1. Morning walks. This week, we saw a few heron and some raccoons, heard a few owls, and saw the two mama deer and their four babies. It is for sure fall here and that makes me so happy, except that it’s dark for most of our walk so I don’t get to take as many pictures.

2. Practice. Yesterday was the 10 year anniversary of my completed initial 200hr yoga teacher training. I can’t believe it’s been ten years already. I’m so grateful for the humans at Red Sage Vets that practice with me every week.

3. Good books. I mentioned something recently about The Galveston Diet book I was reading, that I was thinking of trying it. Blergh… I can’t believe after all this time, I get caught up in what a plan like this promises, that I don’t know better than to avoid any sort of restrictive way of eating (Eat more protein and fiber — I can do that! Never eat another slice of bread or any added sugar — I will eat ALL the donuts!), especially when it’s presented as, “this is not a diet, it’s a lifestyle!” Anything like this is clearly unhealthy for me (as a 45+ year bulimic), as well as unworkable and unsustainable. As a palate cleanser, I started reading The Wellness Trap this week, and I already feel so much better, so much more sane.

4. Good TV. I have a lot of subscriptions to streaming services, and there are a lot of shows and movies I’d like to watch, but I’ve found it hard lately to start and stay with anything. This weekend, I started watching The Perfect Couple on Netflix, and it is FUN, beautifully shot. It’s like a combination of The Affair and The White Lotus.

5. My tiny family, small house, little life. I am soaking it all up, as in a few weeks I’ll be heading back out to Oregon, exactly one year after the trip I made to care for and be with my dad when he died. As it’s been a year since my mom’s stroke and she hasn’t improved, sadly won’t ever be able to live independently again, I’m going to sit down with what is left of our family, her and my brother, and see if we can’t figure out a better long term plan. In the meantime, I’m getting all the hugs and cuddles and taking all the naps in my favorite place with my favorite beings.

Bonus joy: after an August break my writing group is going to start meeting again this week, the comfort of knowing that at least financially my mom doesn’t have to worry, texting with my aunts and Chloe’ and Chris, cooler temperatures, donuts, trying new recipes, the confidence to know I can follow a recipe, stickers, clean sheets, vaccines (even though after getting both my flu shot and covid booster yesterday, my arm is so tender), getting in the pool, the sauna, the hydromassage chair, training with Shelby and the gang, good neighbors, grocery shopping, peaches, finally with Eric’s help getting all the towels folded and put away, new handtowels and washcloths so I don’t have to worry about running out anymore, how on the weekend Eric and Ringo spend so much time lounging in the backyard, trees, a massage with Dana, the tiny two month old black labradoodle named Izzy I got to say “hello” to as I was leaving Dana’s studio — she was SO soft!, books from the library, being able to download books from the library on to my kindle, breakfast burritos, blue sky, cedar fences, paint, Rocky Mountain bee plants, turtles, the ocean, the produce section, buying myself flowers with the $20 off coupon I got from the pharmacy for getting vaccinated, knowing that my trip to Oregon brings people I love relief before I even get there, naps, reading in bed at night while Eric and Ringo sleep.