Gratitude Discussion Group

Hi ginger,
I know the Thomas fire hit the very end of 2017. I was using it as a reference to all the fires we’ve had in the past couple of years.
Most of my neighbors are still fighting with their insurance companies for their right to rebuild, as codes have been upgraded. Sometimes I feel like I will be 100 before things are done. I’m in my late 70s.. most days I have the energy of someone half my age, other days I turn a blind eye to how everything is, as energy level drags.
I’m sure your 82 year old teacher, suffered loses that were never paid by her insurance company.
If you do not have photos or receipts of possessions, you were out of luck. They need proof of everything. I’m at this stage right now, if anybody has suggestions how to handle
Situations like that i am open to good suggestions.
Do you miss our beautiful coast just a little bit?

@funcountess Some friends did indeed have records, some had photos, some had nothing to fall back on. Some took what the insurance company offered and had to be satisfied with that. Many were underinsured. My teacher got out with her clients' records and her two full sized German shepherds stuffed into a small sports car. I can offer no suggestions, so sorry.

Honestly, I do miss the coast a little. I do not miss the crush of people, the pettiness, the selfishness that so many seem to adhere to. Do not miss the high prices.
Ginger

Hi Ginger,
How far inland are you in Oregon?
Thought you were somewhere along the coast?
What kind of crafts do you do? since the pandemic people have mostly been thoughtful to one another.
I miss Solvang, and ojai. Just to walk around the towns. Santa Ynez valley is like a ghost town. A friend went to Santa Ynez to get take out dinner, and she said no cars, or people anywhere. When she got her take out somebody told her they had no cov19 cases in the area. Maybe it’s too rural?
Take care

I am grateful to have found toilet paper when I ventured out for my once every two weeks grocery adventure. Looks like more rice and beans as the meat section was completely empty. I did land a jar of peanut butter. The TP ranked highest on my gratitude list.

I'm happy for you, @parus! Whoever thought that TP would be on the top of our gratitude list😀 Times are a-changing as they say.

@funcountess Solvang is the location of a bakery that had the best Morning Glory muffin I have ever had in my life! I also loved getting to try real ebelskivers there. I have made them so it was good to see if mine tasted anything like those made by real bakers.
Mine, in my and my husband's opinion, are just as good.
JK

@teresa, Volunteer Mentor, I am grateful to still have this community to come to. After all this time. We are still waiting for loved ones to return home from the hospital. This week it will be two months since my spouse entered the hospital. He has had five surgeries, three of which were to repair his heart valves.

The stress has been pretty awful. It's so difficult to do everything on your own, when you've had a partner for 45 years. I have had times that were so overwhelming, I didn't know if I would make it. But I did.

Thank you all for your kind thoughts, prayers, and good words. As things settle down more, I hope to come back and "visit " more frequently. Stay safe, everyone.

Love and light,
Mamacita Jane

@contentandwell My friend here wants to go up to Solvang and Anderson,s split pea soup so will look for those ebelskivers and Morning Glory muffins I have a recipe for them maybe I,ll try to make some

@mamacita Two months in the hospital! I can only imagine how nerve-wracking that must be for you.
It sounds as if he is doing better now, are they anticipating any additional surgeries? I hope not, and I hope he will be back home with you very soon.
You stay safe too. Have you been able to visit your husband in the hospital with COVID going around? If not that must make it doubly difficult for both of you.

@lioness the bakery was actually a bit off the beaten path. We had the muffins in the hotel we were staying at and they told us what bakery they came from.
JK

@funcountess It is about a 2 hr drive to the coast, I think. We plan to take a few days and go camping there when restrictions are lifted. I crochet, quilt, and practice Zentangle [was certified as a teacher last year].

The towns of Ojai and Solvang are only a little familiar to me. Just never felt the draw since I lived/grew up so close. @lioness I hope you get to Pea Soup Andersen. But there is a little local restaurant across the street called Mother Hubbard's that has much better food. You won't find ableskivers except in Solvang itself, at the Danish restaurant on Copenhagen Drive. @contentandwell, there are three bakeries I can think of in that area that might have made those muffins.

@parus Isn't it funny how things get placed on our priority list in these times? I'm glad you found what you were looking for!

@mamacita I am grateful to see you posting here! We have missed you so much and know that there is a lot going on in your life right now. Hope to see you back here soon.
Ginger