Hola, folks!
Happy Monday. 🙂
Super super cold today. think the high was… 3 degrees? Low tonight is gonna be -9. 😶 I think that’ll be the coldest I’ve ever personally experienced? Not sure I know we had some below zero days in Ohio, and I think it might have been below zero on a Christmas-time visit to Rebecca in Minnesota once upon a time, but I’m not sure. Either way, it’s gonna be frigid.
Kind of fun. 🙃
I did spend some time outdoors today working on the property, but I couldn’t spend more than maybe 15 minutes at a time because it was so cold that I was concerned for my face (I don’t have anything to cover my face other than my safety glasses.). And… I was dealing with a lot of poison ivy vines. The cedar trees on the east side of the driveway are like loaded with them. several vines on each tree, kind of thing. So, I probably have urushiol oil on my gloves and clothes. Hopefully, I manage to keep from getting it on my person.
Anyway, it’s been harder today to stay in that cheerful upbeat place. I had a difficult conversation with a dear friend last night, and whereas at some points during this little trip I’ve been sort of floating without having to work for it, last night and for some of today, I’ve really had to work at it. Active choices, choosing happiness. Choosing cheerfulness when just a handful of days ago, I’d have slipped into discouragement and fear.
Today, I can feel some of those feelings trying to get their toes in the door, but I’ve worked to choose faith, happiness, and love instead of selfishness and fear.
So. It’s still be another really good day. Four in a row, though today was harder work. Good stuff, though. I don’t really feel like I got much of anything done, though. 🙃
#1. I’m grateful that I’ve been able to take care of myself better. I found myself outside chopping dead branches off one of the cedars with the chainsaw when I realized something was wrong. I didn’t have my safety glasses on, and I’d forgotten to even bring them with me. In the past, I didn’t even wear them. And though I’ve started wearing them, there’s always the temptation to just ignore and just keep going, especially when it involved a trek back through the snow in frigid temperatures, thus reducing the amount I could get done before I was too cold. But… I chose to go back and get my safety glasses. 🥳
#2. I’m grateful that we have enough food to merit having another refrigerator (the amount of fresh foods has increased substantially, and so we manage to fill everything full and could still use more room. Such a blessing to have that. And I’m grateful (we get a twofor here) that it’s winter, so the garage is our second fridge right now, though in these temperatures, we have to cover the produce in the garage so it doesn’t freeze. 🙃
#3. I’m grateful that I’ve been more selfless lately. Instead of focusing so much on myself, as I have for so long, I’m… like I said, starting to be me again!
#4. I’m grateful for the citrus fruits that were in the garage that I forgot about. I was wanting to eat something, and I couldn’t decide what I wanted, and then mom mentioned needing to cover the food out there, and I looked out there and was like, sweet! that’s what I’m gonna eat!
#5. I’m grateful to be choosing happiness and peace in the midst of the great mountains I’m climbing.
#6. I’m grateful to be lean and sober. 16 days now.
#7. I’m grateful to have finished my The Daily update today. It could be better, but it’s… a worthy effort to start with.
Thought of the Day: “Happiness is a way of travel not a destination.” ~ Roy M. Goodman
Loves to you all.
Lift the World.
~ stephen
Lift the World 