Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Hump Day Happies


I'm a lucky person. There are a lot of big things for me to be grateful for in life -- my health, my family, the fact that I have a roof over my head and plenty to eat. (Yeah, yeah...and drink, too.) Can't complain about any of the major barometers of happiness, and believe me, they count for a lot.

But you know what? I think the little things are just as important. Being aware of, and grateful for, the everyday stuff can fill in the chinks, cementing the overall happiness with a mortar of contentment.

So, to celebrate Hump Day this week, I thought I'd list (in no particular order) some the little things that make up my mortar:

1. Rain when it's been too dry.

2. Sunshine after too much rain.

3. Licorice jelly beans.

4. Whenever anyone says "I love you."

5. Dirty jokes. (I have a juvenile sense of humor. Sue me.)

6. When TG scratches my back.

7. When I scratch TG's back, and he makes sounds that would make you think I was giving him...uh, never mind. Carry on.

8. Getting a call from my daughter, just to chat.

9. When my son says "thank you," sincerely, after I make him breakfast.

10. Non-spam email in my inbox.

11. When our part-time cat stops by for her treats, but sticks around just to cuddle.

12. Stray memories of good times.

13. The smell of bacon cooking.

14. When there are more reds and purples in the Skittles bag than yellows and greens. (Not that I don't like the yellows and greens, too. Just not as much.)

15. When somebody comments really fast after after I put up a new blog post. (Does that sound needy? Hey, I'm just trying to be honest here.)

16. Snail mail. (The real kind, not bills.)

17. Crisp, clear, chilly fall days, the kind with azure skies and puffy white clouds.

18. The ducks at Great Falls National Park.

19. Chocolate malts with a dollop of whipped cream and a cherry on top.

20. Cuteoverload.com

21. Jasmine tea.

22. Fires in the fireplace on cold days.

23. Playing Relaxed Scrabble (dirty words allowed).

24. An extra cherry in my Manhattan.


...just to name a few (dozen) of them.

How about you? What makes up your mortar?

23 comments:

muffintopmommy said...

Ooh, ooh, #15, #15!!!
:)

And.......I also am happy for fun tweeps that brighten my day early in the am....cause you know I'm slumped over my coffee right now while little voices screech at concert decibels! (Which....I'm very thankful for.....but...they're just oh so louuuuudddd. So louuuuud.)

Talei said...

I was thinking about this recently, and it was mainly the sound of of my son's laughter. Thats one of the things that really makes me happy.

Also, writing when the creative juices are really flowing - can't beat that feeling.

Champagne, shoes and shoulder rubs are up there too! ;)

Unknown said...

Relaxed Scrabble? Relaxed? No, Linda, No! Speed Scrabble! and using ONLY dirty words (of course) :^D

Kelly Breakey said...

For me its having a whole day to myself to nothing particular.

Reading a book that makes me laugh out loud.

Finishing a scene and knowing I nailed it.

Spooning with the hubs for no particular reason.

Waking up on a Saturday and knowing I have weekend before me.

Going out for Blue Moons and Calamari in the winter with a birds eye view of the beach and loving the fact that they are deserted and I can see all the way to the horizon.

Okay, I will stop now, but you get the picture.

Kristin Callender @KCBOOKS said...

Love this. I agree, the little things that make you smile or sigh are just as good as the big moments. The fire going is 1 of my favorites, but I also love a quick comment :) The little curled lip look my puppy gets when she wants to play or cause trouble. Waking up to smell of coffee on a cool morning. Hearing my kids have a conversation without bickering. There are so many. Thanks for the reminder :)

Trisha Leigh said...

Hot coffee in the morning.

Shopping for myself and for no reason.

When my dogs do something wild that makes me laugh.

Having a day to do nothing but what I actually want to do.

Playing in the lake with my cousins little children.

Getting real email.

Twitter :)

Thanks for making me be grateful this morning :)

Susan Adrian said...

Aw. Thanks for your happies. I love the happies!

Steph Schmidt said...

#16 is so amazing. Thanks for this reminder to start the day with a smile & thankfulness.

Anonymous said...

Lovely post, Linda. So many little things add to happy, don't they?

demery said...

Hello Linda,

Your blog very often has a way of reminding me that the world is a beautiful place. Thank you! Here are a few of the little things for me:

The particular, wonderful smell of each of my boys' hair. Is that crazy? I bury my nose right on the top of their heads and breathe deeply... warmth and sunshine and knowing I'm connected to them. It's like magic every time.

My itty bitty book light and our bedroom ceiling fan. I was never a ceiling fan lover until we moved to Texas! But there's nothing better than crawling into bed after the day is done, when the whole house is asleep and reading in the little glow of my book light (hubby usually goes to sleep first) until my eyes are heavy.

Dark, dark chocolate with bits of cranberry and hazelnut. Antioxidants, you know!!

Elizabeth Ryann said...

Aww, sweet! Here are some of my favorites: Kittens (including the bigger kind that weigh 12 pounds but still find it appropriate to sit on your head while you're attempting to sleep), hugs, good hair days, sunshine, giggles, BOOKS, random compliments from strangers, Vampire Diaries, best friends--especially the ones where you can have a whole conversation without saying a single word followed by simultaneous laughter, food other people make for you on dishes you don't have to wash, things that sparkle, flowers, dancing, Julie Andrews--she really is one of my favorite things, cake, DAYS OFF, taking great pictures on vacation, coloring, hydrating lip gloss...

The mortar is the stuff that brings in all the fun, as far as I'm concerned. The big bricks of your life, like having your health and everything, aren't as easy to enjoy, so much as it is incredibly easy to suffer when they're lacking. But mortar is all good times all the time. But what do I know? I've never laid a brick in my life.

TAWNA FENSKE said...

Oh, I like a lot of the things on YOUR list! Can't I just claim it for my own?

I'll add the sound/feel of a cat purring (which you sorta covered, but not that specifically).

Also, the feeling of having someone brush my hair.

And discovering a new wine I really enjoy.

Tawna

Jessica Lemmon said...

Love the smell of bacon - mmm!

I think I'll also add:
-a fresh box of Junior mints
-a Midnight showing of a movie I've been wanting to see
-the hot tub, ahhhhhhhhh
-when McD's gives me the fries *right* out of the fryer

Unknown said...

Thanks for the list, Linda. Hmmm...what would be on my list?

A hug from a small child.

The comment thingy...I love when I get comments. Maybe I should blog more.

Godiva chocolate

A mid-week dinner with my husband.

Finding a new author I love to read.

When a student comes back after reading a book I recommended and she (or he) tells me she loved it.

The beach.

Honey crisp apples.

Pretty simple, really. Hope everyone is having a great day.

Linda G. said...

Muffin -- LOL! I know exactly what you mean--I love my quiet too. Don't worry, that part gets better as they get older. :)

Talei -- Kids' laughter is definitely one of the happiest things ever. I like the rest of your "happies" too. :)

Karla -- No speed! I can't take the pressure. ;)

Kelly -- Oh, good ones! Especially nailing a scene -- I love when that happens.

Kristin -- Awww, puppies. Gotta love the puppies. :)

Trisha -- You're welcome. Y'all are doing the same for me. :)

Suze -- Me too. :)

SM -- Especially since snail mail is getting so rare these days. And you're welcome. :)

Kathy -- Exactly. Isn't it wonderful? :)

Demery -- Thank you! And I know just what you mean about kids' hair. I used to sniff my kiddos' hair all the time. It's harder to do now that they're grown. ;)

Elizabeth -- Oooh, you have a bunch of good one! Thanks for sharing them here. :)

Tawna -- Sure! You can share my list any time. :)

Jessica -- Mmm...Junior mints. Love 'em! But I can hardly stay awake for midnight movies, no matter how much I've been looking forward to a movie. I'm with you on the freshly made fries, though. :)

Jeannie -- Great list! Simple is the best. :)

A.S. Boudreau said...

Love your list. Simply the the little things that make this life worth it :).

Adriana said...

Great list! One of the things I say all the time is "it's the small things in life" :)

So here are a few of mine: the first sip of coffee in the morning; a bright-orange sunset; the SNOOZE button; Reese's peanut butter cups; when my husband, who's working out of town, sends me texts at 2 am that just say "I love you."

Jessica L. Brooks (coffeelvnmom) said...

I love your list! Especially rain, when someone says "I love you", and when your son says "thank you"!

Some of mine: candles burning on rainy days, my husband showing up with a cup of coffee for me, my family laughing together at the dinner table. :)

GĂ©nette Wood said...

I do like your list. Mine would include the following things:

When someone tells a nerdy joke and I get it because I am similarly nerdy.

When I get a better grade than my peers on an exam.

Raiding a Russell Stover's outpost just after Easter.

Writing when there is absolutely nothing else that I need to get done.

Linda G. said...

A.S. -- It is, isn't it? They're easy to overlook, but we'd sure miss them if they weren't there. :)

Adriana -- Good ones! Well, except for the snooze button. I can't stand alarm clocks at all, even if I can press snooze.

Coffeelvnmom -- Oooh, candles--yes! Especially at the dinner table, with the family laughing around me. :)

courtney said...

In answer to your question--entries like this one.

It's nice to be reminded there's lots to be happy about. :)

Linda G. said...

Courtney -- Aww, thanks, bb. You're one of my happies. :)

Katherine Josh said...
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