Last night our Canadian Friends sent us a bigass cold front packing icy cold winds and the first sn*w of the season. (Thank you, but really, you shouldn't have.) I woke up at 3AM with a banger of a migraine and today am pretty worthless. As I cower from everything but Rest, Hydration, and Warmth, I feel compelled to satisfy my Writing Responsibilities. Here's a Quick Rundown of some Small Yet Satisfying Happinesses that lifted my spirits this week:1. Carly Simon On iTunes. I grew up listening to the music of my older sister Patti, who is seven years my senior. She was my idol, my role model, and my mentor in so many areas of Life. We shared the finished attic bedroom with my younger sister Susan for years and years, so I grew up listening to whatever music Patti did. This week, I downloaded two Carly Simon albums from iTunes, using free money from my many survey credits. They're in heavy rotation now with the two Beatles albums I downloaded last week (also for free!), and I'm really enjoying this musical trip in the wayback machine.
2. Fall Wardrobe. Cuddly sweaters, leggings, boots, long pants again--these are a few of my favourite things. I refreshed my fall/winter wardrobe with a few new pieces from TJ Maxx, but most of my clothes are in good shape and are basics that I can wear a long time without looking dated.
3. Soups And Slow Cooks/Roasts. I'm finally feeling like cooking and being creative in my kitchen again, and it's a pleasure to do it when it's not so hot out and I have more of an appetite. I made a really tasty (and easy) soup last night that Rick thoroughly enjoyed, and I plan on making many more. Sam finished the small leftover bit for his lunch today. I actually had a pretty good Cooking Week, for a change, taking advantage of my crockpot and the oven (since we've had such cool weather), and it's starting to feel like I'm getting back to my old self a little bit.
4. Democrats! Thank you, Virginia and New Jersey. Thank you so much. Thank you for repudiating the Politics Of Hate And Ignorance. Thank you to the strong, capable women who decided to run for office and make a difference right at the source. And a special Thank You to Ashley Bennett, who served up one hell of a dinner in New Jersey.
I await your Comments on my Simple Joys and stand ready to Celebrate (albeit gently) Yours.
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Oh those Canadians and their cold air. I wish they'd kept to themselves for another month or two.
ReplyDeleteI'm right there with you on your numbers 2,3 and 4. I'm still smiling after Tuesday's elections, I made my first crock pot dinner of the season today and I dug out my winter hats and mittens.
Jean--Me, too! But I don't blame my Canadian friends for wanting to get rid of it, do you?
DeleteIt was incredibly gratifying to see diverse candidates win in places like Montana and Minnesota where they elected not only women, but black women, trans women, and a refugee from Liberia. Here's a link to a story about just how great a night Election Night really was in terms of the victories won.
Don't get too fond of those mittens. Temps are headed back up (though for how long...?).
My week hasn't been all that simple or joyful. That's kind of been my whole year, in fact. So I feel like I will live vicariously through your joys. You do share them, yes?
ReplyDeleteAlly Bean--It's tough to find the Simple Happies, even, sometimes in this Lousy Year, that's for sure.
DeleteI'm happy to share mine any time I can.
Your Carly Simon reminds me of the other night...Maya asked me if I was a fan of Fleetwood Mac. I said, "Eh, not really." Because so much of their music was overplayed for SO LONG, I just couldn't stomach it anymore. Then she asked me about another group, and finally showed me the 70s playlist on her phone. I have to say, if asked about those bands, I would not jump up and down and necessarily want to listen to them, but I knew every song, and I had to admit that if it were playing while I was in the kitchen, I'd be pretty happy about it and sing along to most. She said she will play it some time soon when I cook.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy about the elections, of course, and I hope it means that the Democrats will start SHOWING UP and working to get votes in places they're not sure about. It seems like they sometimes assume they won't win, so they don't try. Or they assume they WILL win, and don't try.
I'm happy because I went to Target and bought myself a new pair of jeans.
And I'm happy because I went to lunch with a friend today, who lives less than a mile away, but whom I haven't seen since perhaps June. It's stupid. It was fun to chat about our lives and get caught up. Also I'm happy because at lunch, I had a bowl of pasta (pesto) and a glass of wine. Yay for Fridays!
Also, BOO to migraines! Mine are often triggered by low pressure systems, as we have discussed. Blech. It has been cold here, too. Well, not COLD, but we did actually turn the heater on the other day for a couple of hours.
DeleteJ@jj--Oh, I love Fleetwood Mac so much. Rick is still in love with Stevie Nicks and her billygoat vibrato, and at one point, I think his crush on her and the song "Stand Back" was very, very real and a threat to my security.
DeleteAs far as the Democrats, I can tell you from my own efforts that we are fighting (and DID FIGHT) in every district where there is an open seat. I made phone calls in Virginia in competitive districts ("purple" ones) looking to secure votes. There are dozens and dozens of organizations working every day to get Democrats into seats. WE ARE showing up. It takes help from everyone.
I got a great-looking long, "boyfriend" type cardigan at Target on clearance for only 10 bucks. I wear it with leggings and boots. It was a great find.
Good for you finally making the time to meet for lunch with your friend. My buddy Jeanine and I have decided to make Our Time a priority, and we're meeting for lunch at least once a month. It's important!
And Pesto! I have only ONE JAR LEFT of my homemade basil pesto made from my herb garden. I will miss it when it's gone. Isn't pesto the best? I love it with a nice merlot or cab franc. Did you have it with a cab sauv?
Nance, thank you for your service in the fight to elect democrats. I was thinking more about how Clinton didn't go to some states, and how some red states can be ignored by the party, assuming there is no hope, when this election showed us that there can indeed be hope.
ReplyDeleteJ@jj--You're welcome.
DeleteI understand now what you were referring to, and I do agree that every state, every district, every municipality should be (and is) a battleground. We need to Show Up, and now we are. The lesson was a hard one, but well-learned by at least the widespread Democratic Party in the Resistance.
A cold Canadian here reminding you that what you get is our left over icy weather. I put laundry on the outside clothesline yesterday and had to break ice off the clothespins to take it down
ReplyDeleteSimple joy ... it smells wonderful.
Second simple joy ... got out all my silly wooly hats yesterday and wore one this morning as I slithered down the laneway to get the papers.
Mary G--Dearest sweet Canadian friend, trust me when I tell you kind, generous people that WE DON'T WANT IT. You have so many other fine exports to send us that we DO WANT--like wine and Justin Trudeau, both lovely pleasures that we sorely need, even if just for parties.
DeleteSo sorry about your migraine. My dad told me that he’s been having optic migraines, which are usually painless, but he had some recently that were painful (!). I used to have terrible sinus headaches back in the day, but fortunately a daily Claritin seems to have solved that. Or it could be the nsaids I’ve taken every day for over ten years. I guess I’ll see here directly because I’m planning to stop the daily pain meds now that I seem to be fully recovered from surgery.
ReplyDeleteSimple pleasures: Mike built the first fire of the season this evening (it’s in the 30s here!). I made a hat for myself, wore it once this week & it annoyed me by not staying on my head & almost immediately I found someone to give it to. I’ll make another one a bit smaller for me - it’s a fun pattern.
Bug--Thank you for your sympathy, and I will take it. Optical migraines bring their own set of discomforts, and I would not wish migraine of any sort upon anyone.
DeleteRick has threatened to build a fire in our fireplace today, and I am sighing and concerned. We have an updraft issue, and fires are always either a smoky affair or so fraught with science and technology and physics (putting a space heater in the fireplace to warm it first, etc) that it isn't all that pleasurable.
You are a crochet fiend! I think of you every Wednesday when I go to my local Marc's grocery store. They have a yarn buyout: 2 skeins for $2.98. And it is a nice acrylic, too, very soft and pretty. You would go nuts.
Things that pleased you have also pleased me.
ReplyDeleteI hope your migraine goes away. That does not please me.
Bridget--It left. Thank you!
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