Winning a prize in a raffle at a craft show
Spending the day with my best friend of 60 years
Accidentally going to a sports bar and not hating it
Fresh nail polish
Christmas shopping done!

- Grocery delivery
- Jim Beam Honey - honey liqueur infused with bourbon, surprisingly not too sweet
- penicillin - my tooth no longer hurts
- Brita filter - it's saving me a ton of money over bottled water, plus no plastic
- A present from my boy - fluffy warm foot booties
- Back rubs

1) a loving partner who makes me feel appreciated and adored.

2) a beautiful place to live.

3) supportive coworkers (we care about each other)

4) a warm place to call home.

5) plenty of food and clean drinking water.

1. Finally, over a devastating stomach flu that arrived on Christmas Day.
2. Grandchildren coming to spend the day with me tomorrow! What a joy they are!
3. My beautiful dog is mentally recovering from the crippling arthritis. She’s refused to go up and down steps, even though she physically can. The last few days, on and off she’s been doing that without even thinking about it. The look on her face when she realizes she’s back inside the house is adorable!
4. Making a will with an attorney today. My husband’s mother passed away over Christmas. Made us realize we don’t have that much time to put this off anymore. It’s good to take care of this stuff while we can.
5. Seed catalogs!

- a new year with possibilities
- Apple Jacks and a dog who likes to help me eat them
- a bath with good-smelling bath salts
- Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
- fun stuff coming in the mail

Yesterday's rain
Today's sunshine
Spring is on its way
Christmas is gone
Mama is still here to share another year

Our electricity is still on (windstorm)
My family is coming over tomorrow to celebrate my birthday!
BBQ potato chips as a late night snack
Really fuzzy lounge set on a very cold night
A new true crime book to enjoy!

Hooked on the rock band Journey ❤️❤️❤️❤️
 

1) doing what I love to do and the joy it brings to me.
2) knowing I can earn a good living and keep all my bills paid.
3) being a good neighbor to all my neighbors.
4) being willing to find better solutions to life’s unexpected situations.
5) cuddling up inside his open arms

1. My warm dry house when it's cold and rainy outside.
2. Three cute dogs waiting for me when I come out of my home office.
3. A home office, so I don't have to go anywhere to "go to work."
4. My work day is done.
5. It's date night, and I don't know what we're doing yet, but I know it'll be fun cause we're together.

Five for Michigan

1. Continued free school breakfast and lunch for all Michigan public school children in 2024-2025.
2. Free Community College available to all Michigan High School Grads. Students with higher financial needs can get an additional $1,000.
3. Michigan packaging and labeling of cannabis. It is the best I've seen and should be a model for other states. I think it keeps prices low and industry growers, distributers and packagers honest. No system is fool proof, but this is a good one.
4. Attorney General of Michigan, Dana Nessel, the first openly LGBTQ+ person elected to statewide office in The Mitten.
5. The remarkably resilient and good-natured people in Detroit.

1.a &b.: "Cruisin' by Smokey Robinson, and "I Wanna Get Next To You", Rose Royce, on my playlist. Mmmmm, yeah!

2. A new journal set-up that I decided to start tonight, not in January. That means journaling set to the aforementioned music. I'm much more likely to stick with it if I make it pleasant and meaningful.

3. Again with the music-Karen Carpenter's voice, silenced way too early.

4. Eating a reallly good piece of chocolate as if I was making love to it. I think a lot more of eating should be like that.

5. (Soon) A warm shower and to bed for a week of change.

Five or More Good Things
 

Still feeling up spending time with my brother.

Sitting with my firestove going on a night like last night.

Chatting with my buddy in a far away city.

Having a nice steak dinner.

Having a warm apt. a good van and money to buy what I need.

Great friends like my neighbours.

5 or more good things
 

1) that commissioners from the board of National Baseball League never let Pete Rose (famous sports figure from the Cincinnati Reds) ever be installed in the Baseball Hall of Fame. I’m glad they took a stand and denounced Rose’s willfull lying and illegal betting activities. You can’t be a hall of famer setting examples of lying and betting and get social approval for your bad actor ways.

1a). I’m no fan of Shohei. I used to be, but not after his interpreter betting scandal. We learned from the Pete Rose episode years ago. Goodbye Shohei.

2). The geese returned to the nearby fields. I love to hear them chit chat with each other. ❤️

3). It’s only four months until spring time returns. Looking forward to March 1st and the return of baseball season again. :hk20:

4). I stopped being a fan of fast food, a few years ago. Now that DJT got a Maga-T franchisee to let him stand in their store and reveal that franchisee’s political stance by ownership, McDonald’s will pretty much be on my shit-list permanently.

5). Kamala Harris celebrated her 60th birthday on this past Sunday. Happy Birthday Kamala! :birthday2:

Of all the places I have been, IMHO as a foodie, New Orleans is the city where most people embody this principle. I have always felt that their basic approach to food is that you should enjoy it; and if you're not enjoying it, why are you eating at all? I like the way you put it better.

* * *

My 5 good things:

1. Ben and Jerry's ice cream is on sale this week, half price.

2. Still feeling the waves and sea air and the Jimmy Buffett groove a week plus after vacation.

3. An out-of-town friend is coming to visit tomorrow, and she's bring me a haul from the farmer's market.

4. This voting season is almost over and I haven't had a breakdown or seriously considered moving to Canada yet this time.

5. My house is cleaner than it has been in a long time, thanks to an inspired boy.

I've only been to the Big Easy once, and that was for two days, but I had the exact same impression. Not just food-the whole place was one sensual experience after another. No accident that the wonderfully sexy jazz and blues started there.

My five things:

1. Speaking of said jazz, I've found several channels of soft, mellow, jazzy beats (there must be a word for this genre). Very MmmmMmmm!



2. I actually love the gift to myself of a cleaning day.

3. Tickets to the Van Gogh Experience-seems to be a huge immersive exhibit with his paintings set to music. A little costly, but my favorite artist and it sounded different! This will probably be on the list on Thursday.

4. I slept in and cuddled with Junie the cat

5. The wonderful chicken wings at my favorite Chinese restaurant. I'm going to find a recipe and see if I can do it myself (but there's nothing wrong with treating myself, either).

1: pumpkin carving w grand daughters!
2: homemade from scratch chocolate cake w chocolate icing
3: coffee in the pavilion in the mornings w the Moon doggie
4: a really nice leg shave and moisturizing after w oil
5: the soft snaps of a wood wick burning in a new candle

1. As I suspected, the Van Gogh experience. It was truly magical. It didn't shy away from his mental and physical challenges, nor his suicide, but the focus was on his art and how he saw the world. I think I cried.

2. I am now a Cross-Fitter. I'll just say that the thought of moving a few feet to bed on my worn-out leg muscles gives me palpitations. I love it.

3. I bought myself a Ninja Foodie, that seems to do everything but the dishes. I made chicken breasts with Rice-a-Roni at the same time, and while the chicken was a little overcooked, how can you beat dinner in 15 minutes?

4. I got a perfect lesson in my Russian app class. I see that class and Cross Fit as the same: just show up, put in time, and you'll get better.

5. Junie the cat, who comes over with "What are you doing? You're supposed to be petting me!"

Five things I’m grateful for today 🎁❤️🎁
 

1) For top leadership in corporate organizations who don’t kowtow to political figures.

2). For all the people who serve in our military and top military officials who won’t kowtow to political personalities who do not have America’s best interests at heart.

3). For people who care about others who don’t even have the freedom to move about safely in society because of direct or indirect hate from others.

4). For doctors and nurses who truly care about the health of those who need healthcare regardless of ability to afford healthcare and provide healthcare to those of us in life or death circumstances.

5). For social activists who give tirelessly of their time and energy to help educate American’s understand social and cultural issues that affect us all.

6). For the natural beauty we still have and for climate change activism to help create change in our everyday environments that deserve and need protection so we have clean soil, clean water and clean air. Becoming zero net carbon is how we change our planet’s dire situation.

7). For my family of chosen friends and for certain members of my own family who respect and love and care about me. I love and care about and respect you too. :stillheart: :stillheart: :stillheart: :stillheart:

- Good friends who last a lifetime
- Christmas tree ornaments, some of which I've had for a lifetime
- My sister, whom I've had for her lifetime
- My boy, who I hope to spend the rest of my lifetime with
- Pumpkin muffins, which will stay on my waist for a lifetime

*the amazing support and love I've felt from several close friends during my recovery.
*I met a friend on this site MANY years ago who has become one of my most cherished friends and chosen family.
*I've had zero nerve pain in my feet since surgery
*all the homemade meals my best friend has made during my recovery and all the care
*sunshine and hope

1) Access to clean water and clean sources of food

2) A safe place to live

3) Friends and chosen Family

4) Time to enjoy life’s many pleasures

5) being single and living a good life (free of conflict)

— 5 —
 

1). I’m not a Republican. I’m a democrat.

2). The ability to discern right from wrong.

3). I’m the type of person who would rather be surrounded by incoming immigrants. White Nationalism is a serious cancer in our country.

4). I’m the type of person who supports small town business, especially businesses owned by women. I don’t support Bezos (Amazon, Prime or Whole Foods or any business owned by Bezos). I also don’t support Musk (Tesla, etc), nor do I wittingly or unwittingly support any business owned by any Republican.

5). I like being around people who support Democracy. If there is even a scentilla or trail of a scent that spells “Republican” about any person, then please use the exit. You’re not welcome in my life.

1) my very beautiful granddaughter and the joy she brings to my life 🥰

2) time to fully rest from a really hectic stress filled day (or week). Rest is so important: laze around, no timeline to worry about, nourishing yourself with sleep and good food and lots of water.🤙

3) feeling cared for by family and friends and reciprocating that care back to your loved ones.❤️

4) making time to enjoy an activity you rarely get a chance to enjoy. ☺️

5) saving up for the next rainy day vacay (fall will be here soon: a drive to the coast for the beautiful fall colors among trees and to enjoy a meal at your favorite coastal destination). ☔️🦋😇

1.) A great dog who, although she is disturbed by fireworks, manages to remain calm.

2.) Three Little Birds by Bob Marley

3.) Air fryer treats

4.) A clean kitchen and bedroom

5.) Bromelain