1. Morning walks. Right now we are having all the weather — warm and dry, cold and wet, snow, and even fog. Spring in Colorado can be pretty chaotic when it comes to weather. This week, we saw a heard of white tailed deer and a fox. When Ringo saw the fox, he does what he does sometimes in that situation and stood up on his hind legs and growled like a baby bear.

2. Friday + Pay Day + Bonus Pay. All three at once is a pretty good deal.

3. Care package from one of my favorite cousins. If I wasn’t already feeling better, this would have perked me right up. And the fact that she got the brownies with walnuts in them proves how just smart she is. (Because I know you are wondering, Mom — it was Alyssa).

4. Ringo and Sam. Sam had a bit of a setback this week, is in some pain and limping more. We either pushed him too far in his physical therapy or he slipped or something. Hopefully we caught it and are caring for it in a way that it doesn’t set him back too much. He has the very best doctor and techs and two humans who love him like crazy, so I’m not worried, (well, sometimes I’m worried, but I know I shouldn’t be). Ringo has been mostly really good while Sam is resting, and when he’s not good he’s so cute that we end up forgiving him for it.

Ringo found this tiny giraffe on our walk the other day and carried it half a block, but I made him leave it because it was too small, a choking hazard. He was out with Eric the next day, found it and carried it the whole way home. Yesterday he found a tennis ball at Little Dog Park and carried it all the way home. Our front porch sometimes looks like the island of misfit toys.

5. Flowers. Some in the bathroom, others in the kitchen, and even a few in my flowerbed. Daffodil season makes me especially happy.

Bonus joy: getting back to Pilates, a warm shower, clean sheets, taking myself out to lunch, getting most of my work done, laughing with Eric, worrying with Eric, Sam getting just a little bit better even though he was worse, being able to do something for Sam even if I can’t completely fix him, practicing patience and surrender, cuddling with Ringo, cleaning up the house, getting the laundry done, good TV, a good book, staying up in bed at night reading, getting a good night’s sleep, my “new” car, our “new” fence, our “new” bathroom, Wild Writing, texting with people I love but don’t get to see every day (or even every year), baby donkeys.

1. My bed. After being gone over the weekend, it felt so good to sleep here again.

2. Flowers in the bathroom. It’s especially nice when they last a long time.

3. Food I can only get in Oregon. My aunt sent me two jars of marionberry jam for Christmas, and when I was in Oregon my cousin gave me four more, to which another aunt added a jar of gooseberry jam. I smuggled them all home in my suitcase, and they all got here safely. My mom also made a pineapple upside down cake while I was there and I had lunch at Burgerville in the airport before flying home. YUM.

4. Practice. Yoga, writing, meditation, and dog, all on the regular, saving my life every day.

5. My tiny family. I was only gone barely four days, but I missed them. They are my favorites, my normal.

Sam’s new bed is so big it almost makes him look tiny.

Bonus joy: aqua aerobics, Wild Writing, clean sheets, snow, morning walks, watching The Great British Baking Show with Eric (we watched all four seasons — what are we going to watch now? *sob*), two flights on which the planes didn’t fall out of the sky, good friends who will “go all mom on you” when you really need it.