My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.
1. This lovely little harbinger of serenity who peacefully greets me each time I walk into our bathroom.

No, no, not the patriotic wise owl on the top shelf. Look closer, down in the lower left.


In light and shadow, she welcomes me.
(But I’m trying to get her a better working environment.)
2. My beautifully shirted HR and this amazing cinnamon roll we had the other morning at a new restaurant near us, The Municipal Bar, inside a new hotel, The Municipal, which is a gorgeous revamp of an old city building where we used to pay our water bill. TMI?


3. The ability to taste. Isn’t that sense just absolutely amazing?!
4. Experiencing the Fall season, even inside the house. Here’s our pretty mature fiddle leaf fig.

She has been shedding a few leaves lately—but then again, haven’t we all?
For some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to simply throw the leaves away.
So I looked around and plopped them in our little wall vase.

And actually found them quite beautiful in their color-changing Autumnal phase.

Look at the chlorophyll saying goodbye.
Robert (so very helpfully) reminded me recently that I too am in my Fall/Autumn Phase.
After I started speaking to him again, I thought about it and decided to hope that my chlorophyll stays bright and green for a while longer.
5. Getting successfully through an intracept procedure earlier this week (a type of back surgery, which hopefully will help my lower back pain).

Is it legal for HR to take photos in a surgery center? I would have yelled at him, but I was a bit out of it.

(More about THAT entire experience in an upcoming post.)
May you have some non-surgical fun this weekend.
What a wonderfully heartfelt reflection! 🌿 I love how you notice and celebrate the small, serene moments in life—from your little bathroom guardian to the joys of tasting a cinnamon roll. Your attention to detail and gratitude for both nature and everyday pleasures is truly inspiring.
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Aww. Thank you very, very much. I haven’t thought about it and quite the way you described.
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Now that’s the photo they should have used in your daughter’s brochure.
Hope your chlorophyll is still flowing.
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You know, you’re right, Don. Amy should have used that one. I’ll try to sell it to her.
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Love the little candle holder; she is positively elegant. Also love Robert’s shirt! It is, indeed, gorgeous!!
As a fellow back-pain sufferer, I sincerely hope the procedure helps you a lot!!
Claire
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Thanks so much, Claire.
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I like Robert’s guayabera. Very nice. Get well soon, Neal.
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He loves those shirts! And thanks for your well wishes, Rebecca.
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Hope the surgery has been successful!
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Thanks so much. The doc told me it could be up to a month or so before I can really tell a difference.
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I’ll take one of the cinnamon rolls, please! I do hope your back surgery helps with the pain. And I really must try harder to do as you do, finding little things to be thankful for rather than allowing myself to be overwhelmed by the darkness of the day. Thanks, Neal, for the reminder that little things truly do mean a lot.
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Aww, Jill, thanks. And yes, it is so very easy today to be overwhelmed by all the dark. I prey to that too often myself.
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Public photos are legal as long as you don’t profit from them
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I’m pretty sure he’s not going to profit from a photo of an old man with a hair net on!
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Just letting ya know, in regard to privacy..taking a photo of you not an issue..other people in hospital setting more of an issue
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