Thursday, April 16, 2009

*** I Am Grateful ***

Today started off with me going down to the lower part of my yard to feed the chickens and refill their water. Unfortunately, no egg today. I also moved their tractor over a bit. I really must remember one of these days to take photos of this chicken tractor and post them here for you to see. I also did some computer work, though now I can't seem to remember just what it all was. I know some was reading emails, some was reading about the upcoming Challenge... oh ya, I also did a blog post on my blog over at the Boundless Living Challenge... and I did my online banking to pay all my bills. While I was at it, I read an article about how Telus (our phone company) has been giving good deals and price cuts on phone service due to the competition of Shaw Cable and their digital phone service. If you have high speed internet through Telus, they will give you a discounted price on your phone line of $20.95 (or something like that) including Caller ID. However, I don't have my internet through them, it's through Shaw Cable. The only internet I can get through Telus is dial up... no thanks. I don't know why I can't get it here, I know other people that live further out than I do and they get it. However, on this particualar line it is not yet available. What I ended up being offered, and took, is this... I've been paying $22.37 plus taxes for my phone each month, local calling only. My long distance has been through another provider where I paid $3.35 per month minimum. Anywhere in Canada & USA was 3 cents per minute, and just under 112 minutes was free. (At 3 cents each minute I used was taken out of the basic charge until it was used up, then I was charged for any minutes above that.) I rarely if ever used up all those 112 minutes as I very rarely make long distance calls anymore. Well, I was behind on making my payment to Telehop, so owed them $3.35 overdue, and they kept phoning and emailing me threatening to turn me over to a collection agency for what I owe them. Today after I paid my bills, including that one, I phoned and told them that I no longer wished to be their customer. I will not be harrassed over such a small amount owing, it's not like it's hundreds of dollars. But I digress!! The new deal with Telus is: $24.95 per month with Caller ID so now I'll be able to see who's calling, or who called when I missed it. I also get long distance at 4 cents per minute in Canada & USA, with no base fee (they used to charge $5 per month for long distance then any calls you made were above that). AND I get the first 2 months for free!! That'll be nice to have a break from my phone bill for a couple months, and to have call display, or caller ID, whatever it's called. If I want to make long distance calls, mostly I can use my MagicJack and phone through my computer, so what I save from no longer having Telehop, I pay to Telus and have the added benefit of seeing who calls.

This afternoon, I went to town and picked up Lorraine to go to the Centre with me. I did up the Sunday Program on my computer and printed it out using the Centre's PC, as always, then Lorraine assembled the programs with a bit of help from me, then I had to go print out a few things for tonights class.

5:00pm to 6:30pm I was in A Course In Miracles study group. This is the first one offered at the Centre. I've often heard people referring to what they've learned in ACIM, so was very interested in joining in with this. It was a most interesting study and I will continue to attend. After that I ran out to grab some eats, then back to the Centre for my The Passion Test class from 7:00pm until 9:00pm, though it again went over time, to about 9:20pm. With such good & interesting things, it's easy to loose track of time. There are 6 of us in the class, including the facilitator, Rev. Sheila. A really great group.

My friend Wendy was texting me, and invited me to join her and some of her friends at the Army, Navy & Airforce club, so after class I went over there. They were all drunk by then, but I enjoyed joining them for a drink, even though I just drank Club Soda.

This morning, I turned off the heat in here which was just fine for the day, however, it is now very cold in here, so I must go light the pellet stove again and get things warming up.

There, with a big fire burning now, it won't take long to warm up in here. I got myself a sweater, slippers, tea & tortilla chips, so now I'm happy sitting in my recliner with a blanket over my legs, Mewsic cuddled up with me, Reba on the floor beside me, and all my other critters nearby too. DW sees me eating, so is hanging on the side of the cage as close as she can get to me, hoping I'll feed her some too. She & Paco live free outside their cages most of the time, and rarely ever leave them.

- I am grateful I starting to warm up.
- I am grateful for my pellet stove, a hopper nearly full of pellets, and a fire burning in it.
- I am grateful for a warm blanket and a hot cat, as well as for my hot tea and snack.
- I am grateful all my bills are paid up, or very nearly so in some cases.
- I am grateful for emails from friends.
- I am grateful for comments on my blog.
- I am grateful Lorraine's help with the Sunday programs.
- I am grateful for upgraded phone service, and for 2 months free.
- I am grateful love.
- I am grateful all I am learning in The Passion Test and A Course In Miracles.
- I am grateful I have some kind of idea what I am going to write my speech about, to deliver Tuesday evening next week.
- I am grateful for 'off line' friends too :o)
- I am grateful I crocheted these slippers a couple years ago. They're sure nice to have now.
- I am grateful I know the power of gratitude.
.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wonderful Grateful list as usual. I'm so glad it's starting to warm up for you :) Great list Alice :)

Alice (in BC Canada) said...

Thanks so much for always visiting and leaving me your wonderful words, Thom. I am also happy it's warming up. I so love spring with it's sunny days, new life in the fields and the gardens, warmer weather and longer days... while still being cool enough to be comfortable.

Cherie said...

I love the idea of organic gardening, and if I ever get a little patch of dirt to call my own ...