If you're happy and you know it...

The other night as we were chatting away like we often do, my friend S shared a blog post with me from another friend of hers. The post was a meme about happiness (and included knitting and reading, two awesome things). I’m going to borrow that idea and share a short list of things that make me happy.

• Time with the hubby. Since he’s an over the road truck driver, the hubby isn’t home every day. In fact, he is only home two days a week. Often I will be working one of those days. This makes for a sad Ama, as it means less time together. So, what time we do spend together makes me happy…even when we are annoying one another.
• Spike. I love my puppy boy. I will readily admit that I am more than a bit crazy about him. Yes. I talk about my dog a lot. He is my baby boy. While he snores loud and is often stinky, I love his bouncy little self.
• Books. For those who know me and who have viewed my other blog, this is a big DUH. I’ve always been a voracious reader. The BA in English Liberal Arts? That’s because I like to read. The career choice of librarian? It’s a book thing. Books have long been a source of entertainment, education and escape. One of my fears is actually losing my sight and not being able to read (Yeah. That’s a bit silly, I know).
• Music. Once upon a time I dreamed of being a singer. I couldn’t imagine life without music. I still can’t, though I no longer dream of singing on a big stage (well, not too often). Music can transport a listener to a different place and time…much like the written word can.
• Crafting. I collect crafts and supplies. Knitting. Scrapbooking. Stamping. Beading. I could possibly open a craft store with what I have. Maybe I should. I go through spurts of doing each craft, sometimes overlapping. It’s a creative outlet.
• Friends. Both the old and the new. While I enjoy my time alone, I equally enjoy being surrounded by good friends, talking about anything and everything. I’ve been blessed with some very caring people whom I am proud to call my friends. Some I have known for over twenty years. Some I just met recently. All are special and wonderful in their own way.
• Food. I love good food. Maybe a bit too much, but c’est la vie. There is something about a well prepared dish that can really enhance an experience. For instance, on my recent trip to Boston, my friend R and I ate at a Dim Sum restaurant. The experience was very cool in and of itself, but the fact that the food was delicious just made it even more memorable. I love food. I love eating it (obviously). I love making it, too. There is just something about preparing a dish and having it well received that is good for the soul. Ah. Food, glorious, food.
• West Virginia. I grew up in the Northern Panhandle of WV. It will always be my real home. Yet, every place I have visited in the state has felt like home. The very ground calls to my heart and I never want to leave. I dream of owning a plot of land on a mountaintop, overlooking the green valleys…listening to the rustling trees of the forests…breathing the fresh mountain air (ok…maybe a bit tainted with the pollution of the steel mills and coal mines, but that’s the good stuff, right?).
• My family. Yes, they often drive me crazy. That’s part of family, though. We are always there for one another. My sisters and I have grown closer as we’ve all become adults. I can’t imagine either one not being in my life. I only wish they lived closer.