Abundance of gratitude...

for Monday

To keep me grounded, is to remind myself. of what is truly important; gratitude for the simple things.

Today I am grateful for
...15 upcoming vacation days, off from work
...four days of rain
...time to nourish my spirit and embrace my home

My sad, neglected patio garden

I work nights, long nights, to where my inner time clock is messed up. Even on my days off, there are nights, when my sleep is distracted. I woke tonight at 3 a.m. I have to work tomorrow and have yet to wash my clothes, for work. My daughter usually washes them. She is away at my sisters for the holidays. I have put off washing them, until I no longer can. I do not have a washer in my apt. The laundry room is only four doors over.

On my way out the front door, as I step out on the patio; I see my poor neglected plants. One a huge ivy, whose leaves have attached to the wall, has fallen over. I pick it up and decide now is as good a time, to water them, I look around. There are those with dead leaves, from not being watered, as often as they should. There are also those that amaze me with their resilience. Some in cracked pots. One in a pot that has cracked and the pieces have fallen off; but there is still a few scattered pieces holding it together. These are thriving.

My garden amazes me at times. There are many empty pots, dirt only; that are no longer empty. It seems that the different plants have pollinated, the empty ones. My one asparagus fern, has migrated to three other pots and all are thriving. The ivy that sits on the fence, has replanted itself in a empty pot, sitting below it. Parts of some plants, have started to grow offshoots, in other plants.

I can only imagine what a little attention and plant food could do.

I find myself going on a very dark journey, of depression. I have had down days, but nothing that clings to me like this. The journey to menopause began, soon after chemotherapy ended. Scattered periods were accompanied with a week of depression every so often. Nothing that has held on like this.

I am hoping my upcoming two week vacation from work, will be just what I need to nourish my spirit.

The results

The electric bill came last week. It went from $86 last month to $53 this month. She did a great job in turning the lights off, when not in use. To keep her motivated, I have told her that each month the electric bill, stays, at where it is she will get $5. For every dollar it goes down from the previous month, I will give her a additional dollar.