Thursday, February 23, 2017

Just plain lucky

I just got back from Atlanta, where I was helping to run a 100-person conference. Now that I've recovered from the twelve-hour days and the people overload, here are some things that I am grateful for.

  1. I have a job that makes the world a better place. Like everyone else, my job has ups and downs and sometimes all I do is write email all day long. But there are people out there who have studied physics, become teachers, and discovered that people just like them can be scientists because of the programs I help run. This is immensely rewarding.
  2. Having a cat again, especially one that would prefer to sit in my lap all day long.
  3. A work friend who carefully noted the date of Andrew's birthday, and then, a year later, brought me a plant and a card to cheer me up on that always-bleak day.
  4. Living now, in the era of anesthesia for operations, safe drinking water, and wonderfully insulated homes.
  5. My brand-new currant bush, a Christmas gift from my in-laws, that I planted this morning. I am crossing my fingers and hoping that I'll have at least a bite or two of fruit this year.








6 comments:

Bernice said...

Both Dad and I commented on what a positive outlook you have.

Bernice said...

I want to add that currants make really yummy jam. But I won't be looking for any for a couple years.

de-I said...

It is very important to be aware of our blessings and thankful for them.

alexis said...

if I could trust my kids to take care of a cat I would maybe consider getting one. But probably not. I think if we're lucky, and our kids grow up healthy and successful and leave the house to start their own lives, perhaps I'll get a cat to replace them. Well you know, not completely replace them.

Gill - UK said...

We find that the garden birds like to sample the blackcurrants as soon as they are ripe - hopefully, the birds in your garden will have other tastes. You could always cover them with old net curtains if they the birds get too greedy.

Renee Michelle Goertzen said...

Gill, thanks for the advice. I'm expecting that I'll have to cover the berry bushes with netting to protect the fruit. That's one reason planted them in the back/side of the house, so that the neighbors won't be too horrified by the state of my garden when that happens.