A big JOY list

It's Sunday morning. I'm wishing that we could turn back the clock and make it Saturday morning again. I'm multi-tasking over at this end: sipping coffee, cleaning the house, web surfing and organizing art supplies. Last night, Kendall had a friend spend the night. I notice at certain points in time, when my daughter is on her home turf, she gets irritated and bitchy with her friends. I suppose this is normal but it makes me want to get 1 inch from her face and scream, "Do you know how blessed you are to have friends? To have parties to attend and friends that call?!!". All of this gets me thinking about blessings and gratitude and how important it is to stop throughout the day and remind yourself how good life is.

I've decided that this is the perfect summer to revisit some of my old books. We've got a bookcase in our Dining Room that houses about 1/3 of my books; the rest are in boxes in storage. What's the use in having books if you don't pick them up every now and then and actually browse them? Today's pick: The Joy Diet by Martha Beck. Here's an exercise from her book:

Finish each statement by listing 5 things that give you sensory pleasure:

I love the taste of:
1. vanilla
2. buttercream frosting
3. creamy mashed potatoes
4. roasted pepper with garlic from the grill
5. linguini with white clam sauce

I love the sight of:
1. my husband coming through the door at the end of the day
2. millions of stars at the lake
3. watching my son go back for seconds and thirds of a dinner I've prepared
4. bolts of gorgeous fabric
5. A big roaring fire

I love the feel of:
1. My hand in Breeen's
2. cool cotton sheets on a hot summer night
3. soft blankets
4. sand on my feet as I walk along the shore
5. a hot bubble bath

I love the smell of:
1. coffee beans
2. sweet things baking
3. honeysuckle
4. fresh cut grass
5. fresh cleaned laundry

I love the sound of:
1. "I love you"
2. wind chimes
3. a crackling fire
4. waves crashing at the beach
5. silence