Reasons To Love Tuesday

Lazy Summer days... 

Back during my years of gainful employment I used to really struggle with Mondays... looking forward to five whole days of being chained to my desk... the fatigue and eventually the pain that made working miserable. To make matters worse, for awhile there I worked for someone who thought Monday morning staff meetings made sense because nothing eases you into a week like having to be at work half an hour early, right? Reasons To Love Monday posts were my way of facing the week with a positive attitude and gave me a way to sort of count my blessings, even if I didn't feel like it.

These days I have to think really hard most days about what day of the week it is. The view from here only changes as often as the seasons, not in a weekly cycle like it used to. I picked up Cosette and her parents on Sunday morning and brought them over to hang out with us. We pulled in the driveway and Tasha said, "where's Pop? Golf?". Nope. It was Sunday. Pop was in church. But that's what happens. Austin's work week runs Wednesday to Tuesday with him getting paid at midnight Tuesday night so their weeks are wonky too, even with him working.

Although I am no longer punching a time clock, I still have bad days and good days that have nothing to do with Staff Meetings or quotas or workplace drama. Sometimes I have really bad days that nobody really knows about because I mostly just stay tucked in my nest on those days. Sometimes I have a couple of bad days in a row and I get frustrated. I reach into my old blogging bag of tricks and find reasons to love that day, no matter what day of the week it is and thus you have today's entry of Reasons To Love Tuesday. Counting your blessings makes any day better!

Reason #1  - despite waking up at 5:45 this morning feeling like my guts were being ripped open... I had several options for easing the pain. #betterlivingthroughpharmaceuticals There are certain positions that are more comfortable. I have a rice bag/microwavable heating pad that makes it better. I have a couple of options for pharmaceutical pain relief. And, let's not forget, I don't have to rush off to work while I'm miserable. So that's nice.

Reason #2 - I've had several bad gut pain days in a row. My prescription refills have been ready since last week and I haven't been able to drag myself into town to get them. Pop was kind enough to pick them up for me (and pay for them) while taking Austin to work this morning. Living with pain is no bueno but easier when you have help. For so many years I had only myself to rely on and it was hard. Even though the pain is worse, my support system is so much better now!

Reason #3 - Speaking of help... mom made me an awesome tomato sandwich for lunch today and brought it down so I didn't have to climb the stairs. She also scooped out the litter box, took my dishes upstairs to be washed, did my laundry yesterday and so on and so on and so on. It makes a huge difference. If I had to climb the stairs for every meal I'd be a skeleton by now. Or living on Luigi's Mango Italian Ice.

Reason #4 - I'm so grateful that I have a curious mind because it makes being sedentary so much more enjoyable! If I come across a topic that I don't know much (or anything) about, I immediately go see my good friend Mr. Google and have a crash course in that subject until my curiosity is satisfied. It may be as simple as reading a Wikipedia article or watching a video or... whatever. I feel like I have the world at my fingertips and even though I don't get out much, I feel like my mind is always active.

Reason #5 - I love Tuesday because tomorrow is Wednesday and tomorrow night is the Season Premiere of BIG BROTHER!!! Lots and lots of mind candy ahead as I read the live feed recaps, watch the episodes and record Big Brother After Dark every night to watch the next day while I'm working on my needlepoint.

Reason #6 - and speaking of my needlepoint... when I first woke up this morning and was feeling miserable, I bargained with myself to reward myself with a day off from sewing but... honestly... I miss it on the days that I don't sew at least a little bit. I have learned a new type of needlework and am really enjoying working on a pattern I designed all by my little lonesome with that new (to me) stitch! It's a great outlet for creativity and I spend lots of hours thinking good thoughts and praying over the person who will eventually be gifted with the finished product. This new stitch goes much faster than cross stitch which encourages me that it might one day be a profitable venture for me.

Reason #7 to love Tuesday is according to www.accuweather.com we're going to have a spell of cooler weather beginning on this coming Saturday, temps in the eighties instead of the nineties. Truth be told, I don't get out much when it's hot out because I'm already a bit dizzy and nauseous in the best of climates. Also, I live in the coolest part of the house - cool enough that I can't wear shorts or dresses above my ankles and ALWAYS wear my thick fuzzy socks! There is a noticeable difference as you descend the stairs to the Whine Cellar and that is Reason #7.5 - air conditioning! Either way, in case I DO have to get out and about, I'm a fan of cooler weather

Reason #8 to love Tuesday this week is because my oldest son is moving back to the South TOMORROW! For many, many years he has worked for a company that installs organs (the musical kind, people always ask, no beer coolers with kidneys on ice in his work truck!) and has traveled all over the place, sometimes being out of town for weeks at a time. He's had quite an adventure but has had to be based in Pennsylvania which just got old/cold. He has been given a wonderful opportunity to go to work for his girlfriend, Sara's dad, with the prospect of taking over his business one day. The business is based in Myrtle Beach, SC  so they are packing up the U-Haul and heading South tomorrow! That puts him in the position of being able to settle down and (eventually, not any time soon) get married and have more little grandbabies for me to cuddle! Instead of being 12 hours away by car, he will be more like six hours away and living near the beach I grew up going to every Summer during church camp. Anybody want to take a road trip?

Five weeks to go but I don't know where she'll put him!

Reason #9 is knowing that every day that passes brings us one day closer to meeting Oliver! Marquee is literally, ALL BABY and their a/c hasn't been working great. Ironically... when I was 8 months pregnant with Cody and on bed rest our air went out. A guy who had grown up with the kids' dad worked in heating and air and he was able to fix it for us on the cheap. It was a funny story... this guy's mom was British and pretty outspoken. She called him and told him we needed him to check the a/c for us and he said he'd get around to it. She said, "she is 8 months pregnant... you need to go there right now!" I think her actual quote involved profanity and/or "bloody well" or "jolly good" or some other British slang. At any rate, he came right over and got things cooled down. It was in July, by the way... if you haven't lived through July in Georgia, you can't really appreciate the necessity of air conditioning, especially while incubating!

Reason #10 to love Tuesday is Austin's first full time paycheck hits his bank account tonight! He was hired at the local Ingles grocery store as a part-time bagger two months ago. They used him as a bagger, then sometimes in the garden department, then stocking in the meat department and then last week made him a full-time "Meat Associate" which means he is stocking, labeling, unloading, etc  exclusively for the meat department and no longer bagging but the best part is that it's full-time. No raise with it yet as he is still in his first 90 days but I'm really encouraged that he is doing well enough to be promoted so quickly. You know I've worried about Austin's transition to adulthood since he was a preschooler. I knew it would be difficult and it has been but having Cosette has really made him settle down and step up to the plate. I'm really proud to know that Austin is making enough money to take care of Cosette AND Tasha AND himself. Really, with all three of my boys I'm proud of their work ethic. They're all responsible, productive men and I feel an enormous sense of relief to see how they've sorted their lives out so well... I mean, you know, with lots of help from God, I'm sure! I'm also really proud of how well Tasha has done with Cosette. She's an awesome mom and Cosette is a happy, healthy baby!

I could probably give you another ten Reasons To Love Tuesday but I've rattled on for long enough. The pain meds from this morning are wearing off which means I need to refer back to my pain management methods in Reason #1. I hope that no matter what ails you that you are able to count your blessings and find your own Reasons To Love Tuesday! *hugs*