Thankful Thursday

Impromptu visit to Adelaide

On Tuesday I had a flying visit to Adelaide for a work promotional presentation. Not only was preparing the promotional presentation a great way to reflect on and be thankful for the last two and a half years in my job and all the good things it has brought me, but it was also great to be back in the town that I've spent 11 years of my life in, even if it was only for 24 hours. As a kid growing up all over the world I never felt like I had a hometown, and I think I will always feel like my heart is split in a million different directions when it comes to where I feel is home. However, somehow Adelaide has wiggled in there and taken up a little bit more room than all the other places. I'll always have a special kind of love for that creative, homely, gorgeous little city.

Country music

via

There's a special part of my heart that flies whenever I listen to country music. Maybe it's the American in me, but it's like a little three and a half minute holiday every time I listen to it. No other musical genre can celebrates such blind faith that life will be ok and joy in the little things in quite the same way. This week I discovered that one of my favourite pop country bands has just released a new album. I'm excited to play it loudly and torture my housemates who both detest country music. (It's the rule of the game - I listen to their music, they listen to mine. Compromise = a happy household.) The last three songs on the album are my favourite.

My table of love

This is what I have nicknamed the chalkboard table in our living room for the week. Three separate groups of friends have come over and written variations of "We love Libby" on the table. It's hard to be grumpy when you get home from work and see that table!

The availability of gluten-free food

Adventures in gluten and dairy-free cooking - adapting My Happy Dish by using gluten-free risoni and omitting cheese. The red onion, garlic and chicken stock offer more than enough flavour. Delicious!

I feel so lucky that there are so many gluten-free options to some of my favourite foods. I slip up on my gluten-free diet more than I should, but it is definitely making a difference endo-wise, and I'm thankful that it hasn't been too horribly difficult to adopt. (Wheat-based foods and large amounts of dairy just join the list of foods I can't have when people offer them to me - this list used to consist of coffee and large amounts of peanuts and not much else.)

Feeling like I'm exactly where I need to be at this time in my life.

I feel like I have said this in every single Thankful Thursday post for the last few weeks. But seriously. I haven't felt this kind of peace in a long time. It's just so good.