More Miscellany

things that have made me smile lately . . .

My Mother-in-law called me last weekend to see if I'd taken my hubby to see "Where the Wild Things Are." She said it was his favorite book as a little boy. 21 years together, and I didn't know that! I can't tell you how many times I've been at the book store and stared at the book, thinking I should buy it, but I never picked it up. Will have to next time I'm there.

My daughter is a huge Twilight fan, and I must admit that I loved the books and have seen the movie a couple of times. (I blame it on my teenage heart.) She has invited me to go with her and her girlfriends to the first showing of "New Moon" at midnight on November 20th. I think it's super cool that she invited me. Of course, I'll have to nap first and probably get to work late the next day, but it'll be totally worth it.

I got a couple tomato plants planted on Saturday. It was a bit of work because I had to dig out quite a bit of bermuda grass first. And it got hot enough that I was drenched in sweat and my face got really red. As I sat in the shade on the patio, catching a nice breeze while cooling (and drying) off, a butterfly came fluttering in. Only for a few seconds, then it was on its way again. But it totally made me smile.

I also removed a bunch of "babies" from my cactus plant and put them in little pots. Some of the babies are only an inch across and are in teeny tiny clay pots; some are about three inches across and are in a little bit bigger clay pots. They are all on an iron etagere and are now my "nursery." Makes me smile.

I enjoyed a cup of chai on Sunday afternoon - something I hadn't had all summer long. It was delish - so much so that I took a thermos of it to work with me today. It even stayed warm until lunch time. I was smiling again.

I found the 1940's version of "The Phantom of the Opera" starring Claude Raines in with my old VHS tapes. Got comfy on the loveseat while hubby was gone and popped it into the VCR. (Getting ready for this coming weekend!)

Made another tag. Also did some journal pages, but will post them another time.

I actually finished a book. I have started several over the last few months, but didn't ever finish any of them. Either it was too complicated, or too boring, or I'd just let too much time lapse between starting it and picking it up again and needed to start over. Now - what to read next?

Have a wonderful rest of the week friends!

to the little things that make you smile,

This and That

Just a little randomness today.

Found a wonderful blogger, who just happens to be in Arizona, that I think some of you will enjoy. Especially those of you with a gypsy soul. This is the post that hooked me, but do check out all of her site, A Fanciful Twist. It's just magical.

I buy organic most of the time, especially produce (even tho I read a headline from the British press, I think, a week or so ago saying it wasn't all that much better for you). My husband is okay with it, and even indulges - and enjoys - some soy products instead of meat from time to time. The other night he was in the kitchen fixing a sandwich or salad or something. I heard him start to chuckle and he called for me to come see something. He was removing some leaves from a head of romaine lettuce - organic - and there was a ladybug in between a couple of the leaves. Yup! That's organic!

For some reason it makes me feel good (successful maybe?) when one of my kids calls me to ask for advice on how to do something or cook something. "Mom, what did you used to use to marinate that chicken?" "Mom, besides the hashbrown potatoes and cheddar cheese soup and ham, what else did you used to put in the crockpot when you made that cheesy potato stuff when we were kids?" It just kind of makes me smile. And interestingly, most of those calls over the last few years have come from my son.

About three weeks ago, I saw a little calico kitten and its mommy in my backyard for the first time. I don't have cats, but a neighbor - almost a block away - has several/lots, and they have made a habit of hanging out in my backyard for some time now. (I once asked the universe why this was. I still don't know, but I take it as a compliment that they do. silly as that sounds.) The kitten was still nursing and, as near as I could guess, had probably been born either in, behind, or under (somehow) the shed in our backyard. I saw the kitten and mommy every morning and every evening. And I was captivated. I'd forgotten how cute kittens are. How absolutely curious and playful and forever pouncing on things they are! I never fed them, and while I went outside from time to time so that they could kind of get used to me, they still always run and hide when I'm too close. And now I haven't seen the kitten since Sunday. And I miss it. I keep going and peeking out the window hoping it hasn't moved on, even though I know it will eventually. Here kitty, kitty, kitty . . .

see the kitty peeking out of the shed? quality is not great, but i took it from inside the house through the window.

Happy Tuesday,

Joy

The things that peg my "joy meter"


A few days ago, I was tagged by Tippyrich to do a post on My Five Favorite Random Things. As it turned out, I had already done that list after being tagged by Julochka (although I could probably do it again and have completely different items on my lists today!). But Tippyrich had mentioned that she hoped to learn more about her fellow bloggers by getting folks to play along and share this kind of information. She has a point.

Some days earlier, Tippyrich had written about counting her blessings, and had included a list of "things that give me pure unadulterated joy." So I told her that I would compile a similar list and post that instead. And here it is:

• my cargo shorts (so many pockets & zippers & snaps & velcro)
• my new Havaianas (with peacocks on them – so pretty)
• getting a card or postcard in the mail
• that first sip of coffee when my husband makes if for me in the morning
• a new magazine
• a comment on my blog ;)
• a pedicure (preferably done by someone else)
• having a baby fall asleep on my chest/shoulder
• babies’ little round heads with just an ever-so-soft bit of hair
• a new pic of my grandson (10 months old)
• a phone call from my granddaughter (almost 3 years old, so cute on the phone : "Hi gramma. Wuv you!")
• laughing out loud to a rerererererun of Two and a Half Men
• reading followed by a nap
• having my pillow “just right” when I go to bed at night
• a hot bath on a cold night, when I can see the steam rise up off my skin
• a venti passion tea, iced & sweetened please (oops! Sorry, thought I was ordering there for second!)
• sitting quietly at home contemplating how blessed I am(sometimes moved to tears by it)
• being “one of the guys” once a week when we all go to lunch
• actually picking & eating something that I’ve grown (tomatoes, radishes, chiles, tomatillos)
• having a server (waitress at a restaurant, barista, cashier) say hi & smile & ask, “the usual?”

Wishing you joy,