I went out to dinner with one of my best friends last night. She remarked how tired I looked. I just finished a tough overnight pet sitting job that had lasted a week, was taking care of a cat that always bites me no matter if I pet him or leave him alone and the transition with a new boss at my night job was proving more difficult than I had imagined. I realized as I was talking with my friend that I had not really talked to anyone that week on a personal level. I just plodded along in my days and nights, doing my jobs, caring for pets and listening to everyone else’s issues and problems but really had not shared mine with anyone. I find a lot of people have no problem sharing any issue when they feel you are a good listener but they are not always there when I need am ear to vent on. I have always been a listener even when I was a small child.
I shared some of the difficulties I had during my week with my friend. My biggest one being very sad over the death of my farrier friend. Sometimes I feel like once the funeral is over and the person wasn’t a family member the rest of the world expects you to move on and be alright. After a very nice dinner I came home, decided against watching Downton Abbey which I have watched every week it is on (I recorded it last night) I climbed into bed at 9:30 and went to sleep.

I have had a tough last three days with my gratitude challenge but have done better since getting off work tonight. What snapped me back was running into a local man who chooses to live in his car. I have seen him around town for about the last six years. He lives life on his own terms. It is a lifestyle that would frighten me but he says mine frightens him. But seeing him forces me to face some of my fears and makes me grateful for that which I do have.

Abby the cat was glad I came home on Saturday. She sleeps like I do with something always covering her eyes. She uses her paw to cover her eyes while I use a pillow to cover mine. That is Abby in the top photo. The center photo I took yesterday across the farm fields. I thought the sun coming through the clouds was kind of neat. The bottom photo is taken just beyond my backyard. It is of the grasses leading to the marsh and the rivers. The wind was howling yesterday. I don’t know if you can tell it or not from the picture. The grasses were all clacking together in the winds.

How is your gratitude challenge going? Have a great Tuesday!