1. Morning walks. Seeing the sun rise, being out before most people are even awake, spending the time with Ringo, the magic of the river.

2. More snow!!! I have been snow starved this winter, so was so happy when it started to snow last night. We are predicted to have super cold temperatures the next few days as well, so it will stick around for a bit.

3. Eric. This morning while I was folding laundry, I noticed a thick red smear on the waistband of a pair of his underwear. I laughed, because rather than evidence of bad behavior, like a smear of lipstick or the smell of someone else’s perfume, it was a mark left from one of his fancy art pencils that he sometimes uses to make love notes for me — he leaves them in the cabinet where I keep my tea that I drink every morning while I write, a new one every morning.

4. Practice. “Our” puppy was at my Red Sage practice this week — he’s getting so grown up already. It was one of those days where I sort of had something planned but was still surprised by what came up and it felt really good to my body. We continue to have lower numbers in my Friday morning writing group because “life” but every week, there’s still someone there to write with, and being able to practice with people you trust so much, know so well is very special, sacred even.

5. My tiny family, small house, little life. Eric and I went to see Marc Maron last night. We get season tickets to our local theater every year, the package where you pick five shows, and usually there’s at least one comedy show I want to see and even if Eric doesn’t really know who they are, he’s more than happy to go with me. Laughing with him is one of my favorite things.

Probably because it’s so cold more than anything but it seems as Ringo gets older, he gets more affectionate, and you KNOW that makes me happy.

Bonus joy: running into friends unexpectedly, hugging friends (remember COVID when we couldn’t do that? it was awful…), twinkle lights, other people’s dogs and kids and holiday lights and gardens, being kind as the ultimate revenge against someone who is a jerk, reading and writing in the morning with my HappyLight and a mug of warm tea, soft bread, crunchy lettuce, sweet and savory, citrus, warm toast, the hydromassage chair, the pool, the sauna, training with Shelby and the gang — especially Bryan now that he’s back from vacation (I reminded him again that he’s the glue and we fall apart when he’s gone), my Shakti mat, a massage which comes with the added bonus of getting to “hang out” with Dana, libraries and librarians, poets and poetry, comedy and comedians, true crime, a big glass of clean cold water, the way Eric talks to Ringo when he thinks no one is listening (there was just a short conversation in the kitchen about pooping that was hilarious), videos of baby Ringo (he was a maniac!), dreams, listening to podcasts, nuts, how chubby our squirrels are most likely because of our compost pile, snow tires, an unscratched lottery ticket (No, Eric — I STILL haven’t scratched it), stickers, having a washer and dryer in my house that I can use any time I want and I don’t have to save my quarters for it or worry that someone will take my stuff out before it’s done or there won’t be any available machines, texting with my brother and niece and Chloe’, sharing reels with Shellie and Kari, lunch with Eric at Mount Everest Café, mood lighting, that particular color of blue, an accidental calendar that turned out to be perfect, how Eric shovels the neighbor’s sidewalk just because, the softest merino wool, down blankets and pillows and coats, that my dog walking coat matches Ringo’s coat which isn’t on purpose but looks like it is, The Lincoln Center and especially how close it is to our house, being able to easily pick Carrie out of a crowd because of her gorgeous gray curly long hair, watching videos, reading in bed at night while Eric and Ringo sleep.