Happy 101

Ever since Tricia tagged me for the Happy Award, I've been thinking about what makes me happy. It's been an excellent antidote for a mind that tends toward the negative. Thanks Tricia!

The only problem is, I couldn't decide which ten I wanted to include. But I do want to do a post on this so I am just going with the first ten things that come to my mind as I write this:

1. The return of my husband's quick wit and seven-year old cheeky grin, which have been in hiding for the past months, thanks to his nasty cancer and (nastier?) treatments.
2. My family enjoying a meal I prepare for them.
3. My children showing kindness and compassion unbidden, especially to each other.
4. Listening to someone talk about their passion: xeriscape in the Rocky Mountain region, chromaticism in Mozart (yes, Mozart, not Wagner or Liszt or any of the other late Romantic composers), types of ferns found in the rain forests of Malaysia.
   
5. My favorite restaurants bustling and keeping their staff, because that means they are treating their customers and staff well, and will stay around for a while.
   
6. Writers who write well getting the recognition they deserve, even when their books are quiet and not trendy.
7. Writers writing, preachers preaching, and bloggers blogging about something close to their hearts instead of being distant from their topics.
   
8. My children's sleeping faces
9. Their giggles.

Their songs and dances when they aren't aware anyone is around.



And, oh, the picture of this puppy:


Much happiness to you!

[A busy Tate Modern Restaurant by Kenudigit; goofy grin by Crazy Baby, happy puppy by B. Rosen. All pictures found on Flikr Creative Commons.]