1. Morning walks. Eric has been able to go on most of ours with us while he’s on break. It’s been fun, but Ringo gets annoyed when we talk to each other too much as opposed to paying our full attention to him. Our Monday morning walk was VERY exciting for all of us because Ringo tracked a coyote in the same spot we’ve seen one a few other times and actually found it. It made him so happy. He wanted to go back every day since that and search some more, and from now on, forever, whenever we walk that same section of trail, he’ll be looking for it, even if we never see it again.

2. Snow. It was only one day and it didn’t amount to much, but at this point, I’ll take whatever we can get.

3. Practice. I finally got to do some yoga with my Red Sage humans after taking a few weeks off for the holidays. I missed them. We also had another amazing, magical writing group on Friday morning. I haven’t been meditating much recently, so I’d like to get back to that.

4. My Oregon Family. My mom had another stroke this past week. She’s doing okay, and has clearly declined. I’m leaving in a few days to go to Oregon for two weeks, mostly to clear out her house and get it ready to sell, but after this recent episode, I think it’s good that I’m going to see her too. She’s still getting such good care and company, seems to recognize everyone, loves to eat, hasn’t stopped smiling, and seemed happy to meet Hallie, her newest grandbaby.

5. My tiny family, small house, little life. Eric let me have an extra week with the Christmas tree but tonight is the last day, so I’m trying to enjoy it as much as I can. I’m already missing the two weeks I’ll be away from here and them, and ready to come back home to them. Hopefully this will be one of the last times I have to be away for this long.

Bonus joy: dinner with Chelsey and Jon (who are moving to New Mexico, *sob*), plans to see Chloe’, the flowers Eric got me, texting with Chris, sunshine, other people’s kids and dogs, comedy, making each other laugh, poetry, libraries, movies, watching TV, scratch paper, stickers, pens with refillable ink, towels warm out of the dryer, clean sheets, a warm shower, down pillows and blankets, getting in the pool, sitting in the sauna with Eric, Flax4Life chocolate muffins, a hot cup of coffee and a warm mug of tea, finishing the laundry, spending a whole afternoon writing, listening to music and podcasts, chicken pot pie stew/soup, onion buns, pickled onions, a big glass of cold clean water, crying, naps, reading in bed at night while Eric and Ringo sleep.