Grateful Friday

Today I give thanks for...

Cooking with Teddy. One night last week he called me at about 9 o'clock to get advise on cooking his tenderloin steaks. He knows what to do, but I oblige. We each poured a glass of wine after long, productive days, and we Facetimed while he made his dinner and I missed him a little less. 

Junior year is in almost in the books. He'll be home in a week for a brief stay before we move him to Chicago for the summer.

He will graduate in December and immediately begin his masters in tax.

 Lil's is done with her AP exams. She had 4 this week. Now she can relax and just enjoy the rest of her senior year.

We signed up for housing last week. She is going to be roomies with a lovely girl from Chicago named Faith. They met on social media and clicked.

Mike. He obliged my suggestion that he make an awesome cat house out of boxes we had lying around the house. Gus  was constantly underfoot supervised and now thinks he owns the place. 

Billy and Emmett and Duchess and Woolly. Such compelling characters. I finally finished The Lincoln Highway and I highly recommend it. Now I'm reading a collection of short stories set in Alaska called Nobody Gets Out Alive. I'm just a couple in, but I like it.

I'm challenging myself this week to buy only the necessary groceries and plan meals based on what's in the pantry and freezer(s) again. I did that last week too, but we still paid $250 at our weekly stop. Lils and I were both surprised enough that we scrutinized the receipt. Ouch! This is getting real folks.

A spontaneous happy hour at a favorite place with a favorite person last night. I had it on my mind to just go home after a couple business calls, but my aunt convinced me with a we won't be able to do this much longer. We stopped out at Caterinas. It was a good choice. The escargot was so good and garlicky and perfect with a nice Chianti.

The night before, Mike and I were watching the news after a walk when the doorbell rang. Jess stopped by after work. I made a quick cheese plate and we caught up. The lovely brie with blue that Candace brought last week made another appearance. It's my new favorite.

Tomorrow Jess and I are going on a 24 hour road trip to Millikin University to see her cousin perform  the lead in the school musical. After graduation in a couple weeks, she is NYC bound to chase her Broadway dreams. You might think Jess and I were going to the big city instead of quaint Decatur IL by how excited we are to get out and about.

A new pair of silver hoops. I have been in search of and I found exactly what I was looking for. Never kid yourself, it is always about the little things.

Our 25 year old dryer was repaired yesterday for $100. I was ready to go appliance shopping because 25 years old, but Mike convinced me to be sensible. He reminded me that the handful of times we've had this set repaired, we've been told to never get rid of them because...they don't make things the way they used to. And that folks is a fact.

Getting started on fall clean up in the yard this week. Everything is coming up including the iris bulbs we transplanted from my aunt's garden in fall.

Irises. They remind me of my childhood home. The front walk was flanked on both sides by irises in every color. Now they'll also remind me of my aunt.

William Sonoma croissants. Since I will be gone on Mother's Day, I sent my step-mom a treat. I included the Fortnum and Mason jam trio because it takes the bakery to the next level. I always recognize Judy on this day because she is one of my moms and I'm grateful for her presence in my life.

Mike will take his mom on a mother son date to the theatre next weekend. I think she will really enjoy this gift and let me tell you...boy does she deserve it. I'm grateful for her too.

I brought flowers for my aunt yesterday because while she's more my big sister, she's someone I am also grateful for, and she is my son's god mother.

Mothers, aunts, fristers...where would we be without them? I'm missing my mom this year as always, but it's that gnawing sadness that gently tugs at my heartstrings. It stings slightly less when I remember the angels here on earth and how blessed I am in my own role as mother, the best title I've ever had.

Cat mama too. Finn is such a snuggler lately. In the middle of the night, he meows to be let under the covers where he settles in and literally hugs me for hours. And no one is sweeter than Hazel. She is my sidekick...my shadow. Gus is still pure entertainment. His new thing is to run like a wild man throughout the house until he pants like a dog. We call it his shpilkes.