As we close out the work week, let’s talk about some silly things for which we are grateful (yes, we all love our partners/kids/grandkids/cousins/friends), but what about those weird things that make us happy?
I’ll start:
I have the crappiest seating in the room where we watch television. The loveseats are bulky and bumpy and If you sit wrong, you slide onto the floor. But they’re mid-century modern, bright orange, and I love them. I sit with my feet on the coffee table and my computer in my lap, a cuppa at my elbow, and all is right with the world.
One of the silly, simple things that makes me happy is seeing our two half-feral cats peering in the front door sidelights every morning waiting for me to feed them. These two, "black cat," and "black and white cat," are the two remaining cats born from a child-mother in our backyard woodpile about a decade ago. When they were young we trapped all nine and had them neutered and vaccinated. We have lost the other seven to weather and cars and who-knows-what over the years. These two will let us scratch and pet them, and they have made the front landscape their own. They like to sleep in puddles of sunshine on the south side of the hydrangeas; they love to loll on the warm pavers of our front sidewalk; they take shelter in the kitty-condos we constructed from old styrofoam coolers, duct tape, and straw bedding. They will not be house cats; they have made their disdain of such an existence very clear.
My aunt caught five feral kittens and right now is getting them all their shots, etc. I make fun of her for being a crazy cat lady but those animals give her great joy. And she’s a caretaker and they fill that need.
I’m a little obsessed with guitar picks. I have a bunch in an ancient tin Altoids container. Different shapes, sizes, textures. Each create their own distinct sound (or at least I think so). I’ve collected them over time through trial and error and have given away dozens of rejects. When I open the tin to decide which one I’m going to use I’m frequently reminded of my Captain Kangaroo “Busy Box” or “Fun Box” (I’d be interested in who here remembers this). Mine was a shoe box I salvaged from my parents. It contained my safety scissors, minty Elmers paste (yum!), crayons, colored pencils, cellophane tape, bits of construction paper, etc. I’d sit on the floor in front of the TV, open the box and join in on the arts and crafts project of the day with the Captain. I still get an ASM response from the sound of scissors cutting heavy paper.
Anyway, my point is that I’m thankful that after all this time, whether is was opening up my busy box or opening up my Altoids tin, I’m still easily amused.
For my birthday I got a bird buddy. It’s a feeder with a built in camera that takes close up, candid pictures of the local birds that stop to feed. Gives us so much joy!
My wife gave me a blackthorn walking stick. I love it. Swinging it encourages a healthy stride. The little bumps along its side feel pleasant to grip. The rounded knob at the top lets me lean on the stick to traverse uneven ground (or to spare my arthritic knees). And it provides protection against any woozles or heffalumps I encounter.
One of the silly, simple things that makes me happy is seeing our two half-feral cats peering in the front door sidelights every morning waiting for me to feed them. These two, "black cat," and "black and white cat," are the two remaining cats born from a child-mother in our backyard woodpile about a decade ago. When they were young we trapped all nine and had them neutered and vaccinated. We have lost the other seven to weather and cars and who-knows-what over the years. These two will let us scratch and pet them, and they have made the front landscape their own. They like to sleep in puddles of sunshine on the south side of the hydrangeas; they love to loll on the warm pavers of our front sidewalk; they take shelter in the kitty-condos we constructed from old styrofoam coolers, duct tape, and straw bedding. They will not be house cats; they have made their disdain of such an existence very clear.
My aunt caught five feral kittens and right now is getting them all their shots, etc. I make fun of her for being a crazy cat lady but those animals give her great joy. And she’s a caretaker and they fill that need.
I’m a little obsessed with guitar picks. I have a bunch in an ancient tin Altoids container. Different shapes, sizes, textures. Each create their own distinct sound (or at least I think so). I’ve collected them over time through trial and error and have given away dozens of rejects. When I open the tin to decide which one I’m going to use I’m frequently reminded of my Captain Kangaroo “Busy Box” or “Fun Box” (I’d be interested in who here remembers this). Mine was a shoe box I salvaged from my parents. It contained my safety scissors, minty Elmers paste (yum!), crayons, colored pencils, cellophane tape, bits of construction paper, etc. I’d sit on the floor in front of the TV, open the box and join in on the arts and crafts project of the day with the Captain. I still get an ASM response from the sound of scissors cutting heavy paper.
Anyway, my point is that I’m thankful that after all this time, whether is was opening up my busy box or opening up my Altoids tin, I’m still easily amused.
I remember the Fun Box. I also remember being quite confused when Capt. Kangaroo got a new set. Very disorienting. I don’t think I’ve quite recovered.
For my birthday I got a bird buddy. It’s a feeder with a built in camera that takes close up, candid pictures of the local birds that stop to feed. Gives us so much joy!
What a cool gift.
My wife gave me a blackthorn walking stick. I love it. Swinging it encourages a healthy stride. The little bumps along its side feel pleasant to grip. The rounded knob at the top lets me lean on the stick to traverse uneven ground (or to spare my arthritic knees). And it provides protection against any woozles or heffalumps I encounter.
You’ve got to pay attention to the heffalumps.
Still I would not take my eyes off those woozles.
Sunshine on my shoulders. A rare thing nowadays.
For weeks now, though my town is supposed to have sun tomorrow. I'm going to spend a great deal of time outside, just walking around, drinking it in.
People tell me my house looks like a dorm room.
That says “comfortable,” to me.
I love how my lack of furniture makes people ask me if things are okay , and if I need to borrow money
Tell them you don’t want a loan, but the gift of cash is always nice. Bwa, ha.
There may come a time
When I need a lawyer
But money is my best friend
Definitely my second-favorite invention, plumbing.
That is awesome.