Thankful Thursdays #2: Jan 5th-11th.

Another Thursday.
Another list of things to be thankful for.

I think it’s really funny how my list reflects my week.
For the record, I DO NOT go back and look through the book before I write the new thankfuls that night.
Hence the repeats.
But I like this.
Means I’m clearly really thankful.

So, for this week, here are my thankfuls:

Stories…clearly, the DMV clerk.
I had the pleasure of having three half days this week and the last week, but also had to do some hard time at the DMV getting my car registered and getting my CA driver’s license.

The first time I went in, I did not have an appointment, but the second time, I did. (Quick learner!)

So, I walk in the building and there’s this big sign that says, “Stop here first” and there are two separate lines, one for appointments and one for walk-ins. The front of the lines run smack-dab into a little desk/counter, and behind that counter, bopping around between the two lines and always clutching some piece of paper, was this clerk.

Let’s call her Clerkie.

She wasn’t that tall (maybe 5 feet?) and wasn’t that big (maybe my size or smaller) and certainly wasn’t that old (late 40s?) but she was ALL energy. People would come up and show her their paperwork and she would smile this huge smile and show them where to go. When people came back that she had sent out for something, she’d ask,

“You got your passport now?” (or whatever question it was)

and the person would say yes, and she’d say, “I’m so proud of you!”

She said this to everyone, so much so that someone waiting for his number to be called mumbled, “She’s proud of everyone….”

I wanted to walk right up to that guy and say, “LOOK! Let her be proud of everyone. You know how much you don’t like to be here? Imagine if you worked here, then how would you feel? She’s choosing to have a fun and upbeat attitude, and you don’t get to bring her down.”

Instead I just decided to be more nice to her.

She laughed about me being out of state and made a point to say goodbye to me when I left.

On my second visit, she smiled.

“I remember you. Ms. New York, right?”
I nodded.
“I bet you think it’s weird I remember you, but I do, I really do.”
In my head I was thinking it really wasn’t all that weird, since I am usually able to recognize children that I saw only once when I see them again a year later in the same setting. And then I said,

“No, I’m not really surprised. I’m kind of memorable.”
I wasn’t doing this to be full of myself, people. I’m just saying, people tend to remember me. For my kindness? Who knows.

And she answers:

“Um, no, not really, just I remember you.”

Hilarious.
I get to go back one more time, so I’ll get to see her again.
And I’m going to bring her a small gift.

The other one I’m going to explain is headlamps/candles

So I live in a little loftish space in a house.
It is ALWAYS FREEZING.
I don’t really mind, and usually just turn on my electric blanket and sit with it around me.

But I was home a lot this past week with half days at work, so turned the heater on.
Apparently my heater and another heater and the toaster oven can’t all be on at the same time.
The second the toaster oven started cooking someone else’s food, it went dark.

The box was checked.
Breakers were flipped.
And the lights stayed off.

Just in the half of the house where I am.
Go figure.
So I spend the rest of that night and the whole next day using candles and my headlamp.
And it reminded me of the adventures in blackouts I would have as a child.

How exciting was it to just quiet down and have a candle, or sneak a headlamp to read a book under the covers?
I literally carried the candle around with me too.
Felt a little like Wee Willie Winkie, though, did he have a candle?
Not sure.

 

Anyway, there you have it.
What are you thankful for?

Think about it!

 

KE