Hearing rain and thunder after too long

Pulling all the plastic off a new, large appliance for the kitchen

Standing back and looking at your work and feeling oh so proud

A 100 degree day with an ice cold soda in a can, popping that top and hearing the hisssssssssss

Putting the last piece of the difficult puzzle in place

Finding the perfect candidate for the job and getting a response that they are interested in hearing more

A clean bathroom and all the clothes put away and ironing done

Seeing the motorcycle that whizzed past on the interstate pulled over by a highway patrol officer

*****

These are the types of things that are so satisfying. I like that space. Today, I am grateful for things that are so satisfying and put me in that space.

I’m having a little trouble with something else, though…the exception to satisfying.

The exception? Locusts. Locust sounds are not satisfying. They are fingernails on a chalkboard to this “end summer now” person. Locust buzz is the sound I associate with the doggggggggg days of summer when the heat and humidity just will not go away. It is the sound of “football season cannot get here soon enough.” It is the sound of “stay inside and dream of hot cocoa and jackets and cold air hitting your face when you open the door to go outside.”

But for all the other things, I am grateful.

I am also grateful it is Friday, and great adventures await the weekend and all next week.