Five Things Friday

This is one of a series of billboards along the interstate in North Dakota.
Others say Be Polite and Be Kind.  I love them.

I don't have much to say about personal finance these days. If you follow me on facebook and twitter, you will have seen this status update from yesterday: "Today I almost placed a $50 order from Old Navy (for free shipping) just because I wanted a fleece vest. Then I went for a run, and decided I can just cut the sleeves off of my fleece jacket instead. Savings!"

That's about the most exciting this to happen to me lately, but that's a good thing.

Since I, and most of Rhode Island got off pretty easy in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, I'm going to take today to mention five things that I am grateful for.

1. Electricity
We briefly lost power this week when a Noreaster named Athena settled in over the region.  I moved the milk to the freezer immediately, and was just about to fill up some water bottles to set outside to freeze (the one nice thing about losing power during a snowstorm), but then the power came back.  While it was out, I hunkered down under a blanket with a book, flashlight, cold pizza and my kitty.  It was lovely, but I was still pretty damn glad when the power came back on.  So it's a simple thing, something we take for granted, but you sure miss it when you don't have it.

2. Health
My coworker is quite a bit older than me, though I'm not sure her exact age.  She has more health problems than anyone I think I've ever met, and it's constantly amazing to me that she's as cheerful as she is.  Honestly, she never complains even though she takes 25 (yes you read that right) pills PER DAY, has an inhaler that she uses frequently and her husband was just diagnosed with tongue cancer for which he is currently doing radiation and chemotherapy.  I've worked with her less than a year, and it seems like every month she or her husband have some new freak ailment.  It's exhausting to hear about, so I can't even imagine how exhausting it must be to go through.  Either way, it makes me glad that I have my health, and it makes me more determined to do whatever I can to keep that health.

Hell no.

Also, when I get old and inevitably start falling apart, I'm going to try to maintain the same upbeat spirit she has.

3. Wee Watson
Now that it's getting colder out, my little kitty, Watson has turned into a cuddling maniac.  It's always hard in the summer when he rejects my advances in favor of splaying out on the floor or hiding in the back of the closet.  Now that it's colder, it's all Watson all the time, and I love it.

4. Treadmill
Honestly, I kind of hate the treadmill.  It's boring, I go so much slower on it, I always have to plan in advance because I need something to watch while on it, and mine is located in the basement right next to the dryer, which is not a very fun part of the house.  But sometimes, like these days when we've had all this weather going on, and the days are short and getting colder, I am really really glad I have this thing.  It eliminates excuses I would make because of the weather/darkness; it takes away the guilt of watching tv; and if I feel like walking, no one can see/judge me.  Treadmill and I are getting along quite well these days.

5. Crockpot
I am becoming a crock-potting junkie, and I love it!  The other day, I made black beans and rice, which turned out amazing.  I initially froze half of it thinking that I wouldn't want to bring it to work more than two days in a row, but I seriously wanted it again this morning.  I've been scouring the internet for good recipes, and I'm fairly convinced that there is something magic in the crockpot that just makes everything taste extra good (and makes the house smell good).  I'll probably make another batch of the magical cabbage soup soon, and then I think I'm going to make a batch of hearty Bob's Red Mill Whole Grains and Beans soup.  Seriously, if it's not slow cooker--it's crap!  Not really, but everything I've made has been delicious, and dirt cheap.  No complaints from me.