Hi everyone! I’m still struggling and neglecting my blog as a result. I fear this blog may be coming to an end someday within the not too distant future. Still, I hope not. Today, I’m participating in the Wednesday HodgePodge once again. Here goes.
1. Have you ever been on a cruise? If so where did you go and how did you like it? If not, do you have any desire to take a cruise someday?
No and I don’t think so. I’ve heard and read about just a little too many cruise ships sinking.
2. Tell us about your Thanksgiving plans…are you hosting? cooking? eating out? turkey or some other main? is it stuffing or dressing in your house? homemade cranberries or cranberries in a can? are pies on the dessert menu? what kind? what are your ‘must have’ sides? Tell us one thing you’re especially grateful for this year.
I’m not in the United States, so no Thanksgiving plans for me. I will be going to Lobith (where my husband lives) over the weekend though. We have been making plans for cooking a chicken and rice curry.
As for something I’m especially grateful for, I’d have to say the support of my mother-in-law. She sticks by me through the rough situation with my care despite being busy with her volunteer job herself.
3. If someone approaches you and asks for money do you give it to them? Do you drop money ‘in a tin cup’ that belongs to a person on the street? Do you have a specific charity you support during the holiday season and/or year round?
I don’t usually give money to people who ask. That includes people on the street. I used to give money to people on the street but stopped doing so after one of them got me to give him a larger than I would normally do amount of money because he had a pitiful but unbelievable according to my husband story. I don’t support any charities either, except for the member organizations I belong to, the Eye Association (for people with eye conditions) and CP Netherlands (for those affected by cerebral palsy).
4. Have you started decorating for Christmas? Is your tree up? Shopping done? Wrapped?
Not at all. I have a few Christmas decorations left over from last year (gave my tree away because it consumed huge amounts of batteries), but I haven’t put them up yet. We don’t do Christmas presents in my husband’s family and I won’t see mine at all. In fact, I can hardly believe it’s just one more month until Christmas.
5. Create your own acrostic using the word THANKS.
Thankful for a
Home to call my own
A husband who supports me
Necessities provided
Kind staff (sometimes) in the care home
Striving to make the best of this life
Of course, that “home to call my own” is in Lobith, by the way.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
I had quite a mixed day today. The morning shift was horrible, but the evening shift’s staff at least tried to make up for it, be it consciously or not.
A Multitude of Musings 
I find that I am struggle with my blog too but I don’t want to stop. I have so many people I follow and love but it takes me hours and hours to read them. I’m not giving up but I will definitely not be around as much until after Christmas. Yes, a sinking ship scares me too! Your meal sounds good. Enjoy your trip. That is lovely that you have your mother in laws support. I know that I am not ready for Christmas but hope to be in the mood soon. Your acrostic is lovely. Sending ((Hugs)) to you. Take care and God Bless.
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Thanks so much for your kind words. Honestly, I didn’t expect my blog to suffer when I moved here. In fact, I started following a few homemaking linkies because here the staff cook for us and I was hoping I could at least contribute a little by thinking up the menu (together with the staff). The support coordinator even came up with the idea herself. Well, turns out no, I can’t help in the least and, in fact, this past Saturday, a staff was making apple fritters all by himself because he had nothing to do and I didn’t find out until I was offered one. I would’ve loved to have helped but instead, when I later told a staff, was told that, “maybe”, “someday”, I could help bake an apple pie, as the staff had ordered ingredients for that. Same with crafting: staff keep saying they may help me with polymer clay “someday”. For these reasons, I hardly experience any interesting things to share on the blog so don’t have the motivation/inspiration to blog. Oh sorry, I’m ranting.
Thanks for the compliment on my acrostic!
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I hope that maybe someday comes to you. You can rant anytime.
Take care and God Bless.
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Thanks so much for your kind comment. This means a lot.
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It was interesting to experience the different shifts of nurses and doctors when my husband was in the hospital in the early part of November. I have to remind myself that we never know what someone else might be going through. I enjoyed your acrostic. Enjoy your trip to Lobith!
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Thank you so much for your supportive words. I am so sorry your husband was in hospital and saw so many staff there too. The problem in my case isn’t so much with seeing many staff, but with the fact that I’m here long-term and as a result am supposed to build some kind of professional relationship with the staff that goes beyond them just meeting my basic physical/medical needs. Some staff I’ve just met for the first time, seem to know a lot about me already and ask a ton of personal questions and I have yet to learn to set boundaries with them.
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I enjoyed your acrostic. I’m glad your mother-in-law is in your corner. That helps I’m sure. Have a nice weekend away!
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Thank you so much! Yes, I’m so glad to have my mother-in-law’s support.
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Blogging is something that is very hard to give up. It seems to ebb and flow depending on what is going on in our lives. I hope you continue. It was fun to read your answers.
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Haha, I agree about your observation that blogging is very hard to give up. I really hope I won’t. Thanks for stopping by.
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You are welcome. Just visit people for a while, or do one photo posts.
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Thanks for those ideas. That being said, I can’t really do posts that are just a photo due to my blindness.
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Oh, Astrid, I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize your were blind or I had forgotten – which is so like me. You do an amazing job of blogging. You know what is best for you, and I can see that you are reaching out. I’m sure everything takes much longer for you than it does for the sighted person, which makes what you do even more amazing. Sorry again for being insensitive.
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You weren’t being insensitive at all. I completely understand you didn’t realize I’m blind and you just tried to offer feedback. Thanks so much for your encouragement!
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Thank you, Astrid.
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I have been on two Cruises. Once when I was young and the other as an adult. The first to Mexico and the second to Catalina. I would definitely go again, if I could afford it.
I am thankful for my cats whom I love as they are my immediate family. I am also thankful for my faith and freedom to believe, as well as, my friends.
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So glad to read about your thankfuls. These are wonderful!
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