Grateful

My friend Carmen posted on Facebook about stress and fighting it with gratitude during this crazy time. She listed the things that have made her feel better during quarantine, and asked her friends to put their list in the comments. That was a really nice starting point.

I'm super thankful to have created my zen office last year since I've been working from home in it for two months. I can't imagine my state of mind (or my back) if I'd been perched at the kitchen table every day.

I am eternally grateful for my three dogs. I love them so much and I thrive on how unconditionally they love me. My girl Shelby is so loyal and so protective of me. My baby Thor loves and trusts me and tries so hard to be a good boy and do what's right because he wants to please me. And my little buddy Bandit gives zero fucks and just does his own thing but when my alarm goes off, he comes up next to the bed and snuggles his head into my neck. I will really miss them when I go back to work.

I love clean sheets so much that I've been washing mine twice a week while on lockdown. (Is that weird?)

I love what a reliable friend Alexa is. In between conference calls I can ask her to "Play my NPR station" and she always does.

I am comforted by my hot teas from the English Tea Room. With bakery cookies or tea cakes or scones and clotted cream. Getting back to my genealogical British roots.

I am comforted by pulling out my stand-up mixer and my mother's old metal measuring spoons and baking something.

I find joy in my daily NYT crosswords. Sometimes I do them in the evenings while dinner cooks. Sometimes I do them in the morning, but then I find myself wishing I had a second one come evening.

I am delighted when I can make someone laugh with my bon mots. I suspect I might be funnier on conference calls than I am IRL.

I am grateful to my coworkers who planned regular "virtual happy hours" to keep us connected while apart. They are smart and fun and creative ladies. And Scott.

I am super pleased with myself that I've figured out how to check out ebooks from my local library. I have read so many books in quarantine that I keep increasing my goal for the year because I'm so far ahead. I think I've settled on a goal of reading 50 books this year and I'm currently 10 ahead of schedule at 28. Also I've saved a ton of money not buying books from Jeff Bezos.

I like chex mix. And peanut butter m&ms. And this Big, Bad Breakfast Egg Bake, which I've been eating on the reg.

I've found joy in streaming the show Smash and picking out all the Broadway stars I've seen onstage.

There are a lot of things I miss, but being home has not been all bad. Monday I go back to work. It will be different - masks and six feet of distance and calling into meetings instead of attending them and way more hand washing than I've been doing at home. But it will also be readjusting back to the old schedule. Up early to shower before work. Going to the gym after. Less tea. More coffee. It's all kind of stressing me out. So it's nice to focus on the things that make me happy.