Being thankful

I haven’t been the most diligent or the most consistent in sharing what I’m thankful for. That does not mean I’m neither grateful nor thoughtful considering the matter.

Here’s my gratitude list for the last week or so:

• The honor of being by a friend’s side as she got her first tattoo and being inspired and encouraged by what it symbolized.
• Inspiration and a new way of introducing the magic in first chapter tweaks.
• Robertson and Sons Violin Shop, where we can trade up violin sizes as the kiddos grow.
• The opportunity to work on and finish an 18 x 24 watercolor painting.
• Meaningful fellowship over Thanksgiving.
• Successful Black Friday shopping with the fam.
• Making tasty, gluten-free, dairy-free New England Chowder. That’s one of my favorite soups.
• Gal time with a dear friend; gluten-free, tasty Italian food (Italian used to be one of my favorites); and an amazing display of Christmas decorations at Maggiano’s.
• A Colorado native and new coffee shop owner’s story of spending 12 of his formative years living in Mongolia.
• Discovery of a huge antique gallery that has loads of treasures.
• A very affordable, framed “Das Phantom der Oper,” poster. Claude said he picked it in Hamburg, Germany, and brought it back with him.
• A beautiful, very reasonable, framed original watercolor.
• Sea scallops I seared and enjoyed with leftover Italian pasta.
• A relatively easy and quick fix to a bathroom toilet that’s always in high demand.
• A neighbor’s willingness to show me how to replace a fill valve.
• One-on-one time with one kiddo. Cooked and worked on a puzzle.
• Quality time with another. Made a calm bottle.
• Gaston Leroux’s story of sacrificial love in “The Phantom of the Opera.”
• A real fireplace to enjoy.
• An effective way to effectively remove Comet accidentally dropped on color clothing.