Positively Tuesday-A Ponder and More Simple Pleasures

      

     Check out Kim's post yesterday-we should all make our lives better by limiting the worrying, being satisfied with what we have, and doing those little things that make others lives a bit better. Isn't that what our role in life should be rather than the pursuit of more and more stuff and money? Doing for others is a simple pleasure-but I need to be careful to not get sanctimonious, thinking I am doing something special by being decent. Ego is not what I should be fulfilling by doing kind things, by being kind. A lot of blabber from me, so sorry, and thanks for thinking with me. For now, I'll resume my think on sharing the simple pleasures from the last week and hope you will as well. 

1. I took a vacation day last Thursday. While I had a meeting right away in the morning, by 8:30 I logged out, and spent the day doing writing, reading, eating, walking, and nothing that required me to talk to coworkers via  Microsoft Teams or sit at my desk! I still have more vacation hours than I can possible fit in before June 30th, when I have to be at or below 275 as anything over does not carry forward into next fiscal year, but work did not fall apart with me taking this random day, so I'm going to try and fit more in before summer, plus a week and a day when DD2 is hoe the end of March/first week of April
2. My friend V's crab apple jelly. It is so flavorful and I have been eating it on bagels with cream cheese or toast with peanut butter. (I know this is sort of  repeat of my list of 20, but this was a new flavor of jelly for me. I've made apple, but not crab apple, which is different.)
3. I successfully used the online library order, and am scheduled for a 6:10 curbside pick-up later today of five of my 7 books, including the book club book. What a treasure the library is. 
4. We thoroughly enjoyed our daughters live streamed concert. She was in a good spot that we could actually see her, and despite them all in masks and separated by about three feet, the sound was beautiful.
5. The surplus freezer assets. I had lunch leftovers in the last week of a bowl of bean soup and bean and cheese enchiladas, and today will be a portion of either the odd concoction from last weekend or the last of the turkey noodle soup from after Thanksgiving. Last night's supper was originally supposed to bean soup with sandwiches, but the container was corn chowder-surprise! I'm picking up freezer tape to mark things, but then I'd lose the surprise.
6. Dill pickles I forgot I had, found in the pantry to eat with last nights tuna sandwich. I love pickles with sandwiches. 
7. Kids building a snowman in the park yesterday. We've had several dustings, and yesterday was a bit more than a dusting but with the warm weather, the snow was sticky and perfect for making balls and stacking them on top of each other. Pup was very curious as to what they were doing. There have not been enough snowmen this year. 
8. I'll repeat yesterday's  post-but getting outside for long walks in great spaces was a simple pleasure this weekend on both days. 
9. On my walk Sunday, I passed two different community pantry boxes both with items available for anyone in need. People being hungry is not OK, but it is nice to see the ways people help others. While February was not a great month for us income wise, we are due for another food shelf donation and having met my self imposed H&G  challenge, I can divert funds from that budget category. 
10. The warmth of the sun, even when it is not particularly sunny. This was my car yesterday at 8:30 and then again at 2:30, without my dusting the snow off. Spring sun, and I know we are not there yet, is glorious and I can't wait for more.

                                                      

    

      The weather change has improved my temperament. I came up with 10 simple pleasures for the last week and that is another simple pleasure. My sister in law sent out notice of my nephews, our God son,  confirmation on May 8th, to be followed by a gathering at their home. That's still a couple months off to confirm-this is the family that has not really  bothered with precautions outside of those required in public, and I'm not sure what their extended family does either. I saw a bunch of posts on Facebook of people sharing they or their parent, or a sibling or someone in their life got their first or second vaccination and it gives me a bit more hope. What simple pleasures have you had? Are you trying to rein in worry, particularly where you have no control?