1. Morning walks. I’ve gone on a few of these this week, and yesterday I went on my first full one. My foot is on the mend and I’m getting my strength back, so I can do this now. The morning walk is so much different than the afternoon one — quiet, you don’t see too many people (if any) but you see lots of animals (yesterday, we saw a huge owl), and for most of the year you get to see the sun rise. I hadn’t even realized how much I missed it.

2. Meals with friends, which include great conversation. I know some really amazing women, and am so lucky to get to spend time with them.

3. Signs of spring. I saw snowdrops the other morning, and there are crocuses all over.

4. Grocery shopping. I know that probably makes me weird, since so many people seem to hate it. I just love going to the store, picking out what I want to eat, ingredients for what I’m going to cook, all the choices and the means to buy the good stuff.

5. Little dog park. It reminds me of going with Obi and Dexter, how much Dexter loved it and how Obi only wanted to make one lap around and then leave — exactly the way Ringo and Sam feel about the dog park. What I might love most is when we go early in the morning, we are the only ones there, have it all to ourselves.

Bonus joy: my new car — that Eric is going to wash it for me in exchange for getting to drive it to work today, our new bathroom (yes, still!), clean water, yoga, my physical therapist, sweet potatoes and butternut squash, almonds covered in dark chocolate with coconut oil, the cute way Ringo talks and howls, how hard that makes us laugh, Wild Writing, fresh flowers in the bathroom, a warm shower, knowing that what you teach and write matters to at least a few people, getting excited about our trip to the beach this summer, a friend who will live in our house and take care of our garden while we are gone, the way the dogs play together in the backyard every morning after their walk, emails from my mom, texts from my brother, clementines.

1. Spring. Yes, we could still get snow, even a lot of it, but it’s here.

2. Clean water. Because of Flint, but because this is always something that I feel such gratitude for, knowing it could easily be otherwise, and a cold glass of water and a hot shower are two of the best things ever.

3. Roasted sweet potatoes covered in yummy spices making my house smell so good.

4. Eric taking the dogs hiking at Lory. They have been going a lot lately, and the next best thing to getting to go with them is if they get to go.

5. The way Ringo and Sam play together. For a long time I didn’t know if they’d ever learn to do this, to enjoy it, and it makes me stupid happy to see it. (It’s pretty hard to get a good picture of since they are usually a big blur when it’s happening).

Bonus joy: new music to add to my SoundCloud playlist, You Made it Weird podcast, being my own trainer at the gym, Wild Writing class, making plans to see friends, the perfect poem prompt, getting the rest I need, clean sheets, my new bathroom (will this ever go away?), my new car, the lingering smell of incense, being able to say “no” and not feel guilty, giving away chocolate, yoga, stretching my muscles, getting a massage, my doctor (she’s so good), physical therapy, xrays that prove I’m not exaggerating the chronic pain, good news.