And Three More On Four!

My three items that fill me with gratitude today are quite unrelated, except for the fact that they are all good things. And have nothing to do with Martha Stewart.

1. While I am not grateful for sleepless nights filled with sleepless kids, barking dogs, and a husband waltzing home (okay, forcibly dragging his feet and practically falling over) at 1 a.m. (because sometimes in the IT industry, IT doesn't do what it's supposed to all on its own - save time, work effectively, be self-sufficient - and IT people have to put in a few extra hours. And then a couple more.), it's nice to take the opportunity to catch a few winks (or a couple of hours) of much-needed slumber while kids are at school, dogs are outside, and hubby is a work. Especially when said hubby has seen the house and knows it desperately needs some - or much - TLC and says, "You should go back to bed once we're all gone and sleep. All day, if you want to."
2. My little elephant. When my no-frills rice cooker went to the big electronic elephant graveyard in the sky, I though I'd replace it with a western-designed product. And if my family enjoyed hot, soggyy rice fresh from the steamer that turned brittle within a few hours, the Walmart special would have been fine. But that is not why I use a rice cooker! Who likes a mouthful of mushy rice? Or crunching down when expecting something tender? Not me, obviously. I am very fond of my culinary side-kick.
   
3. Pandora Radio. Kudos to Tim Westergren. Why simply work (that's what I pretend I'm doing when checking my email, paying bills, reading the latest headlines, perusing Facebook, improving my mind and warding off Alzheimer's playing Mahjong and Sudoku, etc.) on the computer when you can also listen to what you wish the radio would play?