It's been a cancer, not cancer, cancer, not cancer kind of week for my family, so in the dark of the night, I started counting my blessings and thinking about what makes me truly happy.
1. When my husband holds my hand. I am THE Least sentimental, romantic woman alive -I have never willingly having sat through a chick flick for example - but I still get a little squidgy feeling when he holds my hand.
2. My daughter C's sarcastic sense of humor. It's good to have that demented British sense of humor translate to the next generation. "Aunt Alma, I once shot a man in Phoenix." Good stuff.
3. My dog Sophie. I am one of those dog owners I have mocked my whole life. What goes around comes around.
4. Food. Good food. Good wine & cheese. Fresh bread & fruit. Comfort food on a bad day. Comfort food on a good day.
5. My sister Kim. She is one of the few truly good people I know. She's sees goodness and value in people I would't bother to hit with my car. She's like a character from a Bible story. I on the other hand, am more like a character out of Stephen King...
6. The sun. Overcast days are God's way of saying, "Yeah, I couldn't be bothered either. Go back to bed with some tea and toast and catch up with your TIVO and reading."
7. The ocean. The sound of it makes me relax. It's where I grew up and it takes me back. I love the smell - high tide or low - the sound, the sight - all of it.
8. The feeling of pulling up my socks. It's stupid, but it feels nice when they've been squashed down and you pull them up... ahhh. Similar to taking off panty hose/nylons or as I like to call them, Satan's Sausage Casing for Ladies. Damn you Alan Grant Sr.
9. Washing my hands. I a germaphobe, and I appreciate hand sanitizer, but a good handwashing is almost a religious experience.
10. Movies. I love movies. Movies, movies, movies. In my next life I want to be a projector.
11. My Message Bible. It's a little hard to get used to hearing Jesus toss out slang, "Yo, disciples!" but it's made me pay more attention to Bible reading I had become too casual about.
12. My girls singing. All day, all kinds of music. It's nice.
13. My daughter S's constant dancing. Lord, if that child could sit still for 5 minutes. I don't know where she gets it. Of course if it gets her to Broadway and pays for a nice nursing home for her mother...
14. List of the day. http://listoftheday.blogspot.com/
First of all, it's a LIST people. What's not to love? Secondly, there isn't a day that there isn't something that makes me smile, laugh out loud/pee a little - Olan Mills family photos anyone? - and occasionally offends my previously Baptist Pastor's wife self. Whatever. It's funny stuff.
There's of loads of other stuff, way too mundane to list. As if you weren't bored already.
Thanks for hanging in to the end. You're a real team player, go get yourself some juice. You've earned it.
By the way, the Chinese symbols at the top are supposed to mean Double Happiness. With my luck it probably means Lemon Chicken, but you don't speak Chinese either, so get over it.
