Well, I'm bored. Let's have a thread so that we can share with each other what makes us happy.

I complain too much. I think most of us do. It's very habit-forming. I think we often forget the little things in life that are good. Life is good. It's damned good.
I'll start. Feel free to jump in. Or not.

What Makes Ellis Happy and Grateful

-----------------------------------------------
- reading
- getting up early before everyone else and having a quiet coffee time
- sleeping with my lovely children. They look and smell divine when they're sleeping
- cooking dinner and having it turn out right
- running for 15 minutes on the treadmill
- kissing my sweet six year old's soft little lips
- getting up in the morning and finding that someone else has filled the water jug
- when my DH takes the kids to swim at the gym so that I can have some quiet time
- the smell of a new bag of fresh, black, oily coffee beans
- my feet. I like looking at my feet. They hurt most of the time, but I like how they look
- my wonderful fat forum friends
- a foot massage from my DH
- the way the sun shines through the blue glass in my kitchen window first thing in the morning
- my coffee table.... a trunk on wheels. I love it... it goes where I want it to go (usually under my feet)
- a photo of my thirteen year-old with stars in her eyes
- my mom's warm jam tarts
- coming home and finding that no one has left a damned message on my answering machine
- thunderstorms
- eating dinner on the verandah in the summer with my DH
- and then having a "summer" beer on the verandah with my DH
- having wonderful conversation with my DH on the verandah
- a spontaneous hug from my undemonstrative dad
- my bedroom makes me very happy. It's up in the attic, and in the summer it's like being in a treehouse
- my sister... the apple of my eye. I love her so much I could cry just thinking about her

- okay.... I'll add more as I think of them... there's no need to complain when I've got so much GOOD in my life!

hugs everyone...



"Most folks are about as happy as they
make up their minds to be."
Abraham Lincoln

Great idea Ellis!


What makes Mauvaisroux happy and grateful

-Kisses! Ones from my DH when we wake up in the morning, when we kiss goodbye before leaving for work, hello kisses when we get home from work, and goodnight kisses when he tucks me in a night

-friends that are always there for you
-laughing until your ribs hurt
-the smell of pumpkin pie baking
-hot chocolate
-the warm fuzzy hedgehog slippers DH bought me for Christmas one year
-curling up with a book and a pot of tea on a rainy day
-Godiva Creme Brule dessert chocolates
-rollercoasters
-bubblebaths
-having loving parents
-my Alternachickie friends
-my Mum's home cooking
-the smell of fresh basil
-cooking
-the picture of me in costume at my first public bellydance performance, it makes me think "Wow!~I really did it!"
-the view of Parliament Hill and the Canal as I walk to work in the morning-it looks like a postcard shot
-bite of cool air on a crisp and sunny fall day
-my adorable cat who greets me at the front door every night when I come home from work
-being able to try new foods from different countries and exploring a bit of their cultures
-getting good news in the mail and not just bills
-cold beer on a hot summer day
-being able to talk to my hubby about anything under the sun
-my cozy furry leopard print bedspread
-a tidy house

That's it for now

What Makes Ellis Happy and Grateful (continued)

- reading Mauvais' list of happies and gratefuls ... how lovely they are
- my favorite author, Timothy Findley
- my favorite neighbor, Eliza. Who likes being alone as much as I do
- all my books... my lovely, lovely books...
- the sound of the wind in the trees
- the smell of fresh laundry from the line
- my hair, including the white one I found this morning
- Ottawa. I don't care what they say. I love it.

Ellis
This is by far the best thread on the forum. I am gettting ready for work now, but when I come home, I will quietly sit an thinnk of all the things that bring joy to my life and write them down. Thank you for this thread, I just know it will make me reflect all day on the good instead of the bad.

Love and hugs to you all
Virginia
(Sentimental mood this morning, but happy!)

ooh, great idea, ellis!! I was going to write down just 5 things I'm grateful for (as per FlyLady's command) but I may just go on and on...ditto to so many of the the things you and Mauvais have already said...but let's see...

What Makes Katrina Happy and Grateful??

*My husband...20+ years together...I love his wit, and his wicked, sometimes sick, sense of humor...
*My daughter...so sweet and honest, bright and talented and so pretty...she has been my joy for almost 17 years now...I am still in awe that she comes from me...(well, maybe I had a little help!)
*My son...my "baby." Born with a number of heart defects which required surgery before he was two. He is absolutely fine now...but I remember how scared I was and I thank God every day for his good health and his big blue eyes and his unabashed love for us.
*Fall...the colors are dazzling, I can't see enough!
*sunsets
*a cold, dark, starry night...finding Orion and the dippers...
*the smells of fresh coffee. apple pie baking, dinner cooking
*my down comforter on a chilly night
*sleigh riding
*a week at the Jersey Shore
*show tunes
*my kitchen
*a good book...and time to read it
*giving gifts that I have made...
*decorating for Christmas with "Charlie Brown's Christmas" on in the background...CD or movie.
*the flowers in my garden
*the smell of fresh cut grass
*my wind chimes
*hiking in the woods, with the dog off her leash, romping and frolicking
*dining al fresco
*Manhattan...I love seeing a "pre 9/11" shot of the NY skyline in a movie or TV show...
*San Francisco...and Tony Bennet singing about it

so many more...to be continued...

One smartass thankful before the real ones - I am very thankful that you only have to file W2s once a year!

Ok now for the real ones:

~my boy and all the aspects of our friendship (now more then ever)
~my friends from college who are now spread out all over the US and I miss dearly
~you chickies!
~my flannel sheets
~a warm cup of tea or coffee in the morning
~a massage from my boy (even if it hurts at first)
~living alone (at least thankful some of the time)
~ice cream cake
~cheesecake
~PB&J
~mashed potatoes & stuffing
~a good book on a Saturday afternoon
~a good movie
~laughter
~the people at work that make going there fun
~my family
~my rolly polly little nephew
~my favorie stuffed animal
~my ceramics class - for something to do and the crazy girls in the class
~currling up on the couch to watch a movie with the boy's arm around me
~The Beatles

I will probably post more later. I need to eat since I havn't even eaten lunch, and it is almost too late for dinner.

~Aside from my IBS, I'm relatively healthy.
~My daughter is 15. We haven't killed each other yet.
~I trust my husband. Completely.
~I am owned by two wonderous felines and am honored to share my life with them.
~Sharing my pillow with my Salem cat and having him purr in my ear all night.
~Lizards. They're just amazing creatures.
~I make enough money to pay all my bills. On time.
~I AM CANADIAN. I wouldn't want to live in any other country.
~My grandmother is proud of me.
~to have known the man that would save my life, even if we don't talk anymore
~Rain
~the smell of coffee...can't drink it, I just inhale
~waking up before the rest of the family early in the morning and having tea by myself
~I like doing laundry. Strange, I know...but it's comforting somehow
~bedsheets dried outside on the clothesline. I miss that.
~my best friend since grade 8
~the internet. Without it I wouldn't have met my husband, or all of you, or my other cyberpals
~letters (real snail mail!)
~birds of prey...you know, hawks, raptors....I'm in awe of them
~the sound of the waves on the shore and walking on the beach
~fresh flowers
~the soft light that bathes my living room in the afternoon
~the colors of the evening sky
~all the little wonders of nature
~music, music, music

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens.....

What Makes Ellis Happy and Grateful (continued)

- reading more happy notes from my darling friends ... thank you all for sharing
- hearing the furnace kick on when I'm afraid it's broken down
- being able to go the gym 3 times a week with my 77 year old mom
- the gurgling sound of the last of the coffee filtering into the pot
- the sound of my tiny, inaccurate old brass clock with the loud tick
- buying a fresh calendar for the New Year
- seeing my neighbour's cat huddled on my fire escape outside my kitchen window while I make my early morning coffee
- watch my own hands becoming my mother's
- my six year who is always offering to pour his mommy "a refreshing cup of water"

Having a bit of a rough time but.... from tonight......
Standing on my deck looking at the stars and th 3/4 moon waiting for my Hershey and Lucy to poop and then come back to me.
A wee thing but mine own.
I do have more - just not close at finger.
'Night, Sweeties!

Ruth darling, I'm so sorry you're feeling crappy. Love and hugs....
xoxo ellis

What Makes Ellis Happy and Grateful (continued)


Having the psychologist tell us that our DD doesn't need to see her anymore. That she has her life all together, and that she's going to be alright.

Yay! for your DD Ellis! That is great news!

Thank you, Mauvais.

Yeah, Ellis and her DD! Hugs to you all!
((((((Ellis and the Divine Miss M))))))

Woo hoo!!!

Congrats to Ellis and DD!