identify 100 things that make me happy (besides money)

84. maps
85. gassbagging on the phone to a friend
86. bookshops (particularly second hand ones)
87. being organised
88. but going with the flow if i’m not ;)
[guess i should put in some spring things even tho its not been very spring-ish…]
89. more than one sunny day in a row
90. sarcasm
91. barbeques
92. wine
93. watching or reading or listening to the news
94. NZ’s odd human interest stories, like a woman being saved from drowning in a flooded river by a cow and icebergs floating towards the south island!
95. fixing things
96. helping people
97. learning something new
98. growing plants
99. cuddles from toddlers
100. dreaming

yay i did it :) it’s been so long on my 43things it feels like an end of an era!!! hehe, i guess thats like most of my goals tho… i’m such a dreamer – had to put that on the list too ;)

here’s what i’ve got so far:

1. belonging somewhere
2. inspiring someone
3. sun
4. animools
5. music
6. exploring somewhere new
7. devoting time for myself
8. water
9. a peaceful mind
[smells]
10. garlic and olive oil simmering in a cast-iron pan
11. freshly ground coffee beans (altho i dont even drink it)
12. home-made baked bread (just like mum makes!!)
13. fruit (nectarines, mangoes, feijoas, passionfruit…)
14. all my bf’s smellies (cologne, shave gel & balm…)
15. scented oils (coconut, lemongrass, jasmine, rose…)
16. lavendar pillows and crisp cotton sheets (girly luxury!)
17. the sea
18. sandlewood incense
19. spring flowers (early cheer, daphne, frangipani, lillies…)
20. thunderstorms
[food]
21. olives
22. cheese
23. toasted nuts
24. indian – butter chicken, malai kofta or paneer & garlic naan
25. thai – tom yam soup with king prawns
26. malaysian – curry laksa or roti chenai
27. chinese – pork dim sum or crispy duck
28. turkish – zucchini & carrot fritter kebab
29. japanese – teriyaki salmon, tempura veges and miso soup
30. at home – venison steak with mums plum sauce
31. seafood, particularly shellfish!!
32. fresh fruit or berry smoothies
33. licorice, aniseed, chocolate or candy
[ ]
34. laughing
35. observing my progress
36. cooking with fresh herbs
37. my bro
38. swimming in the sea
39. italian pizza
40. cheer bombs
41. hot pools
42. scoring a goal
43. profound conversations with strangers
44. watching movies
45. hugs
46. running
47. driving
48. kips on the beach
49. dancing
50. teamwork
51. solitude
52. rain
53. being productive
54. scenic roads
[wintery things]
55. roasty dinners
56. mulled wine
57. open fires
58. doing jigsaw puzzles
59. playing cards
60. snuggling up in bed
61. thunderstorms (twice even!)
62. cups of tea
63. woolly hats
64. woolly socks
65. knowing that winter won’t last forever!
[ ]
66. my Da’s cooking (& my mums too for that matter)
67. not knowing it all
68. experimental cooking
69. 43T people :)
70. nookie
71. strangers who say hi
72. texts from friends
73. reading a book
74. my mum ringing in the morning
75. friends
[more wintery things]
76. the smell and feel of wool
77. the day is cold but the sun is beaming
78. the night is crisp but the thermal waters are steaming
79. warming my pjs on the heater before putting them on
80. watching movies and reading books in bed
81. snow!!!
[ ]
82. tui’s
83. walking

i’m so close and i rooolly wanna complete this goal… can i make the dash to the finish ???

in the bush, along the beach, with company, in solitude, in the sun, in the rain…

i went for a bush walk with my bf’s family near ohope beach this weekend. it was such an awesome bright sunny day! priviledged are we to get such things in winter.

and last weekend i finally hauled me wee arse up Mount Maunganui. again another brilliant day. and there wasn’t every man and his dog there like my bro said there would be… try every man and his wife and sprogs! the mount is such an easy walk so it attracts a lot of young families. unfortunately we werent as lucky as Meris to see a pod of killer whales from the lookout!! but we did spot a seal :)

An endemic bird of NZ, hearing their unique call usually indicates the presence of native trees and flax… which makes them quite common out in the bush… but quite special to hear in urban areas, it suggests an agreeable proximity to nature :D well, to me it does!

more on the tui from wikipedia

76. the smell and feel of wool
77. the day is cold but the sun is beaming
78. the night is crisp but the thermal waters are steaming
79. warming my pjs on the heater before putting them on
80. watching movies and reading books in bed
81. snow!!!

particularly old friends… who’ll give you the butterflies outta their head if you ask!!!

^{this picture courtesy of a little pengiun who led me to an exploding dog:creator of visual narration that soothes my observations, frustrations and contemplations}

for something in particular, or no particular reason… forces me to get outta bed! i’m so fortunate she loves and cares for me so much :)

^{this picture courtesy of a little pengiun who led me to an exploding dog:creator of visual narration that soothes my observations, frustrations and contemplations}

particularly one i identify with or find really absorbing… best kinds a books is those… the kind i’m so busy reading i forget or neglect i should be doing other things

even if they are holidaying in sicily and i’m jealous as hell!!! ;)

or some derivative… particularly the elderly folks i encounter on my runs… like the chap who says “there’s nobody chasing you y’know!” or the smiley woman walking her dog who said “it’s working for you!”... aww bless them for brightening my day! :D