Penny of Lavender Hill Studio received the Tree of Happiness award and she shared it with her readership. It requires that I list 6 things that makes me happy. "You have just received the tree of happiness. It is scarcely a small plant, which depends on you to grow firmly and strongly. Plant it on your heart, water it with smiles and kindness, feel the aroma of its flowers, savour the sweetness of its fruits and protection under its shade whom you love."

So here are six things (though I could list a ton more):

1. Free Time - I love when I have easy days without too much to do so that there is time for daydreaming, reading, visiting with friends and family or piddling at home.

2. Traveling - Planning trips is one of my greatest joys. I love studying about travel destinations and trying to create the most unique adventures. To me even layovers are exciting in that I can spend time people watching in airports.

3. Being Outside - Nothing beats sitting outside on patios, in cafes & bistros, swinging on a front porch, napping in a hammock or sitting on the deck under a starry sky.

4. Rainy Days at home

5. Old Quilts

6. French-pressed coffee in a handmade pottery mug

What about you? By reading this posting you have just received this award. Please take it with you and post 6 things that make you happy.

Just Couldn't Do It

Do you ever stop and think about the jobs you couldn't do? For instance I know that I couldn't be a doctor or nurse. During the winter as I drive past construction sites it reminds me how lucky I am to work in a warm office. I just don't think I would get much done if I spent the work day warming my hands at the fire barrel. Sometimes when I see creepy looking crawl spaces my thoughts are that I wouldn't want to be a home inspector and have to go under a house and crawl around in a dark as scary place. What about mining? Every time we see another collapsed mine story in the news I have to remind myself to breath. Somehow just thinking about such an accident just takes my breath. Today as I went out for lunch I noticed that the window washers working at the building across the street were taking a break. I hadn't ever really looked at their "office" up close but I decided to go over and see what their work space was like. Not only are the window washers dangling 50 stories in the air but they work in a tiny space. Sometimes I have been at my desk when these loud thumps hit my window and then you see the window washer using big suction cups to help keep him or her stationary. I wonder how much a window washer makes an hour? Even if they don't get paid well, I bet the day is entertaining. My guess is that on occasion they get to see some interesting things when they look in the windows! Putting aside my fear of heights, I still couldn't be a window washer. After lunch I walked back to my office, looked out the window and felt a new appreciation for my job, clean windows and my office space.

The Decorative Bandage

This morning I had to stop by the doctor's office and of course they wanted to do a little blood work. Afterwards the nurse kindly plastered me with a Garfield band-aid. I like Garfield just fine but have you ever stopped to wonder why they don't make decorative band-aids or a band-aid for adults that looks a little nicer than the standard taupe color? Through the years I have had to leave the doctor's office with band-aids such as Scooby or Hello Kitty but wouldn't you love to walk out wearing a Monet or a Renoir? Or have you ever thought about a lace trimmed or polka dot band-aid or even holiday band-aids? It seems that at one point band-aids came with stars and spots but I must have missed those year. I guess for now I will stick with the weird flesh-toned band-aid that just does the job. Somehow, though there is just not much fun in that.

Hard to Say Goodbye

I try to find joy in everything but I had to really ponder yesterday's situation to find the joy so that I could share this event. You see my oldest son leaves for Iraq next Saturday. We had carefully planned this past weekend around my son, meaning that he was in charge of plans. We ate at his favorite restaurants and eateries and we kept to his schedule doing our best to maximize our time together. The weekend was so much fun until we got to the goodbyes. Through the years during partings with my children, I have made it my practice to never cry as we say goodbye. I know that it is just as hard for my kids to say goodbye and I would never want them to carry my sadness while dealing with their own sadness. Instead I wait and cry in private. But yesterday as I hugged my son, I asked him to give me a big hug from his heart. As soon as the words came out of my mouth, I cried. He then got in his truck and drove back to South Carolina.

The rest of the evening seemed so heavy with sadness but today I got up grateful for all the good times we have had together this summer. We had a mini-vacation in June and a big family cookout in July. This weekend was the last of the celebrations and memory making.

So now I will turn my attention to preparing fun packages with goodies from home so that he will find some joy in every box.

Celebrating Yang Peiyi - A Beautiful Child

Have you been watching the Olympics? I am not really a sports fan (except for my high school football team) but I do enjoy watching the Olympics and cheering for "our team." I also get excited about the global participation in an event where, generally speaking, politics are put aside. People compete in so many arenas and then congratulate one another. Other countries win events and the world celebrates anthems from countries all over the world. I feel happy that we respect one another. But today I felt sad for one little girl. In today's news we learned that young 7-year-old Yang Peiyi sang "Ode to Motherland" beautifully on Friday during the opening ceremonies but another little girl was chosen to appear before the world. It was decided that Yang Peiyi was not adequate because the child appearing in the ceremonies should be "flawless" in the camera's eye. It makes you wonder who decided this but today I want to use my blog posting to celebrate this beautiful young singer. Maybe my bi-focal contacts need to be changed but to me this little girl is beautiful.