1. Morning walks. I only got to do one this week, but it was gorgeous.

2. Science and medicine. Y’all, this winter has been a rough one for me. First Ringo was at the emergency vet overnight and sick for a good two weeks, then I was in the hospital, and now, after a few days of symptoms, I finally tested positive for COVID. Eric is feeling better already after testing positive on Wednesday but still lighting up his test — his result line was deep pink three minutes in to the recommend 20 minute wait, darker than the control. Mine was faint after the full 20 minutes but certainly there.

Both of us had symptoms for 3-4 days before testing positive which makes me 97% certain the “not COVID” we had last winter actually was, we just assumed after testing negative the first 2-3 symptomatic days that it wasn’t. We are still masking up when in the same space, sleeping in separate rooms, even though at this point it probably doesn’t matter.

Thank goodness for vaccines, at home tests, masks, health insurance (even though it could be so much better), grocery and pet supplies and pharmacy delivery and no contact pickup, email access to doctors who don’t mind answering a bunch of questions and giving advice, lots of comfortable places to sleep in our house, Eric being well enough to walk the dog, a dog who is content to just hang out as long as he gets walked and fed, me cooking up a bunch of food the last day I felt up to it, friends checking in and offering help, knowing this won’t kill me, and Dr. Google (even though they can make things very confusing).

3. The internet and smartphones and streaming content. I don’t have the energy for much right now, so am just lounging around a lot. A lot of the time, I’m not really sleeping but I also am not up for watching TV or reading or anything I have to pay close attention to, so being able to listen to a podcast or a comedy, or scroll social media with a soft gaze, or text with people who love me, or Google remedies for a sore throat is so welcome. It also means that Eric can do all his meetings and work from home.

4. Baby Ringo Blue. January 16th nine years ago was his first day home with us. And here he is now, still. I’ll probably never get another dog exactly like him — born on purpose even if not specifically for or because of us, 127% Blue Heeler, so tenacious and independent (exactly what you want in a cattle dog but not the best fit for my temperament and skill)  — but I’m so grateful to have had him, to have given him a good life, to have loved him with all my heart just like the three before him. He was the right dog at the right time and I’m glad he’s still here with us still driving me crazy and making me laugh and letting me sneak in a cuddle very once in awhile.

5. My tiny family, tiny home, tiny life. All of it, exactly like this.