Counting My Blessings

My little kitchen

This is my little kitchen. It doesn't look like much, but it is mine. It doesn't allow me to use 2 pots on my stove at once, but it allows me to cook. It doesn't have much counter space, but things can be rearranged. I must constantly be moving things around to accomodate other things, but I have a place to cook, to prepare my meals and it is my home.

The photo you see is last night as I was preparing spaghetti and a salad and my counter became quite full and I was becoming frustrated to where everything would go so nothing fell on the floor or worse (yes it has happened), the sink cutting board didn't slip and let my food go into my dish water.

You can see next to the stove, my tall pull out pantry, it is stocked with canned goods, peanut butter, other pantry items. Next to it with the picture a grandchild's friend drew for me is on the fridge, it holds cold milk, my refillable water bottles, eggs, fruit, veggies and those amazing left overs.

Yes, it is small and yes I complain at times wanting a bigger kitchen, wanting my quilting room back, wanting my old life back, then I realize I have so much more than those people that lost everything in the blink of an eye in the Camp Fire of Paradise, CA some watched their neighbors burn to death, others pulled out of their drives in time to see their homes go up in flames and I think, I am warm, dry today, I have food, I can go to church. I am thankful!

A few months ago, our dog pulled her ACL and it required XRays and medications to the tune of over $1000. The vet wants to do surgery, but we can't afford the $2800 plus he said she would need the other leg done probably as well.

I had to sell all of my quilting supplies I had gathered over the past 13 years to pay the vet bill, so I can't quilt, I cry about loosing all of that but in reality it is just stuff, but with that stuff, I would be helping others and now, I can't.

My heart breaks because I am warm, I have food, I have a home to call my own. The people in Paradise have nothing left, it has been over a month and they still can't go to see their homes and yet looters have made it in. 

When you sit down tonight to eat your dinner, think of these people who are living in tents, living 10 to 14 people in a hotel room and have nothing left.

When you do, if you are a quilter or make afghans, email me and I will let you know how to reach out and bless a family.

Being grateful is something I am daily as this is what is left of my mom and step dad's home in Magalia just up the hill as they say from Paradise! Everything at 84 years old he has ever owned gone, in the blink of an eye!