Grateful Blog

The intent of this blog is to focus on the positive things in my life. Yes, that's a bit cheesy, but I like cheese. If you're lactose-intolerant, perhaps you should find another blog to read. So pretty much, daily affirmations, Web 2.0+ style! Need more details? Ok, here you go. Follow me on Twitter for this and other random shit.

[eesullivan]

If I have to get up early for an infusion, at least I can easily visualize one of my happy places.

[eesullivan]

Official Happy Birthday to this guy! Whose idea of a good birthday morning is making ME an egg and cheese sandwich 🤷‍♀️. I'll return the favor later by making him his favorite vegetarian chili, after we may or may not go disc golfing in the snow and cold. 🥶 After we definitely will play a board game or two, and I will most certainly legitimately get beat at shuffleboard again. Whatever makes him happy, because he most definitely deserves it given that he spends all his days making me and Emil happy. ❤️ (at Leaser Lake B and B LLC-Lakeside Carriage House and Lakeside Tiny House) https://www.instagram.com/p/CY6tDW9rOROHG4iaa8wkUoD8P29bXjWX_22dfg0/?utm_medium=tumblr

[eesullivan]

First time since March 2020 doing something truly normal, an actual date night, and OMG it felt amazing!!! No dinner or drinks before or after since we still have to be wicked careful thx to #autoimmune disease/#immunosuppressent. But we bought these tix in March and even though I've had some tough health issues lately, I'd be damned if I missed this night! And it exceeded my expectations. Midland kicked it and killed it! Huge added bonus was the opener Hailey Whitters who had such great energy onstage and was super nice in person. And last but certainly not least, my date for the night wasn't half bad, either. 😉 😍 (Special thx to Jackie for taking care of our boy so we could do this without too much worry ❤️) #grateful (at Franklin Music Hall) https://www.instagram.com/p/CV8j_ObrRE0581GmySaJ3sA17UnnfCii4FBEtY0/?utm_medium=tumblr

[eesullivan]

Another really gorgeous day at the beach! We’ve really lucked out this year that every day we’ve been able to go to the Shore, the weather has totally cooperated. I’m especially grateful given that this is literally the only place I go!

Special shout-out to David who does so much work hauling that beach cart a long way in the hot sun, not to mention lots of driving and generally helping my old-lady-body.  

[eesullivan]

Rare Friday off for David and the cats are taking full advantage, and vice versa.

[eesullivan]

Absolutely beautiful day at the beach! Blue skies, warm air and water, easy social distancing. Perfect!

[eesullivan]

“Our cat, Margaret” (or our neighbor’s cat, Scrap, depending on your view) has become so comfortable with us that she just naps at our front door and doesn’t even lift her head to say hello to me. 

[eesullivan]

Emil’s got a new pair of shoes, made from sand at our favorite Jersey Shore beach!

[eesullivan]

A nice big breakfast (made by him because that's what he does), a board game that took all afternoon (and then some), ice cream for "lunch", a handmade mini golf themed card from Emil ... throw in a little cat strangulation, a dad jokes t-shirt, and quarantine hair, and you've got Father’s Day 2020.

[eesullivan]

Luckily it only LOOKS like Emma Louise Hairball Sullivan Gorgos has no limbs. 

[eesullivan]

Today is a good day. The family size portions of Veggie Straws are back!  

Lately the store has only had the smaller size to feed my addiction to Veggie Straws. Today David came home with this big one and said, "Irresponsible Portions are back!" (Note the brand name of these in the upper left.)

[eesullivan]

Well, our favorite #JerseyShore beach that we loved in part because it was secluded and quiet even in the middle of the summer is... Not so much anymore. Thanks Coronavirus! Looks like many others thought this would be a good place to enjoy the beach away from the boardwalk and stores and restaurants. Never seen it remotely like this! Oh well this is still not crowded in terms of Jersey Shore standards and we're able to safely socially distance. Weather is gorgeous! Must admit I've officially lost my New England hardiness (heartiness?) and the water at around 63 degrees is too cold for me for more than wading.

[eesullivan]

One strange silver lining of this quarantine is that my sleeping habits have changed entirely. For many many years, I was a terrible sleeper who would be in bed for 10 to 12 hours at a time, waking and falling asleep many times throughout the night, often for long periods of time. My "sleeping" time also varied widely from day-to-day but it was very rare that I was out of bed before 10am. Hell, 10am was early. I had fairly regular bouts of sleepless nights. I had just accepted that this was part of my autoimmune disease. 

But since David got his negative virus test on April 7th, my sleeping habits changed to going to bed between 10:30 and 11:30pm and getting up between 7:30 and 8:30am. I still toss and turn a bit and always will due to my autoimmune arthritis but that schedule has not wavered at all for more than five weeks now. Not even for one night. It feels good to be like a normal human! Prior to this, there's No Way I'd be sitting out at a bonfire at 8am on a Sunday morning! 

[eesullivan]

Some quality time with Margaret. 

[eesullivan]

First time this year we've been able to completely turn the heat off all day. On May 14. I can't overstate how bizarre that is for this area. Enjoying it while I can - not doing any freelance work or remote learning all day for the first time in probably a month. Ahhh.

[eesullivan]

This may seem like an odd thing to be buying during quarantine, but now is actually a great time to buy a mattress. We got one of the top-rated mattresses on Consumer Reports, a queen-size Beauty Rest, for a grand total of $280. No delivery fee. Basically more than 75% off. They're desperate and I'm using some of my stimulus money to help us all out. Took a month to get here but worth the wait!  

Side note: I was initially anxious about having them come into the house but they came with masks on already, put new booties on their feet, and sanitized their hands immediately before coming into the house, all of which they did before I could even ask them to do it. 

[eesullivan]

I'm in love with my new Kindle Paperwhite, which arrived yesterday (8 days early !...??). Almost no arthritis pain holding this. I have a very high tolerance for pain and love reading, but with a real book the pain in my fingers and wrists was ever present and I couldn't read for very long periods. I think I could read all day with this thing!