Thankful Thursday

Things I'm thankful for this week include:

• Noxious fumes -- I can hear you now, "Girl, what have you been sniffin'?" Hold on & let me 'splain. My office bldg had some bad fumes when we got there this morning. Apparently, they were painting the garage or something like that. (Why they didn't do that on a weekend escapes me, but they didn't ask for my opinion....) Instead of getting better, it kept getting worse. Finally, at about 11:15 am, the bldg management decided to close the bldg. My organization doesn't own the bldg; we just rent a couple of floors, so we had to wait outside on our "fire drill assembly spot" while the higher ups & powers that be were contacted. After about 45 minutes of waiting, they released my section to head off where we could "work at home". *wink* (My boss used air quotes as he said those words.) The storm front that blew through here last night had dropped the heat and humidity, so it was a gorgeous day for this to happen. I gave my sweetie a call and met him for a picnic lunch before heading off to catch a museum exhibit I've been hoping to see before heading home to actually do some work....So, yeah, I'm thankful for noxious fumes!! Best.workday.EVAH!
  
  
• Muppets!! -- The exhibit I went to see this afternoon before heading home is all about Jim Henson and the creative process that brought about the Muppets & various other of his creations. It was interesting to see his development & evolution from his early work on Sam and Friends or for Wilkins Coffee, through Sesame Street, the Muppet Show, Fraggle Rock and the Dark Crystal. The most amazing thing was to see his initial sketches -- doodles, almost -- for some of the characters we now know and love. It was easy to see the personality he intended for that character and to identify the character it would become, even from a simple line sketch that he probably produced in only a few minutes. He was an incredible visionary!
  
  
• Good neighbors -- Next to me & across the street from me live 2 widows. Since we all live alone, we keep an eye out on each other. I hadn't seen the neighbor across the street in a while, but she was outside as I stepped off the bus the other day. Not only did we catch up, she insisted on sending me home with some homemade spinach lasagne. :-)
  
  
• Tiburon -- she gave me the 411 on the $1.50 cheesecake special coming up this next week. Yum!! In addition, I shared this information with one of my co-workers who is young/just out of school/realizing that it costs more than he thought to live in the real world. A few weeks ago, I clued him in to the free Slurpees at 7-11 that day (also news I got from Tiburon). When I told him about the cheesecake, he stopped, looked at me w/ his mouth slightly agape and said, "How do you know this stuff?". I smiled slyly and told him, "I know people" and left it at that. Tiburon, thanks for sharing that information and making me look good!
  
  
• Good friends -- I've had some serious crap going on in my life for the past year and a half or so. Most of the time, I deal with it pretty well, but occasionally it gets to me. This week was one of those times. A really good friend was there for me & made me feel a lot better. Thanks, Mel!
  
  
• A gladiolus in bloom -- I almost missed it as it's slightly obscured by the lilies that are pretty much finished blooming & the hostas that are in full bloom. It's a beautiful, elegant creamy yellow color. It's early yet for glads here, so it caught me unaware.
  
  
• A night off -- my DDP (Dear Dance Partner) handled our classes without me this week, so I could have a night off, get to sleep early, etc. I love teaching, but sometimes it's nice to play hookey.

So, how bout you? What things are you grateful for this week? Take the logo and make a post in your own blog if you are so inclined. I'll bet ya feel better if you do.