Monday Moments of Gratitude {The Jury Duty Edition!}

How is it Monday already!  It's feeling like a two cup of coffee kinda day already!!  After a busy weekend, this always seems to hold true for me!

Today I am linking up with Shaunacey for her Monday Moments of Gratitude post.   And today my post is dedicated to the strangers who helped me out when I really needed it.

Here's the story...

Last Wednesday I had Jury Duty!  YUCK!  Maybe I should go back a ways.

A few weeks ago I got the Jury Summons in the mail...and never really did anything with it.  I couldn't quite believe that seven years had past since I got my last one. I never had to go  that time because I had a high number and the jury was picked I guess before my number was up.

This time I probably could have postponed it too, but I just kind of forgot about it, as is the case with a lot of my mail.  HA!  So last Friday I went on line to see if I had to report for Tuesday.  Luckily, I didn't.  Based on what i saw on Friday I calculated that if I had to go it would be on Friday!  So when I had to look online again, I was kinda nonchalant about it and looked at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.  (Because of the Columbus Day Holiday, you were not required to call or go online on Monday to check).

Well clearly my calculations were grossly underestimated!!  On Friday when I looked, they had 200 jurors going to one court.  Tuesday night I saw about a thousand jurors going to three different courts on Wednesday, which meant I was going!!!

EEEEEKKKKK!!


Why Kate...Why had you been so stupid in thinking you weren't going to be called?!? I checked it at 7 on Tuesday, and was on a train to the courthouse by 8 the next day.  If I had checked it at 5 p.m. that night, like they recommend, I could have had sub plans and everything ready at school the next day!  I was there for after care until 6.  I could have spent all the time getting ready!! Instead, I was a nervous wreck and woke up in a panic at 1:40 a.m., never to get back to sleep!!

So how does one without a license get to court? 

All along I had planned to Uber it to the courthouse in the morning.  But then I saw it was $70 bucks (yikes!), so my sister graciously agreed to pick me up and drive me to the train.  I live in walking distance to a train, but it is not on the same line as the courthouse, so I needed a pick-up!  But I'll be honest, the ride out east on the train was so pleasant.  It was like me and four other people,  (no one really heads east in the morning, most people are heading into the city!).  I saw horses, water, the changes colors of the leaves on the trees!  it was a nice ride.

After getting dumped at the station, I had to figure out a way to get to the courthouse, four minutes away.  I had planned to take a taxi, which there were a ton of, but they ALL seemed to be being worked on a fixed...which was a little sketchy.  And I for sure didn't want to get in a cab that someone was just dumping gas in...what if it blew up!?!

I was walking back and forth and decided to stop by the least sketchy looking man at the station to use my phone nad call for a legit taxi.  He asked me if I was waiting for someone.  I told him I was calling for a cab.  He said I should try uber...it would be cheaper.  I told him I knew that but didn't have far to go.  He asked me where is was going, and looked it up on his phone.  It was three minutes away.  I said I was going to try and walk.  He offered to take me.  Ordinarily, I don't get into white vans with no windows with strangers, but this was a legit work van, this guy looked really familiar to me and was super nice , so I thought...why not?  I had my guard up the whole time, but we chatted on the ride and he even gave me his number in case I needed a ride back.  Because in his words, when he was at Jury duty not too long ago, he was excused within the hour.


That was not to be my luck.  My luck was me sitting doing nothing from 9:30 to 3 p.m.!!!!!!!!!!  AWFUL!  We were warned though, by a court officer, that the judge we were assigned to was not one who was on the quick side.  She said not to expect to be out before 2.  So when we were called up to the courtroom at 12:15 we were pretty pumped.

They called us up at 12:15, but getting 150 up in two very small elevators takes a while!  (I was wondering where the other 200 people that were called to this courthouse were.  I thought if you didn't go, it was a fine and jail time.  I guess that's a lie!! )  After standing outside the courtroom for another 15 minutes, they finally let us in.  Just to have us sit down and then say, "Go have lunch....See you back here at 2"  WHAT THE WHAT?!?  So I had another hour and half to wait.  I ate something, read a little and ran into me sister's friend, who was there for Grand Jury Duty, which there is no getting out of, for 30 days!!

Finally at 20 after two we were called back to the courtroom, stood, outside the doors until 3 o'clock, when we were let in and sworn in.  It was very interesting to hear the facts of the case.  I could have raised my hand and pleaded my case to be let go a few times, but I wanted to hear more.  HA!  Finally when the judge said" Do you have  hearing problems, seeing problems, or is English your second language", I raised me hand!  He called on my and I told him my story.

"I don't have any of those issues but I have CP and I don't drive, so the likelihood of me getting to the trail everyday is slim to none!  Then he said, you'll be relying on rides, I said, yes, and when he asked how I got there today I answered planes, trains, automobiles, everything you can imagine, the court house laughed. I was excused!!  Woo Hoo!!  At 3:45 I was let go!


That's the funny thing, when you tell a courtroom of people you don't drive, the kindness of strangers abound.  Another woman who was let go shortly after,  was driving around to try and find me and offered me a ride to the train.  I had already called a cab, but I was able to cancel it.  And, since  I knew I was going to miss the train home I came on, so I asked her if there was any way she could get me to a  station on my line!!  She said that was no problem as she was going further out east, so It totally worked. We had a great chat on the way to the train.  I learned about her, her family and where she lived.  She was a sweetheart of a woman!

After I got to the train I was home in 15 minutes!  That was a total score.  And on the way home, I found out that a spot opened up at a library event in town that I had put my name on.  After my busy day, I wasn't at all going to go, but since I got home sooner that I expected and they called and said there was space available, I went.  I mean how could I miss a free beer and cheese tasting event sponsored by two of my favorite places...the library and my local cheese shop!?!  HA!!

So the day ended on a high note. And even though I expressed my thanks to them, those kind strangers who helped me out last week will never quite understand what that meant to me!!

 After hearing the horrific crimes of a really, really bad man that day, I was reminded that good people....great people...are still out there in this world, and that GOOD will ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, outweigh the bad!!


Have a happy Monday!  I'll be spending this week paying it forward.

Monday Moments of Gratitude!!

Full disclosure here...I started writing this post last Monday!  But I took a  blog break!  I'm back at it today because it's something I love doing and it's something I'm grateful to have in my life!

It's been quite some time since I've linked up for a Monday Moments of Gratitude with my blogger buddy Shaunacey.  Quite simply, since I've been back from my vacation, I've been in a slump!  I had a great time on the trip, that was soured after I came home to find that half the contents of my suitcase had been stolen!

I realize the things that were taken are exactly that "THINGS"!  And that I am home safe and sound, I wasn't there the following day when I hurricane rolled through.  But I think I'm allowed to be a little angry and feel violated!  So after a week that found me hours on the telephone with the airlines, and sorting of the rest of my stuff, I'm back to blogging!!

Because even though some of my things are forever lost, there are so many things to be grateful for every single day!

A wonderful trip with my two very bests in the world. Will recap the trip soon!!

A family that I spend hours and hours laughing with...because I know not every family is as lucky as we are! Last Sunday my Mom and Dad celebrated their 45 wedding anniversary.  Their life together and the life they give all of us is certainly something to be grateful for!

Summer days and nights filled with good friends, good food, good music and tons of  fun!

And last but not least, changes and new things on the horizon as I get ready to begin a new school year!

And God Bless sisters with pools in this hideous heat!  Whew...when will it break!?!


I'm doing a lot of reflection today! Come on over to The Blended Blog tomorrow to read my 10 years forward post...eeeekkkk!!  Why is this so hard for me!!??



What does this week find you grateful for!? Let me know in the comments below!

May your coffee be strong and your Monday be short!

Monday Moments of Gratitude...on a Tuesday!!

It's been a while since I've posted a Monday Moments of Gratitude post, linking up with my blog buddy, Shaunacey!  I had all intentions of getting this up yesterday, but it didn't happen obviously.  I thought about not having this post go live until next Monday, but then I figured that any day's a good day to be grateful!

I've been busy traveling!!  Two weeks of traveling is a lot, but I loved every second of it.  I will recap both trips at length, but today, I'm focusing on the big picture of both those trips!   How grateful I am to have had the opportunity to spend  time with my family!

It was so great that I could spend Mother's Day weekend with my mom in Florida!  It was a really fun time, and I know my mom, too, was thankful to have me, my sister and nieces were there.It was also the first time in five months I had seen my dad, and almost a year had gone by since seeing my Aunt Laurie, so that was great too!  I'm also so happy that there was not a cloud in the sky while we were there and I could enjoy the warmth and get some color!I talked a little bit about the trip {here} and promise to recap it soon!

The very next weekend, I was off to North Carolina to celebrate my cousin's wedding.  It was quite the adventure!  The weather the entire weekend was beautiful.  The wedding was on a huge piece of property at a brewery and in a barn.  Really fun and different. It was filled with wonderful, simple touches of both the bride and groom.  The "original 6" of my family all traveled to be at the wedding.  That time together spent just the 6 of us never happens anymore, so that was pretty special as well.  And a Sunday spent in Charlotte with just my sisters was awesome....filled with more laughter and fun than we've had together in years!

Still waiting for my mom to put all her photos on Shutterfly but this is the photo we all got with Kev before the ceremony,  The photos I took of the happy couple dancing all came out blurry!!  Maybe because I was bawling...but that's a blog post for another time... lol

There was a time when I thought my family was one of those who spent way to much time together!  But now that's not really the case, so I enjoy any time we have together.  I know not everyone is as fortunate as me to have all their family, for a variety of reasons, so I am grateful!

Hope your Tuesday's been terrific and hope to see you back here tomorrow for another edition of Style Perspectives!

It's the little things....

Last week blogging kind of got away from me!  I was super busy, worked a lot, went out a few nights after school and was dead tired.  I think I might have mono! JK  But little things in the week help me to realize how grateful I should be for it all!!

Lately I have been working later and later and covering a lot of After Care.  In the beginning of April I picked up a third day til 6.  And on Friday, I unexpectedly had to work til 6. Making that 4 days. Ordinarily, I would be a little angry about this...but after calculating all the hours I spent doing it (and realizing it is almost equivalent to a whole nother week of work), I looked on the bright side.  How much bigger my paycheck would be!  With two trips coming up and a May that probably won't see me working after care much, I am grateful to have these extra hours now.  And it wasn't too bad....we were outside on the field most days after homework was done so I was able to get a little sun!

This beautiful weather!

Last week I was able to walk to work everyday because it has been so sunny and warm!!  Woohoo!!  I always woke up at the same time, but walking gives me an extra few minutes at home in the morning, so I don't have to rush.  By Thursday of me texting my friend, who usually swings by to pick me up, she texted back that they missed me!  LOL and that she was jealous of my walk everyday!  That made me smile!!

Seeing my sister and her girls...again!  On last Monday's gratitude post, I spoke about going to lunch with my sister and her girls last Sunday.  I also saw them all on Thursday!  Two times in a week...that never happens!!  I babysat my nieces while my sister and brother-in-law went to Middle School Orientation.  I had a good time with the girls!  We baked, we played games...I thought it was fun!  But apparently, I'm a tough baby-sitter!  LOL  But again, the girls enjoyed being in my daily photo.  And the night ended with Starbucks for Meg and I, so that was a plus...because who doesn't get Starbucks at 10 p.m.?!?

On Saturday my school had a function for teachers and parents called the Spring Fling. I was so glad to have the opportunity to go  again this year.  Last year it was on the same night as The Lion King.  It was a really fun night!  It's interesting to be out of school with parents!  But it's fun to see everyone in their dresses and in a different element.  I am grateful to the parents and Spring Fling organizers that they had  "Sponsor a Teacher" so we could go compliments of some generous families.  I didn't win any of the raffle prizes, but I came home with the centerpiece, pretty tulips, that I was hesitant to take, thinking I'd kill them...but luckily they are still alive!

It's the little things...., isn't it!?

Hope you all have a Marvelous Monday and can find a little something to be grateful for this week!!

Linking up with Shaunacey once again!  Thanks for such a fun link-up friend....

  

Grateful

You can complain because roses have thorns or

you can be grateful because thorn bushes have roses.

YESSSSSSS!!!  

I came across this quote on my Daily Wonder app this morning and it inspired me to link up with my bloggy buddy Shaunacey, and write  another gratitude post!  It was a relaxing and fun weekend and one that I am grateful for. I should also mention that I'm so happy that I get to pick the daily quotes that are read over the loudspeaker each day!  Such  a fun way to start the day!

The SUNSHINE and WARMTH!!

If I couldn't be in Vegas partying it up with The Bended Blog ladies, at least there was good weather here at home!!  It was in the 60's this weekend!!  Woo hoo!  I got a lot of sun this weekend!  Like A LOT...and I've been complaining about it because, it's red and hurting and itchy.  But before I got this sun, all I was complaining about was how ugly and white I was!!  lol   So now I'm not complaining.  I'm just thinking that this pain will pass and soaking in all the compliments I got today about my tan!!  Because everyone looks better with a tan!  And now I have a base for my Florida trip in May. And am grateful now that I won't be spending a good part of the trip too sunburned to enjoy it.   And I'll be bringing lots of sunscreen! 

A Weekend full of laughs, people watching, and fro yo, YO!

Friday night I went out for drinks with  two of my teacher friends (really they're just friend, friends!) We were celebrating that the state tests were over and done with!  (I just go for the drinks!  HA!  Actually I was celebrating that I don't have to house anymore opt-out outs in the library and get my preps back!!  Woo Hoo!!) It was a night of Peach Bellins, gossip chit-chat, and laughs! I'm so grateful for these girls!

Saturday night I had no plans but texted a friend from town and asked her if she wanted to hang! She was actually going to dinner with her dad and other friends and asked me to come along so I did.  I've known them both  basically my whole life...actually they've known me my whole life...they are more like family! We went to a really nice place for dinner and stayed into the night to listen to the band play.  Us girls also did a lot of people watching...one of my most favorite pastimes!  When the sun goes down and a band is playing, the crazies come out!!  And while my friend's dad, who's in his 80's was on the dance floor dancing circles around the people half his age, the  girls might've been at the bar...yawning! LOL I'm thankful for spur-of-the-moment nights!!

Not having any plans on Sunday either, I texted my sister to see if she could get away and do lunch with me!  She said she'd let me know.  I told her if she wanted to bring the whole fam, I was ok with that too!  A few Sundays back we all had dinner together, walked around in town for a while and it was lots of fun!  I am sure she was hoping it'd be just the two of us though!  She doesn't often get the chance for much alone time!  Sunday morning texts went back and forth as to who was coming, who wasn't, etc.  The last text said it's just be her and I.  With that, I decided we'd go someplace different for a nice lunch outside.  However, that didn't end up being the final text!  She texted before she left that both my nieces were coming along and that the day was planned for us!!  We'd be going to Meetball for big pretzels and fro-yo for dessert!  Well ok then girls!!  So that what we did!!  And it was a great time!! Meg and I wouldn't have gotten Fro-yo for dessert (we would've gotten Ralph's! LOL)  and it was so yummy!!  I'm so glad the girls wanted to come spend part of their Sunday with me!  But in all actuality, they just came to be in the daily photo! BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA

Look girls!  Now you made the blog too!

SLEEP

After lunch I sat out a little more, not to get any color, but just to enjoy the warmth! And actually was in bed at 7! Laundry and lessons might have taken a backseat, but I was up at 10 to 5, so there was nothing more I wanted to do that day! I probably got to sleep a little after 8.  So I got a good night sleep, something I have't been able to do in awhile, so that certainly something to be grateful for!

Here's to hoping this weather sticks around!  I'm just a happier person when the sun is shining and the weather is warm!!

Hope you've had a marvelous Monday!!

Come on back to the blog Wednesday for Style Perspectives!  The Ladies of The Blended Blog and I are styling a graphic tee!!  Show us your graphic tees!!

Monday Moments of Gratitude

This morning I posted my March in Review post with my bloggy buddy Deena.  And I thought I'd post again this afternoon with Shaunacey for her Monday Moments of Gratitude!  Because really... who doesn't like two-fers?!?  These are not of the "spirits"variety, but feel free to enjoy a glass of wine while reading.  I debated posting again, but I didn't post last week and kinda have a lot to be grateful for!

This morning I am back to work after Spring Break!  Over the break, I discovered that I really do enjoy my time off!  I sometimes think I could actually be one of those people that doesn't work!  HA!  But a mortgage and a shopping habit that I have yet to tone down, snaps me back to reality!  And I really am grateful to have a job, period, because I know so many out there are looking for work and struggling right now!

But  I am grateful that I have a job that allows me time off. Teaching is not always the easiest profession but when it gets stressful or out of hand, you know there's always a break to countdown to!  I complain about work a lot and am always counting down to something (and don't get much sympathy from anyone...because ya know...I get summers off and all) but it's also a great time to recharge....even if the second you walk back into the building, it feels like you were never really off at all.  So the countdown to summer starts now!

I am also grateful this week for my family.  Easter Sunday was the first time all of us, (with the exception of my mom and dad), got together since January.  I feel like now that my parents are not around to keep us all together, we don't see each other that often anymore.  And that's ok!  Because it just makes the time we do see one another that much more special and fun!  And the family grew by one!  With the edition of this sweet girl, who I introduced you all to on Friday!  This is my sister's family's new puppy!

A few more moments...

I am thankful for the time I got to spend with my besties this weekend for a girls' day!  It was a super fun day of laughs, jokes, pizza, Shopkins and Frozen Surprise Slides!  Like Chutes and Ladders, just all Frozen-y.  And Aunt Katie won a game!!  Woo hoo!!  (because Aunt Katie likes to play far!! HA!)

#bestiesforever...and an elk!

I am so grateful that my friend who spent the entire break sick, is on the mend!

I'm already looking for the little moments in this week to be grateful for.  Who and what makes you grateful?  Let me know!

Thanks for reading!  Have a wonderful week!

Monday Moments of Gratitude: The Home Edition

Happy Monday!  Linking up with Shaunacey today for Monday Moments of Gratitude!  

Today's Monday Moments of Gratitude Post is dedicated to my brother-in-law Anthony and my neighbor GUS because they helped this solitary life-r out BIG TIME around the house this weekend!

My brother-in-law Anthony is the handiest of us all...and everyone is my family knows this!  He also has way more patience than my dad, who after helping me out a ton when I first moved in, told me to "get a boyfriend so he could help me out around the house instead".  So I knew Anthony was the guy to help me put on my new shower head, after I did attempt...and failed to get the old one off!!  I knew I was going to see my sister and  on Sunday because I was babysitting my niece for them.  So I texted my sister and asked if Anthony would mind replacing the showerhead.  She texted back and said yes and that he would also put on the keyless entry (I have been wanting forever!), if I just got it during the week.  I was super excited!

A number of my neighbors have the keyless entry in my complex and I wanted to get the same so it looked uniform!  I texted my neighbor, GUS to ask about it...whose name is not really GUS, but that's what I call him because he's the Guy UpStairs!  I had a GUS in my old apartment and in this new place, the name just stuck.  Don't worry though, I know his real name and call him that!  But for blog anonymity we'll go with GUS.

And GUS just about did the sweetest thing ever!  He texted me back and said he got the same as everyone else too!  He said he knew what one to get and would gladly pick it up for me!!!  And install it!!  GUS is the BEST people!!  So he went and purchased it on Wednesday and came over on Friday to install it....but guess what?!?!  Something was missing from the box!!!  So he couldn't do it. I felt awful!!  He said he could go return it to Home Depot on Saturday and would come back and install it again then.  When I paid him for the lock I threw in some extra cash for his four trips to and from Home Depot!  HA!!

So that changed my plans for Saturday (but besties never mind when you cancel plans last minute!) and I stayed home and waited for him to come back and install the new one.  At around 5 p.m. a new keyless entry was installed and in good working order!  I was so excited!  So was GUS, seeing as every time I left my keys in the door, he'd be the one to text me they were there!  Now I am super secure in my little house!

And since Anthony didn't have to do my keyless entry, I didn't think he's mind if I added a few more smaller tasks around the house to his list for Sunday!  And he didn't!!  He was awesome!  He put up my Long Island sign that's just been propped up against the window since October, moved my Mishaps and Mayhem sign, fixed my loose toilet paper roll and changed a few light bulbs in my bedroom!  (Those I haven't had for almost a year!! LOL)  Oh and he helped me figure out how to get the drill bits in my drill!  Woo hoo!!  And he did it all with a smile!  But right about now I'm thinking he might think I need a boyfriend too....

So grateful for a loving (and handy!) brother-in-law and sweet, sweet neighbor friend!!




Have a great week!  And don't forget to head on over to The Blended Blog today...I'm sharing Spring Cocktails!!

Monday Moments

The world is filled with the smallest things to be grateful for , if we just take the time to look.  Here are some of the small things I'm grateful for...

I kind of feel like a loser when I don't have anything to do on a weekend!  I've mentioned before...I go to extremes.  Either I have something everyday, or absolutely nothing at all.  This past weekend was one of those "nothing at all weekends"!  (I swear, some of my neighbors probably think I'm agoraphobic!)  But I realized I was grateful for it!  I was able to do the things that I wanted to do.  Which at some points was nothing at all!  I was able to catch up on house chores, made myself a nice dinner in the crockpot, and read.  I also binge watched the entire first season of Fuller House too!  And I know I'm not alone! :)

Netflix

Saturday night I was also able to "hangout" with some of my friends from The Blended Blog!  We had a google hangout, complete with girl talk and wine...a virtual girls' night in, if you will....for almost two hours. I'm grateful to have these ladies in my life and am grateful for the friendships and collaborations we have formed.  They inspire me to want and work for more for my blog...and I am grateful for that.

And speaking of The Blended Blog...Head on over there today to check out our favorite posts of the month from our individual blogs and meet our newest contributors, Abbie and Andrea!!


And last but not least, I am super grateful that my pinky finger is not broken...just sprained I think!  And really ugly, yellow and black and blue! (I thought about posting a pic but I will spare you!!)   But the swelling's gone down and I'm still using it, so there's that!  I won't go in to detail, but when you walk everywhere and you're me...sometimes you takes a tumble!  Especially on a super windy day (your actually flying!) and hair and blanket scarves cloud your view!!  Hahahahaha

Have a great week all!!  And thanks to Shaunacey for hosting such a fun, thought-provoking link up!!  Go check out what she's grateful for this week and link up too!

Monday Moments of Gratitude

Linking up with Shaunacey again today for Monday Moments of Gratitude.    I am really enjoying this.  It's forcing me to really take a good hard look at the things around me and enjoy them a little more rather than take them for granted, like I too often do. Check out my first Monday Moments of Gratitude post  

And yay for Shaunacey and her new blog name!!  Love it!!

There was much to be grateful for this week...

With my birthday on Tuesday, I am really grateful for all the people in my life.  From family, to friends, to coworkers, blog readers and so many more, leaving me birthday wishes, I was blown away. It was a great day...made even more special by the people around me!


I am super grateful my mom left the 60 degree Florida weather to come up here and spend my birthday with me.  It was so nice spending time with her this week.  But I told her next year for my birthday, I'll come to her!!  LOL

I was also grateful for the few days off.  I got to spend them with some of my favorite people, extending my birthday celebrations and was able to see friends (and sweet babies!)  I hadn't seen in awhile!  That's always lots of fun and laughs!!


And lastly...for the sunshine!  It seems to be getting warmed every time it's out... and with it, the landscapers at my place!  Them being here already must mean Spring isn't too far off!!  Bring it on!!