Thankful

My life is about as stress-free, mundane and run-of-the-mill as it gets, and believe me, I like it like that. And I have plenty to be thankful for, and not just the usual health, and beautiful children and wonderful husband. (I wish for once, I could hear someone say, "I have two perfectly ordinary children and a husband who really pisses me off now and then.") So here is a list of things for which I am truly grateful.

1. Hot showers. I remember reading a book about a pioneer woman who had a bath once a month in the summer, and not at all in the winter. I could barely finish the book after that. How disgusting would that be? I'm very glad to live in a time where hot showers are considered an inalienable right. The shower that I have after coming home from a week at the cottage is the best one all year. And we HAVE a shower at the cottage, (which, yes, I do use.)

2. The internet Man, do I love the internet. I don't quite know what I did with myself before it was available, but I'm sure it was productive. I had a university student I know say that she didn't know how people studied before the internet, and although I did it, I had to admit I don't know either.

3. Frozen fruit. Not that I believe I was ever in danger of scurvy, but being able to eat raspberries in the middle of winter is still an enormous deal to me.

4. Cordless phones. There was a time when the hapless phone user was stuck in a 3 foot radius for the duration of the call, and couldn't do anything but talk on the phone. Then, cordless phones came in (around the time I had my first baby) and a whole world of multi-tasking was opened up to me: I could fold laundry, do the dishes, or even play Scrabble on the computer while talking on the phone. (The last one is reserved for long conversations with my husbands aunt, whereby I have to hear the details of the life of everyone in her apartment building. I don't think that requires my undivided attention.)

5. Microwave popcorn. Really fast and no clean up. What's not to love.

6. My husband does not spit. I often see men walking down the street who suddenly hork up a big loogy and spit right out on the sidewalk. They don't even seem the slightest bit embarrassed about it either. Why do they do this? You don't see women spitting all over the place; I don't even feel the need to spit ever. Himself does not spit, for which I am eternally grateful.

7. My children are now old enough that I do not have to attend the Santa Clause Parade. I hate that parade. The weather is frequently miserable, cold and rainy, since they insist on having it in the middle of freaking November, it's crowded with people who are just as unhappy as I am, and the kids are always disappointed because they never seem to get any of the candy thrown into the crowd. And all of this with clowns, too! Thankfully, I'm done.

8. I really do have two beautiful children and a wonderful husband.

Of course, there are many, many other things to be grateful for, and I could go on and on for ages. (Like, Madonna seems to have given up acting altogether, and stirrup pants are out of style.) The big stuff it's easy to be thankful for, but I try not to ignore the little stuff; it matters too.