1. Morning walks. Some of what was seen on this week’s morning walks: foxes, raccoons, beavers, herons, and a set of trash cans that are clearly a message for someone but in a very isolated parking lot that seems an odd place to leave it.

2. Making art, with and for people. Janice and I hung out on Zoom and I made a collage and did some painting. My small group fitness training class instructor had told me she’d had a dream that I showed up at her house with a beat up yellow hippie van covered in flowers and gifted it to her saying, “Thanks for the training.” So I painted her a tiny one, handed it to her before our next session and said, “Thanks for the training!”

3. Spring snow. We woke up to a surprising amount this morning. On Tuesday it snowed much of the day, but only about three or four inches and the ground was so warm it didn’t stick to the sidewalks or the road and the sun came out on Wednesday and melted it all. When I saw we were supposed to get more snow overnight, I expected more of the same but instead we got six inches. Things are really started to turn green because of the moisture, the sun and warmer daytime temperatures.

4. Reading and writing. It was a really good week for both.

5. My tiny family, tiny home, tiny life. I love it here. Ringo had a visit with his physical therapist and fourth favorite person this week, (yes, there’s a ranking: Eric, then me, then Teri, and then a tie between Chloe’ and Jeff). He doesn’t really need therapy anymore, is doing really well and back to running, but he loves seeing Teri so much and the work they do together is play to him, a working dog, so I make sure to take him once a month. It also helps me to know just how Ringo is doing physically, as Teri can tell me if anywhere is particularly tight or stiff and I can work on that with him at home. I usually let him go back on his own because with me there, he gets too distracted. However, this week I wanted to see the space where they work with different eyes because I’m going to start teaching yoga for their doctors and technicians and staff again and they are in a new building, so I went back for just a few minutes at the beginning to take a closer look. I noticed then, as I had when she came out to get him and then when we left, that even though he loves Teri so much, I can tell he loves me even more. For a dog I wouldn’t really call affectionate, that makes me really happy.

Bonus joy: sitting with Eric on the couch doing nothing, making each other laugh, watching Antiques Roadshow together, tax refunds, cooking together, the birds in my feeder, the way Ringo noticed the giant Northern Flicker in the feeder and stood up on my desk to bark at it, the way he’s been following me into my office in the mornings and napping on the floor behind me while I write (there’s a whole bed set up under the desk but he’s my only dog who won’t lay there if I’m sitting at the desk), two of my house plants in bloom, glue stick and paint, raspberries, Dot’s Honey Mustard Pretzel Sticks, that Eric was able to hit the brakes and swerve into an empty turn lane instead of getting smashed by a giant truck that pulled in front of him, walnuts, gingerbread, stickers and magnets, my bed, flannel sheets, down blankets and pillows and coats, when I’m in my office blogging while Eric and Ringo are napping on the couch to the sound of the XM Chill Hop station and washing machine, how bright it is at night or early in the morning when it snows, plans to get dinner at Chili House with Chelsey and Jon, other people’s dogs and kids, how much people like the pictures I take, reading in bed at night while Eric and Ringo sleep.

1. Another day. I hope there are many, many more, but each one that comes is particular and precious and will never come again in the exact same way. Each one a chance to start over, to begin and try again. Each sunrise proof of life and how lucky we are to have it.

2. Morning walks. Eric was away at a conference for a few days, so for a bit, I got to take all of the walks with Ringo. The moon was still out for the first few, before it started to fade again, hanging fat and bright in the sky. With the time change, it was darker to start but so quiet. One of the things I love about being out so early is it can feel like you have the whole world to yourself. It’s so quiet, except for the water moving in the river, the wind, and the animals, especially the owls.

We also saw a coyote. When I first saw it, I thought it was an off lead dog. It looked like a red heeler or german shepherd mix, but as we waited for it to go past us and its human to catch up, it turned and I realized it was alone and wild. It was headed the other way by the time I got my camera out, so the pictures aren’t great. Ringo was VERY excited about it.

The owls we saw one morning were too high up and it was too dark to get a very good picture, but I tried anyway. It’s one of the best things about going out when it’s still dark — the owls are out and calling to each other so it’s easier to locate them.

3. Spring is coming. There are robins everywhere and more bird song. It’s been cool but sunny, Ringo’s favorite weather for lounging in the backyard.

4. Being able to keep in touch, no matter how far apart we are. Sending pictures and emails and texts, doing video calls or Zoom hangouts, sending snail mail.

5. My tiny family, tiny home, tiny life. I’d rather have Eric home with us, but the bonus of having him gone is I get to be Ringo’s favorite. I scheduled my surgery for April 5th and Eric is already taking such good care of me, has been ever since I was in the hospital, and really for the last 30 years. Being loved like this is everything I ever wanted.

Bonus joy: getting a tax refund from both Federal and State and the accountant who makes that magic happen, spending St. Patrick’s Day sharing a meal and lots of laughs with friends, the pictures I took of Chloe’ and Hendrix with the horse, the pictures and videos Mikalina sends from Hawaii, Mikalina and Marshall’s smiles, the robins, lunch with Carrie who I hadn’t seen in SO long — too long, the kindness and skill of my surgeon, all the people who have shared their experience in places online so I can find them and make a decision for myself with confidence even knowing I have no idea how things will turn out, so many good books in so many forms, listening to podcasts, comedy shows, new music from one of my favorite groups and the way after I play the album Spotify keeps going playing things that are similar like my own personalized playlist, all the people who love me, training with Shelby and the gang, stretching, Squeezed Vitamin Water, a big glass of clean cold water, a warm shower, sitting in the sun, good TV, a soft tshirt, my flannel sheets, down pillows and blankets, other people’s dogs and kids, purple highlighters, a massage with Dana, raspberries, the way the top of Ringo’s head smells when he comes in from lying in the sun, reading in bed at night while Ringo and Eric sleep.