I'm good at finding my Joy in the little things. Here is a list--in no particular order--of some
Things That Make My Day
1. Dog heads sticking out of cars
2. Sam coming over for lunch
3. One-bowl meals for dinner
4. Seeing blue jays, cardinals, or woodpeckers at my feeder
5. Comments on the blog
6. Having no demands on my time/no place to be
7. Giving the dogs next door a treat over the fence
8. Getting a Triple Word Score with a Z-word on Words With Friends
9. My hair looking good
10. Anytime my sons send me a text to check in or video-call me
11. When Sam sends me photos or videos of Zydrunas
12. Being able to open windows and air out.
This is by no means a complete list, and I think if they all happened on the same day, I'd probably dissolve into a warm puddle of honey and sentimental happy tears on the floor. I've come pretty darn close to all of them on the same day, though, I have to say.
And yes, Zydrunas lives only three doors down from me now, but I still like to get photos or videos of him every once in a while when he's being completely goofy or charming.
NEO has crashed back to normalcy with temperatures in the 45-55 degree range. Those few glorious days of summerlike weather are gone now, but I appreciated them so much. I had every single window in the house open, and it felt wonderful. I air out as often as possible, and it's not uncommon to find my windows open even during winter if we get an unseasonably warmish day. I always feel better.
The sun is still out today, and my walk was brisk and bright. No dog heads, but I did chat with one neighborhood cat (a Democrat; DemoCat?). I had nowhere I had to be, and Sam sent me a text to say he was working through lunch today. Oh well. When I came back home, the bird feeder was mobbed with sparrows--Walmart birds, I call them. Later, when I took out the recycling, I disturbed a gorgeous and sassy red-bellied woodpecker extracting a peanut.
I'm having a pretty great day.
What are some things that make your day?
) Going out for a nice walk or good hike on a bright sunny day (especially now when I am stuck at home more).
ReplyDelete2) Getting a reply when I comment on a blog. :)
3) Getting a good night's sleep.
4) Finding a good series or movie on Netflix. Just finished Queen's Gambit - Great! Now I have to look for some more good things to watch...
5) Reading an exciting book that I don't want to put down!
6) Finding a new post when I check my favorite blogs! :)
Thanks for you posts!
Ellen D--Oh, you're so welcome! Don't get used to this frequency, though. I usually post once a week or every ten days. This rapid-fire posting is killing me. LOL.
DeleteI get a glow from all of these things as well. And thanks for the recommendation of Queen's Gambit. I'll be sure to take a look. We've decided to try Roadkill on PBS solely because Hugh Laurie is in it. I am smitten with him.
Here's to more nights of Good Sleep, Ellen! I've been sleeping well lately, too.
Nance, I just wanted to reply to your comment on my blog. Little B has a full time aide at his side. She is amazing and has been with him for 4 1/2 years. Unfortunately she is leaving the school system on December 4, it will be a big blow to my little boy who relies on her so much. She has been so incredible for him in every way but is only allowed to help so much and it depends on the teacher as to how much she is allowed to rephrase questions. I was lucky this test came home because he missed a day of school due to testing. this is not the first time a question has been present to him this way and I have called the teacher out on several because he was right and she had to change the answer. Here is one. It is a significant problem if you lose your car keys true or false? His answer was false because he does not have car keys. She said it was incorrect. But I wrote to her about it because to him it was not a significant problem, it is true he does not have car keys. I don't think she is very fond of me but that is just fine. I am looking into another school for him that will understand his incredible brain and help him to flourish.
ReplyDeleteMeredith--Unfortunately, some teachers are either knowingly or unknowingly hostile toward a special needs student in their regular ed class. This could be because of no training afforded them by the school system or because they now have to work differently in a flex-ed/mainstream environment. It's hard on everyone.
DeleteLB hasn't the capacity at present to extrapolate beyond the present. He is in literal thinking mode only, and this makes it tough for him. His logic is in the here and now. It's just a more vertical thinking mode. The teacher is looking for the correct answer in a different mode, one that is more lateral.
I hope that you can find a successful teacher or school for your son. It's a heart-tugging problem, and I'll be rooting for you both.
Thank you so much Nance for your comments and concern. Lateral thinking, getting the big picture of what is being inferred is a high level critical thinking skill that emerges when you have the capacity to have everything in order so that you can actually get to those high level thought processes. If you are physically challenged, have slow processing speed and difficulty attending to task all your energy goes to these poor executive function skills not high levels of organizing and thought processes in your brain. He will get there, just not at the same speed as other students.
DeleteSorry you are back to the cold weather, but so glad the sun is still out! Your list is perfect. Some things that make my day are having a delicious meal, hugs from my grown children, watching the birds in my backyard, ice cold beer, finding a good book and knowing I can read it cover to cover no matter how late I have to stay up to do it, seeing a blog post is up from my friend Nance :)
ReplyDeleteMartha--We share many Happies! Finding a good book and getting lost in it is such a joy, isn't it? And I, too, love sitting out on my patio and watching the birds. Hugs from Jared and Sam are always the best, even though I get lost in them since they are a foot taller than I am and big, strong men.
DeleteAnd thank you for saying that a post from me is a Day Maker. I don't post this often, though, in a normal month, so don't get used to it. ;)
Texting my kids about books and fun
ReplyDeleteMailing gifts and waiting to surprise someone
my headphones, they are so comfy. Big cushy ones
and my heated vest. it is the best, when the house is chilly!
kathy b--Isn't text great? And I was a big old hypocrite, saying many years ago that I'd never do it. Now I love it, especially to keep in touch with my sons.
DeleteI don't wear my heated coat in the house, but I love my Old Lady Heating Pad. I just stick it behind me when I have a chill and feel warm immediately. Of course, it's not good for being busy like your vest, but I can always come back to it.
I'm glad you haven't lost faith in the USPS and are still mailing presents. :)
The sun in the morning streaming in the kitchen window. The light of the moon or a swath of stars if I wake up in the night. Writing something that works the first time. Getting the New York Times crossword complete without having to look something up. And, yes, a killer Words score. Hearing from my daughter in Pakistan should do it, but I find that after the call or Skype is over, I miss her more. Going out for lunch.
ReplyDeleteum, that should do it for now. The list varies by the day.
Mary--Oh, these really are Day Makers. (Especially if you have clean windows. Hee hee.)
DeleteSometimes I get adversarial with the crossword puzzle's more arcane clues and think, "Oh, now they're just FORCING me to look this up." It helps.
You make a good point that the list can vary. Some days, tougher than others, need more to "make" them. Other days, it's enough to have sunshine and perhaps feed the neighbor dogs over the fence. Here's to stacking up lots and lots of Good Days in a row.
Wishing you a whole string of them. I have been saving bones for a neighbour's dog and he got them night before last. Talk about frantic tail waving.
DeleteWhat a lovely list! How wonderful that one of your sons lives just a few doors down. That sounds wonderful to me. I dream of having a compound of homes, one for Ted’s parents, one for us, one for Maya, etc. We could all have our own space and come and go as we like. Of course, that might be absolute hell sometimes, but it sounds good most of the time.
ReplyDeleteHmmm...things that make my day...
1. When it’s payday. :)
2. When my body lets me sleep in.
3. When I try a new recipe and it turns out well.
4. Seeing the hummingbirds come to the feeder.
5. Certain plants that go dormant over the winter, watching them come back in the spring.
6. A perfect avocado.
7. RAIN! (But best of all is rain when we are all cozy inside, not when I have to go out in it too much)
8. Time near the ocean.
9. When I am sitting at my desk working, and Mulder comes and lays down at my feet.
10. Hearing Ted and Maya laugh at something stupid that tickles their funny bones.
J--My sister has almost a compound. Two of her four kids live on her street with their spouses and children. Another lives a few blocks away with her children. The fourth is about twenty minutes away.
DeleteI'm not sure I'd like a compound like The Kennedys. Sometimes, I feel like my family is overwhelming as it is. I'm sure the sister I mentioned does, too.
Your list is terrific, and it sounds just like you. I especially love #10. I miss that the most at my home. When Jared and Sam were here, I loved listening to them talk, laugh, trade barbs, and just be brothers. That you know how precious that sound is between Maya and Ted warms my heart.
I love your list, and I have to agree that dogs sticking their heads out of car windows are the best!
ReplyDeleteAny day that I don't have to go to work is a day when my day is made.
Bridget--Wouldn't it be great if Hamlet and all his kitty siblings could take a ride and each stick their heads out of the windows? IF--and that's a big IF--Pip would allow it.
DeleteI know many people would agree wholeheartedly with your Day Maker.
Dee--YES! I love dog owners who indulge their dogs on chilly days. That's a good owner, and it's good for those of us who love to see those dogs. I know big smiley Zydrunas brightens lots of days.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely relate to #2 and #3. Even just a good vacuuming makes a big difference to me (I have wine-coloured carpet in the living room). Once I give the house a good going-over, I can grab my book or journal or knitting and feel settled. And clean sheets...nothing like it. I stretch way out and down before I curl back up and SMILE.
Number 6 on your list is life to me! Including not having to go to work (but only for a few days - sometimes I need my "alone" time in my office so I can be civil to my husband - ha!). I also love getting a triple z or q on WWF. I would ask you to connect with me there, but a) I don't play it as often as I used to and b) I use one of those cheater apps. Although all that does is give me words to try - it doesn't help me PLACE them well. And I'm not very good at that.
ReplyDeleteAs to other things that make my day:
1. Unexpected cake
2. Mike being in a good mood (it's not happening very much these days - he is weighed down by many things & I feel a little helpless)
3. Seeing fat sheep in a field
4. When I don't have to decide what to have for dinner
5. When the book I'm reading has an unexpectedly fabulous passage - I get a little ping when that happens
Thanks for prompting me to think about those lovely things!
Bug--WWF has cheats built in now. I hate that. I have a long-running game going with my buddy in Maryland, Leanne. We've been playing each other faithfully for years and years on a daily basis. I love the game.
DeleteI love all of yours and can relate to them all, especially if you substitute COWS for sheep and my brother or Rick for your husband. I should have included seeing a field of Herefords up close as an item in my list. That really does make my day.
The New York Times has reviewed President Obama's new memoir, and it pretty much said it's full of the kinds of passages you've described in #5. I think I'm putting it on my Christmas list.
And you know how I feel about Unexpected Cake. We are sympatico there, for sure!
I love that you identify the little things that bring you joy/make your day. Thank you for the prompt to be mindful.
ReplyDelete#1. 6-7 hrs of uninterrupted sleep
#2. fresh bed sheets
#3. the first cup of coffee in the morning
#4. how the house lights up with the sun as it breaks over the horizon
#5. the feeling after a good walk, yoga/stretch session
#6. completing a task on the to-do list, realizing that it didn't take as long as I thought it would
#7. new blossoms on the Christmas cactus, orchid
#8. using something up from the fridge in a pot of homemade soup
#9. preparing food and listening to Wide Cut Country on CKUA on Saturday morning
#10. a call from a family member or friend
Mona McGinnis--Hello, and welcome to the Dept.!
Delete#6 is a welcome surprise, isn't it? I think we often take far more time dreading a task than we need to, or than we do actually doing it. That's me all over the place. And #1 is so satisfying as well. Uninterrupted sleep is so renewing!
I don't make a lot of soups anymore--my husband is lukewarm about soup--but I share your penchant for using up things in the fridge. I hate waste in any form, but most vehemently in food. If I can use up leftovers or make use of produce odds and ends (usually in salads), I'm pretty jazzed.
Thanks for adding to Comments. I hope you'll hang out and chat again.
My list would be very similar to yours; it truly is the little things that bring the biggest joys!! I'd have to add in seeing my yard full of butterflies. :)
ReplyDeleteI love that your son and grand-dog are so close to you!
BB Suz--I love it, too.
DeleteI know how fulfilled you are by your butterfly sanctuary. And that they're beautiful and so fascinating in their flight makes them a joy to watch.
There are a lot of things on your list that I would put on my list as well. But I have a few more.
ReplyDeleteHearing from my kids and grand kids
Knitting progress
Reggie and Bella (our dogs)
Baking a nice loaf of bread
Minerva--I think a lot of us in our blogging community are very like-minded. We would share so many Day Makers.
DeleteFinishing up a knitting project can make my day as well, especially the tedious non-knitting parts, like seaming and weaving in ends. I really detest those parts.
I haven't made bread--any bread--in a very long time. Now that the stores around here have canned pumpkin again, I would like to make some pumpkin bread. "Real" yeast bread...not on my radar. I'll leave that to those who really enjoy it.
I enjoy your photos of Reggie. He's a smiley dog.
There haven't been any dogs sticking their heads out of cars where I've been lately, but I've been all about watching the street cats and dogs. Particularly in Istanbul, there were so many street cats, and many of them were tiny and adorable. It's a nice treat to get to see a cute animal. How lucky you are to have dogs that you can give treats to (and don't also have to take care of)! We thought about buying treats for the street cats, but we never ended up following through. Maybe next time.
ReplyDeleteMikey--It is a nice treat to see a cute animal, but I'd be so conflicted about the status of the street animals. I know they're a fact of life in many countries, but I'd feel terrible about them.
DeleteI do like having dog friends that I can enjoy and then walk away from. The best thing is not having to clean up after them.
We really enjoyed the street cats in Istanbul. The locals absolutely take care of them, which was evident by the trays of cat food set aside for them, as well as little cardboard houses that were set up in front of a few businesses. And eventually, we saw that there was a guy who would occasionally dump a bunch of cat food right outside of our living room window, which attracted at least 20 cats!
DeleteIt's interesting to see cities that have a culture of taking care of their street animals. The other place where I noticed this was Tbilisi, Georgia. There were street dogs all over the place, but each one was tagged, which meant that it had received vaccines and been spayed/neutered. The locals all take turns leaving food out for the dogs, and the dogs understand that they won't be fed if they're aggressive, so they're typically very friendly.
Mikey--This is so good to hear. It's like Community Pets!
DeleteYour list brings a smile to my face and its taking joy in the simple things in life makes me think of Smokey. One of the highlights of our days was sharing such joys. I do this to some degree with Bo and Justine now but it's obviously not the same. Nor should it be. The three of us actually started stating, "One great thing that happened today was ..." at the beginning of the pandemic. It got us through some rough days at the start.
ReplyDeleteHere's my list:
1. When I actually write a blog post.
2. When I get comments on my blog, especially positive feedback.
3. The dogs. Dozer jumping in bed with me. Dozer jumping into his chair in the evening. Sandy demanding to be on the screened porch or in the yard to oversee her world. Mochi doing what little dogs do.
4. Wearing clogs. I always feel more put together and appreciate the little bit of extra height.
5. Laughing with family and/or friends. Nothing beats shared laughter.
6. Watching good shows on Netflix, etc. I've watched a lot since the pandemic started.
7. Hearing from my dear friend Peter (the one I visited when I was in France), who is now in his home country of Austria. Can't wait to visit him with a girlfriend when this pandemic is over.
8. The view of the lake here or the river at the mountain property.
9. A good meal that I made or shared with everyone that is appreciated.
10. Fresh sheets AND newly shaved legs. (The combo is the best.)
11. Hot cocoa.
12. Baileys.
13. Friends checking in on me.
14. Birds. The ones I see most often right now are Carolina Wrens. They are the hardest working little birds. I know they miss Smokey's "fresh" firewood that was full of beetles and other insects they considered to be their caviar.
Thanks for reminding us that there's still so much that makes our days!
Shirley--Your list is lovely. So many of your Day Makers are things that all of us can relate to.
DeleteFinding good shows on Netflix can certainly make our day. It's so frustrating to see hundreds of offerings and be spoiled for choice, yet have no idea what you want to watch or get invested in. And in the last couple of years, I've not been in the mood for anything heavy; there's enough heavy drama in real life, thanks.
Carolina wrens have shown up here in NEO now, and I adore them. They are busy things! I told Rick to stack some firewood on the front porch just to make them happy and so I could see them more often and up close. The cats love seeing them, too.
So many small things do make our days happy and pleasant. It's not to say that there aren't larger, more pressing concerns that can worry us or make us feel sad or frustrated. Those are, of course, there, too. But small Happinesses are still around, and I like to make sure I see them.
I can't do the heavy dramas either. I keep a running list of shows based on friends' and family members' recommendations but my taste seems to be different from most. So I often watch a few minutes of a show that's been recommended and then conclude, "Nope. This one's not for me." I still have plenty that I have enjoyed though.
ReplyDeleteI love that you had Rick put wood on your porch just so you'd see your Carolina wrens! They never disappoint; do they? They are very busy workers!
Finally, so well said on the importance of the small things.