The little things

kfedouloff wrote:Recently I have loved Monica Ali's "Brick Lane", and Manda Scott's "Dreaming the Eagle" (about Boudicca).

Is that a Celtic spelling for Boadicea? What an amazing story hers is!

My list (finishing deodorant? raking your bed??):

* watching the cats or the Golden retriever do something goofy
* a good cup of cappucino
* cooking something for my kids that they actually like
* watching them grow up
* having my 21 year old son actually ASK me to sit down so he can talk about something he just read in the newspaper - after living through about 4 years of nothing but grunts
* a cool sunny spring day when I can hear the birds outside after a bitter winter
* listening to Beethoven or Sibelius when I'm in that mood - Led Zep or Metallica or Neil Young or Alison Krauss, etc., when I'm in those moods
* having a client say, "I don't think I need to come back right away - I think I'm ready to try it on my own for a while"

Parmesan!

I notice that alot of us like to be the first to use or open something.
I love to open a new can of coffee and smell the fresh aroma......
I love to open a new can of peanut butter and scoop some first........

Nice one Hope38 - and a big welcome to UncommonForum!

One word. Chocolate!

Steve

Suddenly remembering someone's name you'd forgotton or where you'd put something! And finding your misplaced wallet! Such pleasure!!

Finding money (even 5p) on the pavement has to be up there as an all time favourite

Jo.M

I love taking out the rubbish the night before collection day (i feel sadly cleansed!! lol)
Spooning off the foam (with 1.2" of chocolate) from a capuccino.
Opening my private email addy and seeing that there's a new one there.
Cleaning my sons ears with a cotton bud and getting loads of gunge out !!! (Eeeeek. I can't believe i admitted to that one!!!)
Crawling into bed on a windy night with the window slightly open and a big thick duvet to snuggle underneath.
Good hair days.
The -smell- of my son.... (he smells like love).

My odd, simple pleasures:
1. Crushing aluminum cans.
2. Reaching an even numbered chapter in a book.
3. Opening the refrigerator door. (I have no IDEA why.)

A wee list of some of the things that make me happy
Thinking about the things that make me happy
Going to bed knowing that the next day there is nothing in my diary.
Walking in the hills
Seeing a horses ears up when they are enjoying the ride as much as me.
Fab food and wine and pals to share them with
People who smile at me
Catching the scent of flowers
Lime and coconut soap from Lush
Clean fresh cotton sheets
A full fridge
Sunsets .........and a good natter

Mark and I were chatting about how it is a great human asset to be able to appreciate, anything from a small kindness or happy moment to insights that people might share with you.

Without appreciation we can often appear if we have nothing to learn or be greatful for, internally we block out the small joys that give our lives meaning and enable us to connect with the world around us.

Jill

In no particular order:

Having a fireplace in the garden or in nature.
Defraggin my Hd.
Overdressing.
Ending a long ride on my bicycle by going through the center of town.
Paying any debts.

edit: And off course reading something new and interesting which fits my beliefs.

I have this small spiral notebook that I write a bunch of random, simple things that make me happy in. It's pretty cool because when you only write the good things down, you start thinking about more things that make you happy, and before you know it everything seems good. Anyway, some things that make me happy are:

1. Lemonade. (Ahh, so good.)
2. Reading old diary entries and laughing at myself.
3. Closing hard back books.
4. Running around barefoot on the newly cut grass
5. Getting free toothpicks and mints from resturants.
6. Pressing buttons on a calculator.
7. Listening to the radio in the car.
8. Black and white pictures.
9. Scribbling.
10. Picking dried glue off my hands.

Ever since I first read this thread, I've found it extremely hard to come up with anything, but finally, I have a few things.

One, tidying up my room, getting rid of things that have been at the back of my mind.

Tea, but more importantly, making it, it allows me to do something different from whatever I'm taking a break from (even if what I'm currently doing is enjoyable), its not just that, when I make tea, there are absolutely no thoughts in my head, it feels cleansing.

Brushing my teeth, shaving and then showering. The showering after the shaving feels nice.