list three things every day that made me happy

1. Took the chum to free play time at My Gym and he taught me how to do a forward roll. OK, we used the wedge mat so gravity did most of the work but I did like 5 of them and it was super fun. Not quite sure what the other parents thought…. ha!

2. The chum and I trimmed all the lavender back in front of and behind the house. No hibernating reptiles discovered and the long snake skin has gone, thank god. The chum was a huge help. He did all the small year-old plants and I did the massive ones. Pretending to be 500 kinds of superheroes and villains (and several Project Runway contestants) is a small price to pay for such help.

3. Finding some more lost musical gens on iTunes as I sort through and discard cassette tapes from 20 years ago.

1. Pumpkin pie for breakfast. I didn’t eat any pie at Thanksgiving because of the 13 (!) pints of ice cream to try, but I did snag a slice to take home for breakfast. Tasty.

2. GG used the leaf blower and blew off the deck and the patio. So clean it is. Why don’t we ever use the leaf blower, I wonder.

3. Feeling like the end of a hard week is nearly at hand. Also red wine.

1. I was really nervous beforehand, but I managed to do the 5K run pain-free.

2. Thanksgiving was one of the most enjoyable in many years. I’m glad I took the initiative and forced everyone to talk about things they were thankful for. Lance was so sweet holding Pepper and crying. It has been a year around here, hasn’t it? And I got to cuddle both little girls.

3. Coming home to my own home where it was quiet and getting into bed with my sweet husband.

1. Met GG for lunch in SR after my haircut. Mmm. Black and blue burger.

2. There were sungolds at Laguna Farms! I bought two baskets. What a treat this late in the year, and they tasted amazing.

3. I had a nice time running to Graton and back with the chum on his bike. Something was wrong with my feet (?) and I was in a pretty high degree of pain the whole time, but it was fun anyway.

A really quite horrible day

1. I was able to go back to sleep when GG took the chum to school.

2. Listening to The Secret Garden while I worked and just crying and crying. Oh, sweet catharsis.

3. Listening to Evita and reliving high school glory days.

1. We moved the bird feeder to right outside the kitchen window and the birds are in love with it. They’re out there all the time and we can peep at them all morning. I know storm winds will knock it down since they blow that way, but it’s worth it.

2. Sitting in the warm patch of sun outside the smoothie shop, drinking smoothies, eating pizza bagels and chatting.

3. Looking at every Christmas book in the Santa Rosa library while the chum played on the computer, I found one I think may be a winner – Stan Lee’s Superhero Christmas. Fingers crossed.

1. The chum is so loving to the cats these days. This morning he was cuddling Belle in the chair and then had to go and get on his cat costume to cuddle her more appropriately.

2. Figuring out an appropriate activity the super annoyingly unfocused and high energy chum – a bike ride to the fruit stand and back. We’re both getting much better on the bike. And it burned off some of the energy.

3. The chum reading to me at bedtime. So gratifying.

Friday
1. Even though the cold had me in it’s clutches and I had a cavity at the dentist, I was in a really good mood. Must have been the day out. Or perhaps the pouring rain.

2. A really long nap. And the chum waking me up for dinner with whispers and gentle pats.

3. Watching the Project Runway season finale with GG and some popcorn. A lackluster season and we weren’t too thrilled with the winner (though well deserved and all). Oh well, back to New York in January.

Saturday
1. So much better today. Thank you elderberry tonic. And sleep. Lots of sleep. Cold number 2 defeated at the doorstep.

2. Started playing the first variation of Twinkle Twinkle and the chum and GG both started singing along. Poor souls.

3. I’ve started rereading Hellboy from the very beginning. My, that’s good stuff.

1. A fun day in San Francisco with GG. Not everything went according to plan (of course) but the tapas and sangria were delicious and it was neat to see Union Square mid-way through changing its clothes for Christmas.

2. The Avedon exhibit at the MOMA was really amazing. I’ve liked his work before but to see the original prints in their 3 foot tall format was really powerful. This Beckett was really striking. I was in tears by the end. It’s wonderful to be so moved by art.

3. Isabella Rossellini lecture. So interesting and smart and really, it’s nice to listen to someone who just seems to love life.

Tuesday
1. The clean bedroom after GG and I worked on it. Nice smelling.

2. The chum, all decked out in new superhero clothes ready for school. Very cute how much he cares about what he wears.

3. Curry for dinner. Such an easy dish to make, if GG does the dicing of the ginger and chilis. And so good. I honestly could not stop eating it.

Wednesday
1. Taking a break from cleaning the house to run – talk about a sense of achievement!

2. Making plans with my piano teacher for whatever the big test is in the Spring. I should probably find out what it’s called.

3. Snuggling up into all the clean winter sheets on a cold night. And finally the winter comforter too!