50 things that make me happy
Thank you E. Regnans for the prompt
Fifty things I love:
When a book comes into your life right when you need it. ‘One Blade of Grass - A Zen memoir’ by Henry Shukman. (Thank you Kate.)
Sharp scissors.
Meeting my penpal in Melbourne.
Blue-sky winter days.
Going to my Wednesday art classes. Fabulous arty companions always put me in a good mood. Art outcomes variable.
My very satisfying multi-stage clothes-washing rituals. Clothes racks/line to sunny-couch-back finishing stages.
The colour of my new lipstick, ‘Hitch Hike’ — an impulse buy at Melbourne airport.
View of the Seine at Herblay by Paul Signac, 1889 Catching up with grandchildren or hearing from them.
Picking herbs from my impressive herb garden. (The rest of my neglected garden is not impressive.)
Walking down to the library most days to check the New Releases 7-day loan shelf.
Going to the Red Cross op shop on my way to the library.
Having nearly enough heart stickers to get a 25% discount at the op shop.
Hearing the sound my phone makes when a new Marco Polo video chat comes in from my sister Shauna or lifelong buddy Marg (we Marco every day).
Discovering our local Woolworths sells Luv-a-Duck breasts.
Watching the busy birds in the gum tree outside the kitchen window.
The bottom shelf of my newish coffee table, stacked full of my favourite books and journals. All within easy reach.
Hearing a courier at the front door and knowing the fabric I ordered online has arrived.
The row of ceramic elephants (Alan’s childhood pals) trumpeting their way across the living-room sideboard.
Trying to fathom the unfathomable on Thursdays at our Taoism discussion group.
Throwing the I Ching using 5-cent pieces (they remind me of my mother).
Walking with friends. Doing laps of the beach without even realising we are.
Discovering that Kingston Beach has another coffee shop. Now spoilt for choice.
Bob Brown. I like the way he tells us not to get depressed about the ongoing destruction of our natural environment, but ‘to get active’.
Round canvases from Spotlight.
Red geraniums in pots.
Elderberry vinegar.
Lighting candles.
Getting more than 7 hours sleep (a rare event).
Wattle and the reminder that spring is nearly here.
Walking with Alan. Beach, bush, or streets.
Thinking about our upcoming holiday to Flinders Island.
Being in the middle of a satisfying series on TV — currently watching ‘Patience’ on ABC iview.
Catching up with my daughter.
Talking on the phone with my son.
Patient, kind people.
Having a bath before dinner and adding the exotic bath salts Claire gave me.
My second mug of tea before breakfast.
Finding a lost earring.
Seeing Alan wearing an apron and knowing it’s his night to cook.
Reading Substacks in the mornings.
Temu slippers.
Hearing squealing children on the trampoline next door.
Buying new pens.
My aqua-coloured water bottle.
Sourdough bread.
Marmalade.
Discovering Alan has already emptied the dishwasher.
Finding my ‘lost’ phone.
Coming across Instagram posts from @thomassainsbury — they make me laugh a lot!
Synchronicities.
For more happiness, check out Dave Wilson’s Another 50 Things I Like post.
Love a good list
You’ve got me thinking … thank you.