Okay, I am going to try and make this a quick gratitude post–and may or may not succeed.
Thanks to my gratitude journal, I already have a ready list of things I am grateful for–and I’ll simply pick some random points to share. Not surprisingly, I have a lot of little things that probably brought more happiness at times, but who am I to say no to happiness of any size?
Onward!
On July 8, this blog turned 15 years old.
Yep, She’s a high-schooler, she’s a teenager and she brings me so much happiness. I invited some fellow-bloggers to pick a post they liked and I put together an anniversary post featuring those. So grateful to the people who were kind enough to gift me their words.
Filing Taxes
A huge win for me this month is filing my taxes way ahead of the due date. I knew I’d be busy during the last two weeks of this month, what with my son returning to college (Sigh!) and other stuff–so I pulled myself together, sat with my CA and finished that off. Technically, three returns–son’s, husband’s and mine. So grateful to my CA, who’s also my friend for giving me her entire morning to do this.
On the somewhat flip side, I was rather shocked to see that my income this year, compared to last year, had gone down by exactly 50%. But I took a deep breath and told myself “This too shall pass“. I recalled that after my systems crashed in March last year taking all my data, it had become a sort of trend throughout the year. In fact, I got tired of mentioning it in every gratitude post. I have been spending a lot of time offline and not worrying about work. So, no big surprise really. But I am grateful that I didn’t have to cut down on my contribution to the welfare homes I support.
Trips
Talking of the offline time, we had a most enjoyable visit to the Zoo. I just love going to the zoo, and I am fortunate my son loves it too. So off we went, with a picnic-ish lunch. And had a great time! This time we didn’t skip the safari–and it was awesome. Grateful that for the first time in my life, I sat next to the driver who was an absolute brother from another mother! Fabulous experience. The Zoo now has a giraffe! Later in the day the skies just opened up and we got semi-drenched in the rain, but once that stopped, just got on with having a good time. A great day! Grateful!
Shopping
Busy with getting things ready for son to return to college. Sigh. Grateful, as always for online shopping, especially in rainy weather. And even more grateful for a family friend who has a shop nearby and home-delivers stuff. WhatsApp shopping is fun!
Books, reading, comedy-show binge
And thanks to the lull on the work front, I binged like there was no tomorrow on reading and finished an entire series by an author I love. That’s nine books in four weeks. Nights, after dinner, we sat up to marathon-watch our favorite comedy shows. Laughter is great medicine for most things, ya know.
New things
Finally looks like I gotta buy a new phone! My tiny 8-year-old candy bar phone’s phone has started to flicker. Sigh. So sad. It fits snugly into the palm of my hand, has no apps, takes good photos and the battery? Much better than today’s models. I guess everything has a life-limit. It’s screen has begun to flicker gently and it’s slowly on its way out. Eight years is a good relationship I think. I recorded my son’s first solo stage performance on it. So grateful for its faithful “friendship!”
A new client
I am excited about a new client. The work is exactly what I enjoy doing and leverages my experience in a specific area. What bliss when work is something we love, no? Grateful for this assignment. It means I might occasionally have to go for client meetings, but that’s a plus as it takes me to a part of town that’s also easy as a rendezvous point to meet close friends. Talk about plus-plus!
Okay, I didn’t keep my promise of keeping this short–but it is hard to stop being grateful once you start listing, have you noticed?
Let me sign off this edition of Gratitude by showing off a sweet gesture by Sreesha. I am not even aware when she clicked this pic…and it made me full-on sentimental when she posted a mini-essay with it. Thanks to her for the love.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BlpVyu9Dtho/
Heartfelt thanks to everyone who joins me in this celebration of Gratitude.
Oops! I apologize for not getting around to reading your posts. But I promise I will. *Intently looking at my laptop* Please forgive me!
Join me!
Join me for the July 2018 Gratitude Circle blog hop!
Write your post, grab the badge, link up below.
26 comments
🙂 Lovely post as usual.
Thank you 💕
Good luck Vidya, on getting a new client. And hope the next month brings in more your way to make you happier.
I am happy vidya to visit you at least once a month:) to read your lovely post on gratitude, nice to hear the new things, love the way you look at small little things to be thankful for; appreciate you for sharing and this month I am late to post, but grateful I could still link, thanks and God bless you.
G Angela recently posted…July Gratitude 2018
Loved the pictures and the quote too in this post, forgot to mention:)
G Angela recently posted…July Gratitude 2018
Thank you so much Janet💕 I appreciate you.
:* :*
Sreesha recently posted…Falling Down a Rabbithole
Back at you! Thank you! 💕
Lovely click. Happy blog anniversary. This too shall pass, so true for troubles don’t stay forever. An interesting peek into your life, Vidya.
Hey Hottie! Nice to see that you had another good month. Don’t worry about the tax bit, everything will work out the right way soon.
Happy birthday to the gorgeous lady that this blog has turned into!
Love you! <3
Soumya recently posted…Action Replay + Gratitude List: July 2018
Congrats on 15yrs :). And also congrats on new client. July looks very fruitful in all corners of your life. Wish you more happy and eventful August ahead.
I love the pictures you put up for every post, especially the gratitude posts. They are super cute and also makes me think about a life like that. The everyday gratitude idea is one of the best and I am trying it so hard that it doesn’t work.
First, Congratulations on 15 years, Vidya. You have so many of us following you with intent eyes that we want to see more of you in the coming years. I am glad you had so much offline time this year, mainly because I remember reading your posts where you had the flu and many doctor visits and picnics too. I loved reading them and enjoyed the offline time you spent and still kept the blog running. I hope your laptop is getting better too. Happy Happy August to you!
Jayanthy recently posted…Gratitude for June and July #GratitudeCircle
A lovely round up of the month. Its nice to read your posts, it inspires us through the month in fact. And congrats on the new client. With your blog celebrating its birthday, all I can say is, hope it sees many more years and more inspiring gratitude posts.
Ramya Abhinand recently posted…Deep Rooted in Oil
Beautiful post. Love the photo and sweet story with it. That zoo trip sounds fantastic! So glad you got to go. And you sound like me with technology. I’ve been avoiding a smart phone. My only regret is that the ‘dumb’ one I have now doesn’t even take pictures. My husband bought it cheap when his company canceled a longstanding phone plan. He never dreamed they would send him, working from home, a smart phone. They did! He became addicted to the connectivity and bought his own after retiring. So when my old phone died, this one sat barely used in waiting. That was nice. Namaste, my dear.
Darla M Sands recently posted…Worst Slogan Ever
I keep telling myself I will participate and then just sulk away … will do so this time. Not a monthly gratitude post but probably a half yearly one (!) to remind myself that it wasnt all thunder and hailstorms.
Roshan Radhakrishnan recently posted…The Couple who are Saving the Ocean and Building Prosthetic Limbs Simultaneously #Watwb
Such a lovely pic of yours! Many many happy returns of the day, to your blog!! Wishing you many many more years of blogging happiness and success. 💛
nice one
That’s a quick gratitude post. Loved your photo. Congrats for new client and new phone 🙂
15 years and that’s a big one! Congrats on that one. That picture which Sreesha clicked is gorgeous. Her words warmed my heart too. I am sure you got teary eyed 🙂 How was Vidur’s trip this time? Good to know you guys went to the zoo and there must have been lots of good food at home. Isn’t it? Taxes was a big one.
Good on the new client and new phone 🙂 New phone is fun 🙂 My phone is in repair and I don’t have pictures from July. Makes me very sad 🙁
Wishing you a happy and healthy August, Vidya!
Parul Thakur recently posted…Gratitude List – July 2018
Congratulations for completing 15 years with this blog. I feel like a kid ( with a kid blog). And congratulations for the new phone too!
Hope you have many more assignments to work on where you love what you do. Kudos to you and All the Best!
anupriya recently posted…Tough & Easy Squeezed Into A Month – Gratitude Circle July,2018
Hello Vidya, Congrats on the 15 years completion. It is indeed a big feat. Mine just completed 5 years and I was so grateful to have been with my blog for so many years. I have started to write my gratitude posts starting this month and wish to write for the forthcoming months. Have a good day!
Dear Vidya,
My post is ready since last weekend but currently traveling and in no network zone so unable to link up. Will do so as soon as I get to land. 😊❤️
https://natashamusing.com/2018/08/cest-la-vie-thats-life/
Natasha Sinha recently posted…C’est La Vie ~ That’s Life: #WanderlustWednesday
🙂 I understand, Natasha! Thank you so much. I had the same situation for two weeks. But of course I was a doofus and forgot to schedule the drafts for publishing! Hehe. Enjoy your trip! I’ll be waiting for you. Hugs!
That was such a heartfelt post, like always Vidya. You are right, our gratitude list-small or big can be endless indeed. That’s exactly my struggle too when I sit to write my post.
Also would love to know about the books you were reading and the comedy series you binge watched.
I just managed to link up from Namma Bengaluru. 🙂 Back to my den tonight.
Love and Light for a beautiful month ahead.
That was such a heartfelt post, like always Vidya. You are right, our gratitude list-small or big can be endless indeed. That’s exactly my struggle too when I sit to write my post.
Also would love to know about the books you were reading and the comedy series you binge watched.
I just managed to link up from Namma Bengaluru. 🙂 Back to my den tonight.
Love and Light for a beautiful month ahead.
Yay! Good to know you’re back. (I didn’t know you lived here!). I binged on Lisa Gardner’s books (finished the DD Warren series and am now reading the FBI profiler’s series). I am partial to crime thrillers/serial killer series. My son and I are both fans of The Mindy Project and Mom–so it was a laughter riot!