What gives you pleasure?

Now and again I like to reflect on the things that give me pleasure.

1. The first thing that comes to mind (not in order of importance) are my bunny pictures. Here they're sitting on top of my sketch/watercolor book. The book sits on a desk where I keep my watercolor stuff out. I love it all, the bunnies, the sketchbook, painting in watercolors.

2. I love my laptop. It's just exactly what I want. It was a Christmas gift and I got to choose exactly what I wanted. Although . . . the other day I saw a netbook and it was soooo cute I almost bought it on that basis.

3. Bookstores, big and small. I just feel at home surrounded by books. (I am surrounded by books at home too.) There usually is a book near my hand, some times many more books than I need by my hand. (There's also a book or two on my laptop.)

4. Flowers. The first holiday after I was told I had diabetes was Easter. I wondered how one celebrates Easter without the candy and other sweet stuff. The answer was flowers. I always have a big bouquet of flowers during Easter season. They don't work as well on Thanksgiving and Christmas, but I've learned. I decorate my tree with candy canes as usual. I used to let the kids give them to the friends from the tree. The big difference now is that I pack the candy canes away with the Christmas decorations each year. (They're real, but no one's going to eat them.)

5. Pets. I was always a cat person until I became allergic to them. Then, pet less, I decided to try a dog. Our Norwegian Elkhounds have turned out to be splendid pets. They're also not interested in chasing cats, though you can't convince the cats of it. The live bunnies now, they must think the dog is just a giant bunny.

6. Little things. If you look around the house, you'll see collections of little things, some so tiny you can hardly see what it is.

7. A day spent just bumping around, unfolding minute by minute. It's my good fortune that my husband also likes to do that, but lots of the time I just do it myself. There's a freedom about being on the road.

8. Friends who are low maintenance. I like friends who are my friends whether I saw them last week or not.

9. Blogging. I love blogging. I am so happy that my daughter got me started and there are sufficient places that I can blog to my heart's content.

10. Children. I love watch them, to talk to them, to see them discovering things. I have, however, lost my ability to be around them for hours. That doesn't mean I don't like them, but I think they draw my energy and I draw what should be their tiredness.

What are your favorite things? I'd love to hear about it.

Marilynne