking garage who spoke broken English but as old as we are aided us by showing we could still use cash to pay for the gate to go up so we could leave. We felt pretty good driving to the big city where it’s hustle and bustle on the sidewalks during every day life and not as bad as others perceive it as. We felt safe. Police are present. I’m sure we looked like tourists to all the nicely dressed workers with our heads looking up at the structures.
Kathy – so what’s the city?
Mary – Rochester NY. We are in a suburb of city but we still have barns and land.
Ohh! My stepson and family recently moved from there to a suburb, Webster, and love it there. He says they don’t hear sirens going all the time now. We visited there about 8 years ago and ate at a dinosaur bbq place by a river. It was beautiful area and really enjoyed staying at the finger lakes 😻
Pamela, we travel through Webster to go to our camp along Lake Ontario and have gotten use to stopping at some wonderful spots they have. It was home to Xerox for many years till they moved operations out of the country. Now Fairlife is building a huge plant creating jobs. Your stepson lives in a very sought after community as our small town is too. We live half hour from Webster. Finger Lakes are the jewel of this part of NY. Gorgeous area with wineries and breweries up and down the lakes. Dinosaur BBQ is still in downtown Rochester – they catered our daughters wedding many years ago.
I’m not a big sports fan, but am glad that the women basketball players are finally getting some attention. The quilt with the uneven quilting lines is GOOD! I’m kind of like you that I have a hard time doing wonky, but I do love it so will keep trying. I have so much civil war fabric and want to start shopping for fabric that is a little more bright and fun. Not Kaffe fabric, that is a little too much for me. I’ve been busy painting our twin home, the whole thing, all ceilings and walls, then will be painting kitchen cabinets and the steps. If anyone has any tips and tricks for painting cabinets and steps, I would appreciate hearing about them.
Lori – you’re painting your whole house???? Now there’s a project I could never take on. I’m with you – not Kaffe but lighter and brighter. I have tons of dark fabrics especially brushed cottons which were so popular when we were in business. Someone else did the wonky stitching on the gray and yellow quilt – I just showed it as an example of what I am striving for – and can’t do.
Good luck with the painting – sounds impossible to me.
Mary, LOVE your question. I’ve tried for a long time to look for what I need to be grateful for. For my evening prayers, I sit and think over the day and thank God for all the many blessings of the day. Some days are easier than others, but we have so much to be thankful for. My horse has been lame due to a bruised foot and today we got to go for a ride with no limping! After 2 1/2 weeks…… 😃 Yea!
Lynette – you have a horse??? Send us a picture – I grew up with horses and love them but I also know how much work they are.
Here’s a dr. visit that is enjoyable – podiatrist, every 62 days. Toenails clipped, foot and leg message, but she does not do polish. Best part – if over 65, Medicare pays for it. Good about yesterday- my sister & I have taken 4 cruises between 2005-2017; pictures have been on my computer as imagexxx. Now they are all dated and labeled, bad ones deleted, etc. Saved to a flash drive and the next time I see her will put them on her computer. Long time project DONE yesterday. 2nd good thing – started sewing melons to the arcs for my granddaughter’s queen size double wedding ring quilt – got 10 done, 62 to go. Few at a time as wedding isn’t until fall 2025 so right now there is no pressure or deadline. Long time project STARTED.
Hi Liinda, I’m wondering if you have Medicare Advantage? Since it covers a trip to the podiatrist?
Linda in central iowa – ooh, you did have a good day! Double wedding ring is an ambitious project – but she’ll love it!
What a wonderful question! We should ask ourselves that every day to appreciate the small things. My Mom, sister and I went thrift shopping to a city a couple hours away. Got a few “treasures “ and had lunch at Olive Garden. The morning started by a few geese spotted flying south. Hopefully they were just confused as it seems early even in my location. Fun day. Thanks, Mary, for posing that question.
Connie R – tell us what you found at the thrift store!
I found a Jim Shore pumpkin, a ceramic turkey planter and, a Country Threads pattern— Crow on the Corn. Now I’m all set for Fall decorating.
Connie – I just took the Crow on the Corn original quilt to the care center yesterday and hung it up.
Getting my husband off the toilet without him falling on the floor was special. Bathing Sammie at one in the morning because she was skunked again was special! She was out hunting at bedtime and would not come when called. I did catch a short nap until Nelson decided he wanted his dinner was special. Simple things for me.
I loved seeing beautiful Telly again. I looked at some old pictures of Elliott, Oliver and Bridgette recently and remembered how much I loved them and miss them.
Blessings to all.
Linda – when I come to the realization that I have only two dogs now, I’m shocked. One time I had 7 – but I could do it because I didn’t have a husband.
My special was lunch and good conversation with three friends from church –one I know well and two I am just getting to know!
Love the pictures of your hens!
This may sound odd but the best part of my day was helping my husband (he has macular degeneration) get the tire off his skid steer and back on again. The tire was flat so he had to load it into the back of my van so we could take it for repair. Luckily the tire was done in a few hours and we could come home and remount it. That may not sound like much, but he needs and loves his skid loader. Like most all of us know as we age, what were not big chores have become a challenge and as long as we can be independent, all is good. After that I pulled some weeds and then started sewing s-n-s blocks. All was good.
Have a good day everyone. It will be cool here in Minnesota for a few days, YAY.
Janet – Rick’s golf cart had a flat yesterday, too, and I do know how rewarding those chores are to complete. Rick’s needs and loves his cart, too.
Hi Mary, what was special about today?Starting a new quilt,always exciting, just a churn dash going through my stash for floral etc, then movie with a friend. We saw Thelma, l hope l have as much energy as the actress at 93!Really enjoyed it,and the big Mac burger we had as we were short on time before the movie. The chickens are enjoying snacking in your garden Mary! Take care everyone, best wishes from Sandy
chatting about this and that with my husband. It is so hot right now he has to spend more time indoors without getting his outdoor “chores” completed. AND he was able to get the lever on my old Singer to work in both directions for buttonholes. .
It seems that “what was special for me today” has nothing to do with anyone else—I got my toenails done and wonderful leg massage in the process. (I am 82 and can no longer stretch and see to trim my own toenails)
sounds terrific !!!!! This is another challenge with my fading vision. One leg no longer goes where i wish it to so I clip the nails and not the toes with the clippers. ha
already you have to have a hooded coat to sit on your porch for coffee in the morning? isn’t it early?
what was special in my day? i had finished cutting a batch of 3.5×5.5″ rectangles for a new quilt. so i pulled a single fabric to cut the background rectangles stitched a ton of rectangles together and pressed. now i need to pull out the design wall to lay them out. i had started cutting these because i kept knocking over the stack of fabrics (large scraps) i had ironed and was waiting to cut. the stack is way smaller now.
tonight mr. ed told me that he will retire at the end of the year. my response was ‘we must must get to texas before you do that.’ he will probably end up working part time.
i wish you good news when you go to mayo this next time. i have to have blood drawn this week for my yearly visit with the kidney doctor next week. not anticipating anything new.
the pictures have been wonderful. thankful for all the sharing. patti in florida
Helping my neighbour trim her maple tree was special today. I have one of those extension pole cutters and the two of us take turns as it is neck braking work. It always makes her so happy when we prune it as she wants to keep it smaller. I also tackled some of those jobs around the house I think everyone seems to leave. Fixing a small nick in the wall and painting it(my bathroom is a darker blue so the little white nick shows up pretty good against the dark paint colour). Things we’ve looked at for a few years and chose to ignore. Silly things but in then end I have a great sense of accomplishment.
Sorry for the late reply, just now getting to my emails. I drove us from Longview, Texas to Springfield, Missouri to meet Darrell’s brother and wife so they can go trout fishing tomorrow and then Dixie stampede dinner owned by Dolly Parton. I did the over 7 hour drive because Darrell falls asleep so easily. Pretty drive but we saw an rv that was billowing smoke 💨 going the other direction. In a few minutes there were fire trucks and ambulance 🚑 following. Hope they’re ok. I watched Dexter and yes, rather gory but he’s so cute 🥰. I asked for pictures of Miss Gracie and Miss Greta too, been a while, they must be full grown now. Praying Penny and Lucy will be ok while we’re away, get home Thursday evening. Your hens are soooo pretty and smart about the hydrangeas! Beautiful Miss Telly picture, she was so pretty 😍. Your sewing blocks looks pretty to me! 🤗 hugs!
Pamela- thanks for such a nice card! Honestly I’m not so sure I’m as thoughtful as you gals! It’s appreciated but I feel guilty getting all this attention for something so ordinary. Yes, the G girls are all grown up and Gracie has gotten so comfortable she can sleep on the couch! It’s a miracle!!!
I was out watering my flowers this afternoon & a friend of mine stopped in to see me, we sat on the porch in the sunshine & visited for an hour, that was special today!
I made my friends daughter a “rock” bag for all her special finds during their walks. I got to see a video of her using her new bag. That was very special.
I know you miss Telly. A good girl like that will be missed for a long time.
Today, in the mail, I got a discount card for Perkins addressed to Molly. Molly is our golden retriever who died about 15 years ago!!! I wonder how they would react to Loretta using Molly’s card?!
I am sure they mean you! Enjoy!
Today, I visited with 7 of my rug hooking friends since having covid. Catching up with friends and seeing what each was hooking . I did not stay long as I am on oxygen but being with friends really made my day as it was unexpected. Ran my other errand and back home to being a caregiver for my Alzheimer husband. We are having wonderful fall days now but that will change by the weekend.
Carolyn b Shenandoah Valley VA.
I love the wonky stitching and your wonky log cabin blocks. Had no idea how to quilt my current project, but after seeing your picture of the wonky stitching, I know what I’ll do. I also like the gray & yellow colors. The thing that was special for me today was friends & beautiful weather. A couple of my husband’s friends came over to help him with a yard project. It was a great day to be outside.
I have a hard time making wonky blocks, too. Maybe it’s because we’ve worked so hard to make nice square blocks?
Dear Telly. What a lovely picture. And how thoughtful of your chickens to prune the lower portion of the hydrangeas. There is nothing like eggs, fresh that morning, from happy, free range chickens.
Who knew chickens liked hydranga leaves? Your chickens have a great life, Mary.
I think your quilting on the longarm looks good.
Regarding what made today special, it was a very ordinary day, but I lost my Flonase, which is a bad thing during ragweed season. So after our haircuts, we drove the ten miles to the nearest Walgreens. Since I had not yet had breakfast, and it was almost lunchtime, we grabbed some sandwiches and had a car picnic in the Arby’s parking lot. I said it was just an ordinary day, but we love our car picnics.
Thanks, Mary 🥰
Putting on your hooded coat to drink your morning coffee sounds pretty nice to me. Nothing like that first cup of tea wrapped in my robe with a quilt over my knees…one of the best moments of the day.
I always asked my children and now my grandson what fun things they did at school. They had to think about it some days but it always got a better response than “what did you do today”?
What was good about today for me? Hubby is on an overnight work trip and left at noon so I didn’t run errands, I didn’t clean anything except dishes but it was nice to get them done up again. I didn’t have to fix supper. I finished a book and I played Mah Jong on computer and now I”m going to cross stitch. Not really the day I had planned but you need a “me” day every so often.
Getting together with friends today for a sew day was special!!
I didn’t have anywhere to go and nothing that had to be done and the Iowa weather was perfect, so I count all of that as special! I was trying to sort through projects in my sewing room and found UFOs I didn’t even remember sewing!
The Fever game is on ABC/WOI here in Des Moines tomorrow night. I don’t know if ABC is televising it nationally or not.
Vicki – see what I mean? ABC showing a CBS game? Who can figure this out? Every game it’s a challenge to find. My ABC station is either from Austin, MN or Ames so I guess I won’t be seeing it. Grrrr
I love the story about Diane’s granddaughter. That made me think of when my granddaughter was younger. No matter what we did, go to the park and library, do crafts and games at home, move night…, she always said “it was the best day ever!” She is 17 now and starting college. I met her for lunch last week and will meet her again in a couple of weeks when I have an appointment. I’m going to try to remember to tell her “it was the best day ever!” then ask if she remembered saying that.
Going to both of my granddaughter’s softball games tonight was special!!