2025 Gratitude List

Here it is… another year of big and small happinesses, collected in a little book each evening and displayed on Thanksgiving Day in an act of public self-reflection. It is a testimony that life’s sweetest and most precious moments are to be savoured and preserved, and that even the most difficult days harbour cause for hope. Read on.

• Honesty
• It is a bedrock
• Baseball in the back yard
• Ten hits in a row
• And the most encouraging coach
• Sleepovers
• When kids say funny things
• Hallowe’en thrifting
• Naan wraps
• Anniversaries
• Back to the gym
• Meetings that aren’t disasters
• Perfect days
• Perfect evenings
• Band practice in the basement
• Progress on the siding
• A minor injury
• Short waits at ER
• Sleeping in his arms
• Success stories
• Summer weather in October
• Open windows
• When I get a ride home from band
• Those hamburgers are so good
• Rapini
• Normal blood sugar levels
• Pillow talk
• Work buddies
• When I don’t think I’ll make the light, but then I do
• Good therapists
• When little ones learn to listen
• When my purse doesn’t get stolen at the gym
• When students play their first melodies, and it’s magical

• When I buy a new winter coat
• When I buy three new winter coats
• And they are fluffy and warm and cute
• Six hours of flute-playing
• Finding a ham hock
• A band concert I actually liked
• Bean soup
• Back to yoga
• When someone misses me
• When I have a perfect day at school
• When difficult phone calls go okay
• When you’re no longer married to an idiot
• When socializing is not boring
• When the band music is not too hard
• Choir outreach groups
• When it’s not dark and rainy on the way to work
• Leftover chips
• Disasters averted
• Loving and being loved
• Long walks on the beach
• Cottage happiness
• Pancakes and talking
• Quick naps
• When A likes music and dance
• When E gives me an apology letter
• When I have good ideas
• When M gives hope
• My Dieppe poppies
• Being loved
• Openness
• New underwear
• Keeping the chic coat
• Chicken cacciatore
• R & R
• Team players
• Kind words
• When I don’t practice but I can play most of the music anyway
• Calling for support
• Supportive staff
• A supportive family
• A lovely evening
• When I have an hour of prep time
• When I have no parent-teacher interviews
• Housework done
• Vaccines injected
• Gifts bought
• Errands done
• He loves me
• He’s not going anywhere
• A good day at school
• Billets “bravo”
• Beautiful letters
• Repairs
• Relief
• When I just pretend to play the hard notes
• Candlelight
• When I let people’s rudeness roll off of me
• When my colleagues invite me to the thrift store
• A is learning to sit on a chair
• E has learned to sit on the carpet
• Time to myself
• Thai green curry
• Unlimited sushi
• A bra that nearly fits
• Parking lot talks
• Fresh bedding
• My head on his chest
• Interesting people to talk to at the pub
• When it doesn’t rain until after my yard duty
• When the class I have to cover for is lovely
• Being missed
• Benevolent supervisors
• Gentle pap tests
• Eager students
• A ride to St. Marys
• Bad days are not as bad as they used to be
• This little light of mine
• A leisurely afternoon in bed
• Being wanted at band
• Three seasons of love
• When the chores are done for another week
• When I get a ride to St. Marys
• And a ride to my ride
• Cito’s pizza
• Check-ins that are okay
• A boyfriend who shovels snow and drives me to work
• Short rehearsals
• When the snow just melts
• The dancer who shoveled my driveway
• When we don’t go to Beertown
• But come home instead to eat popcorn and snuggle
• When I finally finish shoveling
• Real snow days
• Two in a row
• Maya, who always sees things clearly
• Long talks
• Bacon, eggs, pancakes, and Doritos
• Not shoveling
• A day of rest
• When rehearsals are ahead of schedule
• When teachers harass parents for recorder money so I don’t have to
• When Grade 5 kids are keen
• When my boyfriend misses me
• No more Cowboy Christmas
• Successful rehearsals
• Helpful teachers
• Snuggling instead of socializing
• Helpful advice
• Clairol Nice ‘n Easy
• Instruments moved
• Misunderstandings rectified
• More successful rehearsals
• He is not him
• Tony’s birthday dinner
• Concert season is almost over
• At least we didn’t have dinner guests
• Talking always helps
• I am sexy
• Cheap haircuts
• Being in love
• When people do what they say they’ll do
• Being invited to a fancy writers’ group
• Kind words from appreciative parents and admin
• Post-concert pizza
• When it’s almost Christmas holidays
• When the Grade 1s are cute
• When it feels good to go to the gym
• When the laundry is done
• Diamond earrings from my love
• Holidays!
• Stacks of Tim’s cards
• Cottage happiness
• Not having to rush back to London
• Reading, sleeping, eating, snuggling
• More of the above
• Christmas Eve in Kingsville
• A happy Christmas with people I love
• Connection with Eliane
• Long sleepy days
• $40 gym memberships
• Mom’s car
• Kodaly videos
• Not walking to the gym in the rain
• Zumba!
• My love is back
• Long walks
• More zumba
• Pockets
• Lazy days
• Playable band music
• Happiness
• When I finish my reading on time
• There’s always practising to do
• When people at band are happy to see me
• When we talk things through
• When the chili is palatable
• Swimming 20 laps
• Concrete steps
• In the form of books
• When the first day back at school is great
• All the new music props
• Dinner with Jennifer
• When the people who sit beside me in band can play the notes I can’t
• When everyone in the music room is happy
• When I swim 25 laps
• When my boyfriend shovels the driveway and drives me to work
• When the buses are cancelled and I get extra prep
• When I have four good school days in a row
• When I don’t gain weight over Christmas
• When the bed isn’t sagging
• Going to the gym together
• A pleasant evening with new friends
• Losing two pounds
• When the soup is delicious
• When the love is stronger than the fear
• When staff meetings don’t pertain to me
• When I think I’m catching a cold and then I don’t
• Possibilities
• Singing with children makes me happy
• A man who values honesty
• Finishing report cards
• A safe drive home from the cottage
• Meaningful conversation
• Sunday afternoons at the cottage
• Tomorrow is a new day
• When rehearsals end ten minutes early
• His selflessness
• When I get to go to birthday parties
• A ride to the eye doctor
• Gas station talks
• A ride to St. Marys
• Help from J
• An okay day at school
• A weekend at the cottage
• He stayed
• A. likes music
• Star Wars
• Bonding days at the cottage
• Getting to band on time
• When most of the sauce stays in the pot
• Affirmations
• Extra prep time
• Extra pub time
• Extra Greg time
• Not going to Bernie’s
• Not being behind at work
• When he shovels and scrapes off my car
• M’s lesson plans
• RE removing A
• Sherry, massage, and The Office
• When the Grade 1s want to sing and play games at recess
• When my whole day goes well
• When parents write appreciative notes
• When C plays beautifully
• When the assembly goes okay
• Going to the cottage feels like a holiday
• Every weekend
• When he finishes the cooking while I lounge on the couch
• A sunny, bracing, winter walk to the pier
• Un livre bouleversant
• Clean dishes
• Band trips
• Honesty
• The people who come when you call for support
• The people who drive me to and from band
• When lessons go well the third time around
• A good drug plan
• Better eyedrops
• Getting my shingles vaccine
• Not going swimming
• When milk and cheese are on sale
• When I go to the gym even though I don’t feel like it
• When I take out the recycling
• So many beautiful options ahead
• When he takes out the recycling
• And shovels the driveway
• And buys lime juice and Dr. Pepper
• When the vegetables are cooked perfectly
• Good feelings at St. James
• A good benefits plan
• I don’t live in the USA
• When the scale is wrong
• When I drink tea before band
• When I socialize after band
• When I have an endless supply of Tim’s cards
• When I swim 30 laps in 62 minutes
• When the day is mostly okay
• When I am sick but don’t have to write supply plans because it’s a snow day
• When someone shovels for me even though he’s sick too
• And drives me to the store
• I am 1 year happier than 50
• Dinner and a movie on my birthday
• When we skip band and talk about our feelings
• Reassurances
• Repair attempts
• Supervision
• At least it’s just a cough
• The classes that listen
• Reason
• Perspective
• Hope
• Carnaval = an easy day
• Normality
• Friendship dinners
• Happiness
• Normal days
• Tasty shawarma
• St. James
• An okay apartment
• Interesting aquaintances
• Absences
• Not having cockroaches
• Having a boyfriend
• Having a good job
• Sunshine and melting snow
• Finding the lint remover
• Being desired
• Classroom feasts
• I will never have to have a conversation with Donald Trump
• Yummy pork stew
• Winter on the pier
• Pancakes at the cottage
• Hot showers
• Abundant food
• And aquaintances
• The PM of Denmark
• JA
• Finding my goggles
• A new breed of recorder fanatics
• Die Zauberflute
• When stores refund returns for things you bought ages ago
• Having my diamond earrings back
• Forgiving teachers
• When kids don’t want March Break because they love school so much
• Hot bean bags
• Sunny, mild days at the pier
• Excessive sleep
• Twice
• Warm and cozy
• Bunny pjs
• Shepherd’s pie
• Made with love
• Kingsville quiet
• Yoga coaching
• The music that’s playable
• When I find things in my boxes
• Imitrex
• Metronomes
• Improvement
• And again, JA
• And his accountant friend
• Being done with N
• My honey is here
• Belated birthday fun
• Steak and lobster
• Swimming 30 laps
• Doritos, Dr. Pepper, and ice cream
• When it’s supposed to rain but doesn’t
• Good, long walks
• St. Patrick’s Day bling
• So many good options
• Wanting this house
• Niveau d’angoisse: 2
• We love to talk
• When band is fun
• The first crocuses of the year
• Naps and swimming
• The first spring day
• Alternatives
• Hope
• Two good options
• A bigger screen
• Clean teeth
• Perspectives
• Rotisserie chicken
• Carcass soup
• Choosing a house!
• Making an offer!
• Still hope
• Action taken
• A 100% school day
• Comfort
• Togetherness at the cottage
• Deciding, at least, one thing
• Sleep is a good healer
• A better day
• Not paying for parking
• Five free music stands
• Safe driving in the freezing rain
• New black pants that actually fit
• A very patient boyfriend
• Having a welcoming space for all of my little musicians
• When I am inspired and inspiring
• When I am relaxed and competent
• When I remember why I do what I do
• When I am told there is hope
• And progress
• A piano and a barbeque for G
• Taco pizza
• Restoration
• Short staff meetings
• Hope for McKenzie Avenue
• No to Cheapside
• Maybe Carfrae?
• The feeling of having gone swimming
• Okay days
• Extra prep time
• Rice cookers
• Not doing math
• Music PD
• Getting caught up
• Uncle burgers
• A day of piano playing
• BBQing fun on the driveway
• Long naps
• Success at the piano
• Quick, easy cooking
• Sun on the beach
• Short periods
• Being a good choir director
• Bad dreams are just dreams
• A whole lunch break to myself
• Chatting with C at Bernie’s
• The 7/7 classes
• Snuggle time
• Sibelius
• When pilates is only 45 minutes
• Encouraging words
• A freshly tuned piano
• 11 happy months
• Music, music, and more music
• Being chatty at the pub
• Making music with my love
• Contentment
• Anticipation
• Optimism
• Doing church music
• Time with family
• Funny songs
• SBOL
• SMFP
• A good, kind man
• When Shostakovich is fun
• When I don’t have to play the hard parts
• Being part of the French Lit community
• Work is fine
• Swimming 30 laps in 57 minutes
• Beekeepers
• Return to the talking rock
• Spring at last
• All days end
• Sometimes I am acceptable
• When supply teachers pick up jobs
• And the the VP picks me to be relieved
• Stylish jeans that fit
• A new fuzzy raincoat
• Stocking up at the Mennonite market
• Such fancy condiments
• Time to practice
• A liberal government
• Whew
• Summer clothes
• Thermoregulation
• The kids who sing
• Help storing my tires
• Flashy rims = flashy car = flashy me
• When the concert starts coming together
• When I do necessary things even though I don’t want to
• Not looking at Round 1 job postings
• A sympathetic VP
• The classes that are ready
• Going to the theatre
• Compromise
• When the children are endearing
• And I am enduring
• Dixit Dominus = mental stimulation = forgetting stress for a few hours
• My man who loves me
• Not crying in front of my colleagues
• Relief
• MG
• MC
• Apologies
• Affirming words
• Upswings
• Rest
• A night at home
• The first hammock of the season
• When my boyfriend brings me ribs
• Consecutive days of sunshine
• Lazy Sundays at the cottage
• Sunshine and clear waters
• Reassurance
• Handel
• When I practised for choir and now I can do it
• My fellow alti
• Concert done
• My appreciative audience
• The showers at the Y are just the right temperature
• The first sundress of the season
• Nominations
• Conversations with colleagues
• Being cared for
• Ant traps
• Summer wardrobe
• Bras that fit
• Board games with the fam
• Rollerblading
• Napping
• Doritos
• Snuggling
• When my boyfriend makes me ravioli while I recover in bed
• A 5/5 day despite the sniffles
• When I finally vacuum up all the dust bunnies
• Not getting soaked in the rain
• One step closer
• Good ideas about libraries
• Bach masses, masterfully performed
• The way that he loves me
• When the director says, “We’re going to stop at 9:00 tonight”
• When the crockpot doesn’t boil over
• Or burn the house down
• Mahler 2 on Choral Concert
• Success with K’s class
• New methods = new life
• Being almost finished report cards
• Having finally cleaned up the mess in my fridge
• A spring walk to the talking rock
• Mandarin and a walk in the park
• The school did not explode today
• Good gas leak weather
• Un éléphant qui se balançait
• Evenings off
• Google
• Warnings
• Finishing report cards before report card writing day
• The Bach Festival
• A weekend getaway to Toronto
• A penthouse suite
• Exquisite music
• Exquisite company
• I am so loved
• Finished my lesson plans
• Spring is returning
• Easy days
• Being relaxed at work
• Hope for McKenzie
• Getting the laundry and dishes done
• When the VP shows up at just the right time
• The poor air quality did not translate to indoor recess
• Having nothing to do on my prep time
• Networking
• Flower-planting with my love
• In the beautiful spring sunshine
• Not being the only one without a matching t-shirt
• I have a little garden
• Little by little, things progress
• Having a UWO guest library card
• Having two classes away on field trips
• Doing HIIT by accident
• When it’s 29 degrees and sunny with a light breeze and we are walking to the talking rock
• Being done lesson planning and photocopying for the rest of the year
• When he picks up the groceries so I don’t have to
• Having enough energy to get through the work day, a gym class, and a dress rehearsal
• Finding my dip
• Beach time at the cottage
• And bbq time and hammock time and pancake time
• And snuggling time
• Life is so good
• Pleasant potlucks
• A red tin plate
• Accolades
• 13 months
• Mama Fatma’s and the Grad Club
• Not minding the heat
• Ham and strawberry social
• The end being in sight
• I am not sitting outside Shopper’s begging with a cup
• Difficult conversations successfully broached
• The Grade 5s are pulling it together
• A $50 bike for the cottage
• My band pals
• No shortage of books to read
• Summer vibes
• Bike beach bikini burger happiness
• When the a/c works
• And I can control it
• Maybe the heat wave will lift tomorrow
• Extra preps
• Angle parking on Dundas
• Leftover nachos
• Appreciative cards
• School’s out!
• Buttery popcorn
• Year 28 in the books
• When people invite me out for coffee
• When I am at ease
• The first real day of summer
• Boring concerts eventually end
• Finding a good library book
• Sweet moments with the fam
• Perfect swimming water
• Someone who gives me the best part of his cake
• Lazy summer days
• Fireworks on the beach
• When the rain comes and goes at just the right time
• Three swims and two showers
• When mammograms and biopsies end
• Pampering
• Drivers
• A walk to the pier
• Another lovely day at the cottage
• Electricity
• a/c
• Doritos
• When boring visits end
• Long bike rides in perfect weather
• Fueled by blueberry cheesecake ice cream
• So many acceptable options
• The luxury of pickiness
• Evening swims
• I made a good salad
• Fish and chips by the river
• Good books
• Cottage time
• Beach time
• The people who maintain trails so I can cycle through the woods
• Bike tinkering
• Maybe Marigold
• Three swims and a bike ride
• He loves me anyway
• McKenzie!
• Not stepping on the dead animal in the pool
• Raised handlebars on my Kingsville bike
• She signed!
• 12 boxes sorted
• Jetisonning detritus
• The Goodwill Book Store, which I hope will take my precious books
• JA sent the papers
• Saving the Shakespeare
• Reunited
• Useful PD tidbits
• Financing approved
• Great airbnbs
• A happy home inspection day
• Insurance approved!
• A rock star real estate agent
• Good care at the breast clinic
• Getting to AutoStrada before 5pm
• A memorable play
• A fancy dinner
• A morning swim
• I suppose there still is hope
• Bike rides and beach swims
• A five-day extension
• Peaceful disagreements
• Giving the mallet back
• Perfect weather
• Translating progress
• “Trace” amounts = not a problem
• House deal is firm!
• Moving to McKenzie Ave.
• Laughing and giggling in the middle of the night
• Sorting help
• Schoolwork progress
• Packing progress
• Biking and swimming to break up the day
• Green and red stickers on boxes
• Another day of progress
• Eating outside
• A walk to the mailbox
• Two hours of sunshine each day
• Perfect pool weather
• Finishing the boxes
• Beautiful summer days at the cottage
• Enjoyable bbqs
• Swimming every day
• Ribs
• A warm and welcoming church
• There are worse things than accidentally quadrupling the pasta
• Finding my shirt before the wind blew it out to sea
• John’s ribs
• A man who doesn’t mind doing dishes
• Leftover flat pancakes
• Marry me lentils
• Another day of perfect summer weather
• A walk to the pier
• Having my cup
• A visit with D & B
• Catching the frisbee 18 times in a row
• Two visits to the beach in one day
• Delicious barbecued hamburgers
• Without an incendie
• Words and actions, not thoughts
• Beautiful promises
• Decor shopping at the flea market
• I have a gym and a bicycle
• Transformative workshops
• Dance cards in French!
• Helpful conversations
• A walk to the pier
• Band music to practise
• Progress on the schoolwork
• A brief reprieve at the beach
• Upcoming appointments before school starts
• When someone other than me goes out in the rain to buy bread
• Being ready for the first two weeks of school
• Catching the frisbee 22 times in a row
• An unselfish, unmaterialistic man
• Long parking lot talks
• Missing the rain
• Finishing the scraping
• Being ready for school
• Yummy tacos
• Back at the cottage
• Time is different here
• Sunsets at the pier
• Google
• A clear ultrasound
• Chores done
• Two workouts in one day
• Getting to the optometrist and the bank on time
• Getting the hard drives cleaned up
• And the cables posted
• And the paint disposed of
• Steak BBQ
• Crokinole competition
• Wiping hard drives
• Measuring hammock stands
• Rollerblading
• Honest conversation
• I am important
• Leftover salads
• Class lists
• A middleman to sell my cables
• And my backpack
• Safe drives
• Class Dojo opened up without hassle at the last minute
• A smooth first day
• I like my job
• When someone makes me a sandwich
• A mostly smooth second day
• Long prep periods
• The rain stopped before recess
• Not dealing with buses
• Snoozing, reading, and eating lasagna
• Back to band
• Posting blogs
• A friendly church
• A bike ride in the woods
• Warming up
• Sharing thoughts
• Kids who can find their own buses
• Teachers who save me boxes
• When pilates isn’t awful
• Small victories: B, L, E
• Back to band #2
• Keeping up, mostly
• It’s still sundress weather
• Imitrex and a nap
• Another evening off
• The first two thirds of the day
• All the little messages, all day long
• Weekends
• Being loved
• Sunny Sunday afternoons reading at the beach
• London Pro Musica Choir
• When you sing together, and then all is right in the world
• And beauty fills the room
• And when you create that for your students
• 16 months of happiness
• More sundress days
• Another beach day
• When I play well at band practice even though I haven’t practised all week
• 63 catches
• Not getting rained on
• Extended summer
• I am in a joining, not a separating phase of life
• There is always talking
• Catching up with C
• Getting an appointment at the hand clinic
• MG’s wise words
• Lowering expectations
• Cream of wheat
• When most of the day is okay
• A whole weekend at the cottage
• Not getting surplussed
• Another perfect weekend at the cottage
• Long sleeps when exhausted
• Beach weather in late September
• Progress
• Dec. 16, here we come!
• When parent phone calls go okay
• When I have energy for band
• When I have energy for swimming
• When I don’t have certain classes all day
• When the certain classes I do have have certain children missing
• When I like my job
• When I’m good at my job
• Walking hand in hand in the Coves
• Concrete steps
• Copious amounts of borscht
• Sunny bike rides in October
• The St. James choir
• Singing a great descant
• S dealing with E
• The rest of the day going well
• Staff room chatting
• Surprise cookies
• A day off tomorrow
• The biopsy was quick, if not painless
• A ride to the hospital
• A life as one of two
• When the Blue Jays win big games
• When open houses end
• Putting off the housework
• There’s always tomorrow
• Personal thank-yous from the principal
• Productive PA days
• Getting caught up
• Cozy, comfortable Kingsville
• Turkey time