1. Laurie Wagner, my Wild Writing teacher and dear friend. Facebook told me that today is our six year anniversary of being friends on Facebook. The reason we became friends online is Rachel Cole told me about Laurie’s writing classes and I signed up for one. I’ve been writing with her on the regular ever since. A few years ago, too long now, I got to go visit her at 27 Powers three different times. Her home is magic, she’s magic, the practice we do together is magic.

2. Morning walks. I got to go this week. We saw a fox one morning, and the herd of white tailed deer another. The sky is so amazing, particularly in the winter.

3. Getting Sam in to see our favorite rehab vet, four days early. That’s the next step with Sam, doing physical therapy. We tried to get in to see our favorite person, but she was booked a month out, so we scheduled with someone else. Then yesterday, I got a call from her tech, who remembered us from when we took Dexter there, saying they could get us in this afternoon. Fingers and paws are crossed that this helps him feel better.

4. Dexter. Going to rehab with Sam reminds me of when Dexter was going. He hurt his knee the last year he was with us, but because he already had a fatal cancer, he wasn’t a candidate for surgery. In the end, he wouldn’t have needed it either way, got better with physical therapy. I miss him so much. He was so in love with Obi and so was I, and when we lost him, we turned that love on each other and it was a glorious four years.

5. Ringo. Let’s not forget him. Yesterday I took a sick day. I was so exhausted. He typically only wants to take about a half hour nap if he’s not in his crate, but he cuddled next to me for almost two hours yesterday.

The only dry spot in our yard right now

“Stop taking my picture, Mom.”

Bonus joy: chocolate chip oatmeal cookies the size of my face, meditating with a friend, yoga, Pilates, aqua aerobics, a tall glass of cold water, sweet potatoes, tangerines, bbq pizza, napping, clean sheets, reading in bed at night, sunshine (it’s gorgeous outside today).