August Joy Dare

Sometimes, when it comes to these here Interwebs, I can be a bit behind the curve.

I just found out today about Ann Voskamp’s Joy Dare.

Which was first circulating the web in, oh, 2012! Which, in Internet time is at least an infinity and a half ago.

(But in my real life, two years is nothing! Heck, I packed a box of tchotchkes when we moved from Scotland in 1991 and I still haven’t unpacked it!)

Anyway, gratitude is something that never grows old, and I haven’t done anything meme-ish on this blog in absolute ages, and August is my birthday month, so why NOT take some time to blog this month about things I’m thankful for?

(One of which is the gift of still being alive to turn 46. Yeah, I know, you’re thinking, “That’s not old!” and you’re right. But there have been too many people around me dying way, way too young in the past year. Way too many. So I want to thank God for letting me still be here with my family, because it’s a gift not granted to everybody.)

Here is the list from Anne’s site, for August:

I’ll probably do them two days at a time, so…here are my answers for August 1st and 2nd.

August 1 — Three Gifts White

1. These pasty white legs that creak a bit but carry me around just fine.
2. My two pasty-white kids (and the two who have more melanin).
3. White cake. Not just because it’s yummy, but because it’s the base upon which I’ve been able to gift a lot of people with happiness through my cake decorating hobby/business.

August 2 — Three Gifts Eaten

(See how I segued into this with that white cake answer? And I didn’t even do it on purpose! I am clever without even trying to be — and humble, too! Hahaha!)

1. My sweet, late grandmother’s lumpy creamed potatoes (which were also white…tee hee…I kill myself!) (Seriously, they were amazing and I’ve never been able to duplicate them.)
2. Ugandan pineapple–the best in the world!
3. Sandwiches consisting of nothing but slices of garden-fresh tomatoes and mayo, on white bread, with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Sweet, sloppy heaven on earth.

Anyone want to resurrect the Joy Dare with me? Comments welcome!