1. Morning walks. One of the best reasons to have a dog is that they need to be walked and they need it even if you’d rather not, even if you’d rather stay in bed or on the couch. My sleepy morning self doesn’t always see the value of getting outside and moving around before the sun even comes up so I’m glad I have a dog who reminds me.

2. Practice. I’ve been writing a lot more lately, having challenged myself to 30 days of 1000 words a day and then joining Summer Brennan for her Essay Camp, which goes until November 5th but can be continued until the end of the month. I already write every day, and some days I’m also blogging or writing with my Friday morning wildish sangha, but this challenge is focused on writing “The Book.” I have 500+ pages already so the real trick is figuring out what goes in this book and what belongs somewhere else.

3. The Comedy Fort. For a really long time, Fort Collins didn’t have a good place to see comedy. Bigger comedians sometimes schedule a show at The Lincoln Center, but for those who can’t fill that large of a room, we had to go to Boulder or Denver. But now, The Comedy Fort is filling that gap. The tickets are reasonably priced and there isn’t a bad seat in the whole space and ordering drinks on your phone right from your seat is super easy and they absolutely will throw you out if you heckle the performers. Chloe’ and I saw one of our favorite comedians, Chris Fairbanks, last weekend and I laughed so hard my face hurt, and then I was home in under ten minutes and in bed by 10 pm. I know it might sound weird, and it probably is, but my two favorite content types are true crime (including stories about cults) and comedy. People who make me laugh are my favorite.

4. Books. Thank goodness my birthday and Christmas are coming up because there are a bunch of new books I want/need, like Lama Rod Owens’ latest release, The New Saints: From Broken Hearts to Spiritual Warriors. I’m currently reading The Covenant of Water and it’s so good! I really loved Cutting for Stone, so I’m not surprised his latest is good too. I haven’t been sleeping great so I was asking Eric advice and one thing he suggested is to not read in bed before I go to sleep anymore. I just laughed and said, “well, that’s never going to happen.”

5. My tiny family, small house, little life. It’s everything I ever wanted.

Bonus joy: we are going to finally bake the pie Shellie sent for dessert tonight and my mouth is watering just thinking about it, The Sun Magazine, dark chocolate, the banana bread Cynthia sent, listening to podcasts, chrysanthemums, our neighbors who have their Christmas trees up and their Halloween decorations still out, other people’s kids and dogs, multicolored highlighters, stickers (OMG, I just found out that Morgan Harper Nichols has stickers!), my weighted blanket, when there is warm water coming out of the side vents in the pool, sitting in the sauna with Eric, the hydromassage chair, HRT, down blankets and pillows and jackets, saving Rocky Mountain Bee Plant seeds, my infrared heating pad, a good pair of slippers, doing a few things that had been on my todo list for YEARS, puppy breath, tarot cards, getting books for my Kindle from the library and figuring out how to cheat the return date (if my Kindle is in airplane mode, I can keep reading the book as long as I want), reading in bed at night while Ringo and Eric sleep. 

1. Morning walks. Yesterday morning we enjoyed the last of the fall color. Today, probably all day, we are getting snow, which will cause the leaves that were left to turn brown and fall. Winter has its own beauty, but my heart belongs to fall.

2. Practice, alone and together.

3. Other people’s dogs, kids, and gardens. Today I met Tony, my friend’s new puppy. I’m glad I don’t have a puppy right now, but puppy medicine is welcome any time. And his stripes and his EARS! ❤

4. Snow day. It’s nothing like it was three years ago today when we got over a foot, or all the other years we’ve had a big snow the week of Halloween, but it’s just enough to make things quiet and soft. It’s the perfect weather for a nap, (which I’m going to do as soon as I finish this post).

5. My tiny family, small house, little life. So perfect, for me. In the few days before the cold weather came, I managed to repaint the front and sides of the house, the same green it was ten years ago that had faded to almost blue. One day when I was out painting, a flock of about 50 noisy sandhill cranes migrating south flew over our house. If I hadn’t been painting, I would have missed them. I didn’t finish but got myself half way there and can do the rest in the spring. I also got paint to do some touchups inside.

Bonus joy: good books, listening to podcasts, watching TV, zucchini bread, new stickers, hoodies, writing with my Wild-ish sangha, Mike Birbiglia tickets (he’s coming to Fort Collins!!!), texting with my brother and mom and Chloe’, meditating with Chelsey (sort of), all the love being sent my way, training with Shelby and the gang, new books, a mug of hot green tea, peanut butter, teriyaki sauce, cancelled plans, plans to see Chris Fairbanks tomorrow and laugh my face off, reading in bed at night while Eric and Ringo sleep.