Stuff I love

(This is partly inspired by the lists of "5 things" Kate sometimes posts).

This is just a random list of things right now that I can think of that make me happy and why.

1. Getting into bed at night, having it be quiet, my bedside lamp making a little puddle of light for me to read by. I love it because everything's peaceful and RIGHT, I'm doing something I love, and I can relax.

2. Driving out in the country, being all alone on the highway

3. Something I saw at lunch today: I was on another campus for a volunteer activity and as part of it we got free lunch in the cafeteria. As I was eating, I watched a young Black man get his food, start walking across the cafeteria. Suddenly, one white guy at a table with a mix of guys and girls (all white) yelled out "HEY! Toby! Over here! Come eat with us!". Toby walked over, smiled at the guy, said, "Hey, man, what's up?" and high fived the guy who called to him. Then one of the girls got up and hugged Toby. And he sat down and all the kids ate together, talking, friends.

That might not have happened fifty years ago - or it certainly would have been far less likely.

4. Doing laundry. It's a fairly easy task (I have a washer and dryer in my house - no laundromats for me!), it feels purposeful, the clean dry clothes coming out of the dryer smell good.

5. Pasta bars. Where you can walk up and ask the person cooking for "mushrooms, fresh tomatoes, Italian sausage, no onions please" and they'll cook up what you want for you.

6. Having a small quilt shop right in the downtown where I live - less than 5 minutes from me.

7. Getting a package of stuff I ordered in the mail. (Sock yarn, if you must know. Yes, I knit some of my own socks. I am aware of how absurd that sounds. Yes, I know you can buy socks at the wal-mart. But handknitted socks are really NICE and if you're a little careful with them they last several times as long as commercial socks. I have pairs that are five or six years old and are still in very good shape).

8. Hot chocolate. It's turned surprisingly chilly again here (in the 50s and dampish so the chill goes through you). In a minute I'm going to get up from here and fix dinner and I think I'm going to make some hot chocolate for dessert.

9. Grilled cheese. I don't eat it often because of the fat content (and because my stomach's not always happy with the butterfat in cheese), but when I'm able to have one they're always good. American cheese on plain white bread, butter both outsides of the bread, pop it in a frying pan, cook a couple minutes on each side - so simple but so comforting.

10. Being able to get into pajamas and put my feet up and relax. It's nice not to have to go running out somewhere tonight, especially with the chilly rain.