Reasons to be grateful, Part 3

As ever, with my thanks to Marty for the inspiration…

The year being 2023, I wondered if I could I manage to find 23 reasons to feel grateful in a year which – looking back – seems to have been filled with interesting challenges.

1. I’ll admit that when Covid first hit back in 2020, it scared the beejeepers out of me, so having caught it some three years later, am I ever grateful for the vaccines which allowed us to come through it OK. I cannot pretend to be feeling entirely well, but I’m sure that will ease with time and patience.
   
2. My grandson is now old enough to have given me his own special name – I am Granny Pinny. As he’s never seen me wearing a pinafore, I’ve idea where it came from, but whatever the reason – I am utterly charmed 🙂
   
3. During the summer, I got to enjoy a lovely afternoon with my Uncle and Cousin after a gap of three years. My Uncle, especially, as he’s old and now looks really quite frail. My Cousin intimated that this might be his last trip to the UK, so it was wonderful to have shared an excellent curry and flowing conversation with him should that turn out to be the case – especially he is the only uncle (or aunt) I’ve ever had.
   
4. Although the landlord of our apartment did increase our rent for the first time in a few years, it was a most reasonable increase when you consider the bill he’s had to pay for repairs to the retaining wall in the car park.
   
5. We decided to look for a new armchair for me at just the time when our preferred furniture supplier announced their annual sale. It’s just been delivered and oh is it ever comfortable.
   
6. I’ve managed to achieve a state of exchanging pleasantries with our neighbours after the fall-out from a while back. I decided that life was too short for dirty looks and glares, and am delighted to say that my overtures are being warmly reciprocated.
   
7. The service and responsiveness from our local doctor’s practice is excellent, something which is extremely rare in the UK currently. Whenever I’ve needed their help, it’s been promptly and efficiently provided. As I am needing medical services more often with increasing age, I am truly grateful.
   
8. I’ve been treated by a new chiropractor at my long-time chiropractic practice. As he works for a few hours most days, it’s made booking appointments much easier for me. But, what’s interesting is that he also uses a different technique to ease the strain on my knees. It’s been a long term treatment and it’s quite – ahem – ouchy, but has also been terrifically effective. I still have access to the other therapists who offer the more holistic and alternative aspects too, so I feel blessed to have all my needs covered under one roof.
   
9. Himself made sure to plan our schedule so that I could watch each and every game I was interested in during the Rugby World Cup. And he really isn’t a fan…
   
10. While on the subject of rugby and Himself, he’s realised how much pleasure I get watching my club play a game, so he now finds out about the options available on a pay-per-view basis – and I don’t make him watch too often.
    
11. The cataract in my right eye is now ripe and ready for surgery. The bonus being that they’ll also do their best to return my sight to normal while they’re at it. Having been short-sighted since my pre-teens, I am trying not to get over-excited. And they’ll also fix the cataract in my left eye the following month, even though it’s not that bad yet. A life without contact lenses will be odd, although I suspect the reading glasses will still be required.
    
12. That when our bedframe gave up the ghost, we were able to find a new one available for delivery within 48-hours, when pretty much all the others available were on long back-order. I don’t love the one we have, but I do love not wondering where I’m going to be sleeping each night.
    
13. We found a local restaurant where they do a South Indian breakfast. It requires pre-booking 24 hours ahead, but I’m sure it’ll be worth it based on what we’ve eaten there to date. This is a treat which takes me back to my childhood in India and is so hard to find, as most of the Indian restaurants in the UK are either Bangladeshi or northeast Indian.
    
14. That our apartment is on the right side of the car park – the one which doesn’t flood when there’s heavy rain that is. Watching some of my neighbours wading to and from their cars has made me feel very grateful indeed.
    
15. My mad neighbour continues to be a joy. I hear her firm tap tap tap at my door and open it to discover how her phone is challenging her that day. Most days we have a chat, a giggle and put the world to rights before I go back to work – it’s a lovely uplift of mood. She says she doesn’t know what she’ll do if I move – I must tell her that I feel likewise.
    
16. I discovered the TV programme Say Yes to the Dress. I don’t feel nearly so bad about my dysfunctional relationship with my opinionated mother anymore… 😀
    
17. My son-in-law told me I had to live close to them when I get older, so I’ll be near enough for them to take care of me. I know my daughter is an only child, but he isn’t (he’s one of three), so I was hugely touched by his words.
    
18. Our lovely plumber, Carl, who rushes round to get our aged hot water boiler working whenever it falls over. We were without it for a few days earlier this year, but he persevered and managed to get it sorted for us. Plumbers are like gold dust in the UK, and Carl is a 24-carat godsend.
    
19. A clothing website I favour (it only does natural fabrics like cotton and linen) finally added some more pyjamas to its range. I have one pair already (and love them), so bought one pair immediately, and my finger is hovering over the buy button to get another set in my less preferred pattern. Despite being silly expensive, they are so comfortable, they fit me perfectly, don’t shrink and as I use my clothes until they wear out – on a cost-per-wear basis, they’ll end up being a bargain 🙂
    
20. After dithering over them for the last couple of winters, I have bought myself one of those long padded gilet/waistcoats. I will not pretend it’s in any way an elegant look – indeed Himself’s first reaction was not positive in any way 😀 😀 But it is like wearing a duvet, and I cannot believe I’ve waited this long.
    
21. My new desk calendar for 2024 has been delivered. It was designed and printed by the wonderful woman who runs the business club/network I’m in. It is brilliantly sweary and I totally love it 😀
    
22. This year we are spending Christmas with my daughter and the gorgeous grandbugs. It’s a lovely surprise, as they were planning to go abroad for Christmas this year instead. Both my daughter and her husband are skiers, so I suspect it won’t be long till the energetic grandbugs start to enjoy the sport too.
    
23. And finally… I am grateful for you lovely people who turn up and comment on my little blog. I so enjoy your company and reading your posts. It is delightful to have you in my world.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you who celebrate – and I hope you have much to be thankful for in your lives 🙂

© Debra Carey, 2023