Boy, when I fall off the wagon, I really fall off the wagon! It’s not that I’m not grateful for everything I have but it’s been a busy week or two, and now on top of everything, I’m sick. Currently, I am writing this blog post in lieu of working on a fictional story I started way back in September with the help of a writing coach.
Milli got me to write every single day simply because she was there making sure I followed through every single day. Without her, my writing came to a complete and abrupt stop the moment that my week was up. I’ve hired Milli again all these months later after seeing how helpful she is to my writing career, and this time it’s for three full months. Yikes. It’s hard for me to imagine following through on anything for three months, but part of my New Year’s resolutions was to write. So here I am writing.
My first week went very well and I wrote over 8,000 words. Yes, over 8,000 words. That was far above my goal of 1,000 words per day (a week’s goal is 5,000 words). Now it’s week two and I’m very far behind. I’ve written slightly over 2,000 words and whatever this blog post turns out to be. I’m giving myself a break because my sister made an unexpected visit to my home over the weekend and she couldn’t get a flight out of San Diego for two days. And on the day she and her family left, I started feeling poorly. I can barely keep my eyes open at this point while I’m sitting here writing this blog post, but a promise is a promise. See what Milli can make me do? Imagine what she could do for you. I need to hurry up and finish this post so that she doesn’t email me wondering if I’ve died.
The top things I’m grateful for this week (in no particular order):
1.) Ibuprofen. Seriously. Last week it was for the insane sciatica I experienced going down my left leg. I couldn’t even sit in my car and drive. It hurt to sleep. The only time I had a break from the pain was when I was standing up and when I was properly dosed with ibuprofen. I know how bad ibuprofen is for you but I suppose I made the choice of comfort over health. I’m sure my gut is crying out for attention but I’ll work on getting it back to normal another day.
2.) The weather San Diego. Gosh, I think I may be one of the very few people who can stand to have so many rainy days. I love the rain. I love listening to it in my car when I’m driving. I love listening to it in the gutters, and there’s nothing like hearing it hit the ground and landing in puddles during the night. It is so soothing. The sound of rain and forced air heat can rock me to sleep at any time. Every day I check my weather app on my phone to see when it will rain again. I get so excited when I see the rain clouds. It says the rain will come back next Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Weehaw!
3.) Long sweaters. I’m so glad to have such a great collection of long sweaters. I need to cover my butt after eating too many good things over the holiday season. Well, I actually also drank too many goodies over the most recent holidays so I’m thinking that’s having a bigger impact on my waistline than even the fudge. Yes, fudge. Nick makes it every single year and it’s so good. I know that every once in a while, I’d head to the kitchen, then shave off a piece of fudge off the block of chocolate, then come back and shave it again, and then again. Needless to say, those non-calories do add up and with all the rain, I haven’t been out walking nearly as much. What a double whammy for my wait and butt. BUT those long sweaters are great camouflage. And, for once, I’m not sweating in my sweaters. That’s another rarity in San Diego. Sweaters aren’t normally necessary. In some of the past Januarys, it’s been 80 degrees. Hard to wear a sweater except in the yogurt section of the grocery store.
4.) Piggy-backing onto #3, I’m going to say that I am so grateful for TJ Maxx because they have so many sweaters. And the price is just right for our very short winters in Southern California. I remember I bought a fair amount of clothes from White House Black Market (with a gift certificate) and I haven’t been able to wear them that often. What a waste of money! However, the sweaters at TJ Maxx are about $15-$25 so I can buy four for the same amount of one at WHBM. Sure, it’s not the same quality but who cares when I’ll only get to wear the sweater for a month or two! After one or two winters, I donate them and they’re practically brand new.
5.) I’m so grateful for accidentally discovering Plant Therapy essential oils. They seem to be of a very high quality. Some are even USDA organic and they’re not expensive. In fact, they’re so reasonable that I was wondering if they’re cut with any carrier oils or anything (nope). I think I was so used to seeing the prices from some of the direct sales companies (you know the ones) that I couldn’t believe that I could get my essential oils for so much less. I’m also grateful for their Essential Oil of the Month Club. I love surprises and every month, they’re going to send me a new essential oil in the mail. It’s only $15 (with a monthly subscription). I read the reviews and it looks like they don’t send all the regular oils people are most familiar with like Tea Tree, Lavender, or Lemon in their oil of the month program, but other more exotic varieties. I’ll let you know what they send. I’ve been using essential oils to help with my cold. Last night I used Eucalyptus oil mixed with Jojoba oil and put it under my nose and all over my chest. I didn’t cough at all and I could breathe. It’s a freaking miracle! I finally got to sleep through the night. And, yes, I used the Plant Therapy Eucalyptus oil. In my diffuser, I put in a couple drops each of: clove, lemon, cinnamon bark, eucalyptus, and rosemary. My diffuser automatically shuts off when it’s out of water, and by then I’m out cold. What a great aroma to be lulled to sleep. 
And that’s it for this week. Hopefully I will be all better next week and will get back to my regular writing. My story is starting to get difficult to remember all the details of each of the characters so I may have to start keeping a journal of info on them. My regular short stories are no longer than 3,000 words and it’s easy to keep track of who’s who and who’s doing what but at over 15,000 words, it’s starting to get a little confusing.
Have a wonderful three day weekend. Enjoy yourself and remember what you’re grateful for today.
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