1. Morning walks. Because it’s been so cold and I went back to work this week, Eric’s been doing most of these for almost a full two weeks. I told him this morning how grateful I was that he’d been doing it, but that next week we need to get back on our normal schedule — I miss it.

2. Flowers in the bathroom. When we redid our bathroom a few years ago, it was so pretty all by itself that I didn’t actually decorate it. Two years later, there’s still nothing on the walls other than paint. I bought new bathmats and some towels, but the only other thing I do is keep flowers in there. It makes me happy.

3. Baby Ringo isn’t a baby anymore. He graduated to getting to have blankets in his crate when we aren’t home. He was so bad the first few years, putting everything in his mouth, eating and swallowing things that ARE NOT FOOD, that we didn’t want to risk leaving bedding in his crate with him when we weren’t there to watch him. We started leaving him with them last week, and he’s done totally fine, doesn’t even dig them up, just settles in for a nice nap. Good boy, Ringo.

4. Lineage. Three of my dogs have been rescues, and the next ones will be too. However, we got Ringo under special circumstances and he was born on purpose. Because of this, we know his parents. Peach, the dog top left, is his mom, and Spec, on the bottom left, is his dad. I’m so grateful to their human for cultivating a line of healthy, beautiful, smart, and even tempered dogs.

5. My tiny family. Besides Ringo, the rest of us are mutts.

6. I get to see these two love bugs. My niece had a baby just before Christmas, and my mom and I are hosting a baby shower for her in a few weeks. It’s in Oregon, but I’m going to fly out for a few days so I can be there. Can’t wait to meet the tiny new one!

Bonus joy: practice, deadlines — because once they come and go there’s nothing else you can do about it, Sam (because Ringo got all the attention in this post somehow) for being such a sweet dog, good books (I’m finishing up Jenifer Lewis’s book, The Mother of Black Hollywood: A Memoir), good TV, podcasts, Emergen-C, aqua aerobics, the sauna, my new heating pad, clean sheets, soft flannel pjs, snow tires, windshield wiper fluid, sleep, writing, Burrito Del Mar breakfast burritos.

1. Morning walks. Because Eric and I are both off work this week, all four of us got to go the other morning.

2. Living close to the water. In a perfect world, it would be the ocean, but having the river and a few reservoirs, lakes, and ponds near by is workable.

3. Holiday food. Stuffing, apple pie, cheddar cayenne biscuits, and apple cider. All the extra candy, cookies, and clementines aren’t bad either.

4. Christmas presents. I was obviously a very good girl this year, also very aware of my privilege.

5. My favorite Christmas pj pants. My aunt/godmother got me these Eddie Bauer pj pants for Christmas at least 10 years ago, probably longer. At the time, they were too big; now they fit just right. I’ve worn them to open presents every Christmas morning since, but they are reaching the end of their life. The hem and waistband are frayed, the fabric getting thinner.

6. My tiny family. So grateful that everyone is healthy and safe.

We tried to get a picture in front of the tree with the dogs before we opened presents, but the dogs weren’t having it.

Making an effort

We give up

Bonus joy: Writing and hanging out with Mikalina, aqua aerobics and the sauna every day this week, pay day, a clean car, good books (just finished White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide, am processing it a bit more before I publish a review), good TV (Eric and I just finished the first season of The Great British Baking Show), napping, vacation days, texting, baby pictures.