Thursday, November 13, 2014

thankful 2014: part four.

19. downspout underdrain - this fall, Mark rerouted our downspouts to make use of existing drainage pipes that run underneath our driveway. i am thankful that he was capable of taking on this project, that all of the trenches are finally filled back in, and also that our sidewalk no longer doubles as a miniature lake when it rains and will be less likely to flood the basement or become a hazardous sheet of ice this winter.



20. carpet stretchers - apparently these are a thing that exist, and they will fix the wrinkles in your bedroom carpet that are the result of a shoddy installation job a few years ago.  thankful that Mark was willing to tackle this completely spontaneous and different type of DIY project.

21. home depot tool rental - because where else are you going to find someone who will loan you a carpet stretcher on a Sunday afternoon?


22. motivation - for myself, this is something that has been somewhat lacking over the past few weeks since Daylight Savings Time kicked in...i'm much more likely to shut down after dark than to start a new project or do anything really. but every now and again i get a burst of energy and motivation and i am productive and awesome and i am thankful for those times.

23. long projects - these are the ones that test our patience and stretch out longer than we ever thought possible, but they are the ones that yield some of the best rewards. like that one time Mark re-drywalled a wall in the fireplace room, or gutted and rebuilt our whole bathroom. most recently, Mark has been building us a new bed frame for over a year now, and i am thankful for the time and patience and ability he has to tackle these types of projects.

24. the end of long projects - the end is unarguably the best part of ANY project. we now have a fully functioning new queen-sized bed frame in our master bedroom! it has 6 big drawers underneath, and a nice tall headboard for sitting up and reading in bed, and ok so we still have our full-size mattress on it, and the drawers dont have any hardware on them yet, but other than that, this project is done and useable!

taken before the drawers went in

25. our cabinet guy - we are soclose to finalizing our kitchen layout, and Christopher is totally awesome - answering all our questions, and helping us visualize all our options, and really working to help us keep moving forward with this whole big kitchen renovation. thankful to be working with good people.

26. my microwave - making indoor s'mores possible. yum. even though i am planning on replacing it in the near future, i am thankful that it works and has done so reliably for the past four years.

27. my sister Abi - always good for an encouraging phone call. thankful to have sisters who are never more than a phone call away.

28. nighttime walks - i've said it before, but i think this week was definitely the last last chance for being outside after dark with just a hoodie to keep me warm, so i took the opportunity to hit the streets for a little time out of the house to chill, and decompress, and talk on the phone. thankful for my quiet residential street, my flashlight, and free time to take advantage of the lovely weather.

29. electricity - thankful for heat on chilly days, air conditioning on warm days, lights after 5:30 pm, and a multitude of other things made possible by this nifty discovery.

30. to-do lists - mine right now is growing faster than i can cross things off of it, but the things on it are all good and exciting. thankful for the visible progress inherent in list-making.

31. music - specifically, those really random songs that pop up when your iPod is on random shuffle and remind you of good times and even better people. "Delta Manda Dawn, what's that flower you have on? could it be a faded rose from days gone by?..." thankful for happy memories with people i love.

32. new toys - i got a Fitbit today at work! thankful for my company's wellness program and being physically fit enough to participate in it.

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