{justme}: monday gratitudes

Having some health and general life junk frustrations lately. I teach others everyday how to cope and focus on the positive and I have a very hard time taking my own advice sometimes. People in my life who love me try and help me to refocus. I need to refocus. I am wasting time. Time you don't get back. Time that really isn't all that bad in the grand scheme... even with the junk. So today I really need my gratitude list. I decided to focus on some things around my home that I'm grateful for today...

Today I am grateful for...

1. The bright red tomatos that grew on my sad little tomato plant!

2. Hot coffee in my favorite mug and mulitgrain toast. Went grocery shopping with Cary last night and I'm grateful to have food in the house and money to pay for it.

3. I finished the little booties to go with the lace hat I made last week. Getting some practice on the whole seaming thing. Not to great at it but grateful for the practice. Ordered some little "handmade by emily" tags yesterday off etsy. I'll post when I get them in.

4. I finally got around to blocking out the cabled scarf I finished last year. The air is getting chillier and I can't wait to wear it. I loved the bright color and it is so soft. And at the time it was the most complicated thing I had made. Makes me want to work with cables again. I haven't since that project. This has been the year of trying to challenge myself in knitting and try out all different technques.

5. Apples with cinnamon and nutmeg.

6. A big bowl of cortland apples and fruit for the week.

7. Our fall wreath in the hall. I keep the same wreath up all year and just add stuff to it each season. Simple.

8. A new knitting challenge. Working on a wool hat for my dad for Christmas. Stripes. Jogless stripes. Have never worked with stripes. Some challenges overcome and I think it will be nice when it's finished. Not sure I'm handling things correctly on the inside of the hat with color changes but who will know but me? A challenge for a true perfectionist is realizing that if you have never done something before it won't turn out perfect and that is how it is supposed to be!

9. The flowers and plants that are still blooming on the balcony despite the cool New England fall nights recently. Hoping to get some mums soon...but enjoying the bit of summer still out there.