1. Morning walks. Saw my owl friend again this week, same spot just one tree over. Eric and Ringo saw an egret on one of their afternoon walks, something we don’t normally see here. We are in that weird time known as “false spring” where one day it can be in the low 80s and a week later there’s a chance of snow. There’s still another month at least before we can think about planting anything new, but things are starting to bud out and bloom.

2. Mom’s birthday! We didn’t expect a month ago that we’d be celebrating this WITH her, but here we are. She’s been getting lots of good wishes and gifts this week, is going to start thinking her birthday is every day if it keeps up. Everyone who has visited in the past few days has marveled at how well she’s doing. I wish I could be there with her today and I miss her, but all things considered, it’s a good day.

3. Dad’s birthday. Mom’s is today, and Dad’s is/was tomorrow. We had a complicated relationship, probably because we were too much alike. He wasn’t the happiest person and he could be such a jerk sometimes because of it, but I miss and love him and always will.

4. Ringo. Eric and I were talking today about how well he’s doing for being eleven years old, with arthritis and all sorts of allergies. Obi wasn’t with us long enough to get old, and even though we lost Dexter and Sam too soon, they at least seemed their age. With Ringo, it can be easy to forget he’s a “senior” dog. One thing I’m particularly grateful for is Dr. Foster and how much the changes we made to his diet and supplements has improved his quality of life. He hasn’t had a wonky belly in ten months and that feels like a miracle.

5. My tiny family, small house, little life. Content, happy, comfortable, safe, loved, peaceful — all the good things are here.

Bonus joy: good food, good TV (I just finished Dying for Sex and it was so good!), books from the library for my Kindle, listening to podcasts, finally finishing most of the laundry, lounging in the backyard with Eric and Ringo, texting with Chloe’ and making plans to see each other in person next week, Sunday morning Pilates, getting in the pool, sitting in the sauna, the hydromassage chair, my gym dad Frank, yoga at Red Sage — I adore those humans SO much, slow mornings, a warm shower, marionberry gummies, down blankets and pillows, a white noise machine, a sunrise alarm clock, my HappyLight, my weighted blanket, stained glass, bird feeders, daffodils and tulips, my Merlin Bird ID app which this week helped me identify and then see a pair of Cooper’s Hawks (“In many cultures, a hawk visit can have a spiritual meaning. Some believe it means you are being watched over, others say hawks are sent as a reminder that you are resilient, and are there to remind you that you can get through anything life throws at you”), rice, bread, a big glass of clean cold water, prescriptions and vaccines, other people’s kids and dogs, the way cats purr, streaming content, practicing with my Friday morning writing group, how many small ways there are to be kind, citrus, tacos, naps, my Shakti mat, wireless internet, grocery shopping, reading in bed at night while Eric and Ringo sleep.