practice 'Happiness Manifesto' periodically

• tea
• learning my way around Tesco, stocking up on and cooking some basics, and eating in 3 meals today
• having my own UK internet dongle, bank accounts, and mobile phone
• a nice weekend in the country with A’s family (even if we ate too much)
• starting to get my head around being a freelancer writer again

• making it across the pond without major incident
• remembering that I had left my passport on the scanner before shipping off the later in a box
• my big, ugly suitcase’s final journey
• gradually figuring out and hooking up with technology: mobile phones, internet dongles
• sunnier weather in London than in the unfortunate soggy north of the country

I am grateful for:

1. Rocco, the fawn-colored French bulldog puppy, who is the bouncy four-month-old suitor of my 10-year-old dog.

2. Having money and time to see “in the next room, or the vibrator play…”

3. Having money and time to buy plays and read them.

4. This odd spring/fall weather.

5. Meeting a woman who just moved to my town who has a tough (but trainable) adult rescue dog. I hoped I gave her good advice: don’t quit, take it slow, and be patient.

• Dad’s visit, very comforting
• sun! Indian summer! and a few leaves still on the trees, especially the lovely gingkos
• basically well-behaved and friendly pooches, not too tricky to look after
• getting to see a number of friends before I take off
• clearing the last few pieces of Stuff

I am grateful for:

- A day off in the middle of the week! Being a gov worker has its perks :)
- The nice date I went on last night. It’s so refreshing to meet somebody sane and intelligent, who can carry a conversation, and who has oodles of life experience, education and maturity, to boot!
- All things unconventional
- A guilt free existence
- delicious (and mysterious) Chinatown finds
- FINALLY finding Thai tea!!! I’ve been looking for this everywhere since a friend introduced me to it in France this summer, and in a stroke of luck, a good friend was out shopping and found a huge bag for me. It tastes just as I remember!
- my self confidence
- finding the rare funky art event in Ottawa. Tonight: Timeraiser

• Mahler symphonies on the radio, all month; Ivan Fischer w/ #2 (Resurrection), right now
• effort and the passage of time, bringing me closer to the next stage – page almost turned!
• good sleeping conditions, and spending time in a lovely house in a very pretty neighborhood
• the comfort of cash. Now, what to do with it?
• forcing myself to get out and find something good to eat

I am grateful for:

- Living the life I want to live
- Being single, and FREE, and able to do what I want
- Having supportive friends and family
- The thrill of doing something secret and unconventional…
- Discovering new things about myself
- My awesome, amazing yoga course: I love being immersed in yoga the way I have been (and will continue to be for the next 6 months!)
- My boring, uncreative, paper-pushing government job. For all my complaining, it is a job, and a good one, and it provides me with a regular paycheque, which is a lot more than some people have.

-the sunshine and gorgeous fall weather we’ve had the past few days
-raking leaves, getting exercise at the same time, and breathing in fresh autumn air
-my new art-minded friends in the neighbourhood, who make me feel happier in suburbia and make me realize not all suburbanites only care about what new curtains will match their sofa
-G’s smart mind and hot body…what an enticing combination! wicked grin
-good novels to gobble up
-the luscious time I’ve had off until my next contract begins at the end of the month
-a cool new screen divider (made in India) I bought at half price to close off the view of my messy studio from the living room

• continued lovely fall weather
• continued progress on dealing with Stuff (the physical kind, of which I have accumulated so much over the years)
• lots of dinner plans with friends
• the ready availability of contractors to fix all the stupid things that need to be fixed before next Friday – and most of them are not idiots
• having a few choices of where to crash once my place is cleared out
• the extra week to get ready for closing

• my realtor understanding that the meek young woman who’s buying my apartment is really a tyrant, cheapskate, and PIA
• getting all the repairs under control
• having a cute car, in great shape and with low miles, that people might actually want to buy!
• my dad’s plan to come and see me off
• an invitation from a friend to go out for brownie sundaes… for lunch!