10 things that make me happy....What makes you happy?

Masterfile

1. A really good cup of coffee. Preferably it’s a hefty size—none of this “tall” stuff for me.  It’s hot, milky and sweet. Bonus points for being the first cup in the day.

2. Cracking the spine on a book or magazine. I love the newness of something to read, the possibility that an article or book will have me up late into the night turning pages. Like my recent copy of Emma Donoghue’s Room. I bought it but swore not to start reading it until I was on vacation. Five minutes into my flight, I flipped it open. 

3. Having a vacation lined up. I do well with specifics. If I know I’m leaving for Destination X on Date Y, I have a getaway to look forward to. It’s something to remember when I’m busy pounding out stories on my laptop. I do better this way than when I have a “Yeah, we’ll do something this summer, not sure what.” kind of plan in place. No specifics equals nothing to reach for for me.

4. A new episode of Dexter. What can I say? I’m a fan.

5. Girl’s weekend. This is how they go in my life: Head out of town to my best friend’s place, often with my sister in tow. Go out for dinner and later a pub and eat and drink way too much. Come home and stay up late watching The Hills or Saturday Night Live on PVR. Sleep in. Rehash the night’s events over a yummy breakfast the next morning. Once in awhile we add a spa afternoon or something like that in and those are lovely too. But bottom line, it’s the unlimited chatting that makes me giddy.

6. Bedtime in the fall or winter. Better yet there’s a branch-whipping rainstorm out there, or it’s a silent snowy night. I’m tucked into my warm cozy bed, thankful to be there since I can hear the weather beating down outside my window.

7. Airports. I don’t even have to be the one travelling. To me, airports hold that busy buzz of possibility, like you’re about to kick off a fabulous trip or go see someone close. Most of my relatives live overseas, so as a child my family was at the airport once every two years or so and I still get that excited feeling to this day when I’m airport-bound.

8. A good run. The kind of run where I come back salty sweaty and the endorphins are pumping. Then I hit the shower and enjoy the well-earned sore legs that inevitably come later in the day.

9. Friday night, a bottle of white wine and a movie rental. Can’t also forget that our kids are asleep, the hubby is there and a bowl of air-popped popcorn drizzled with butter. Virtually a ritual in my house.

10. Dancing at a wedding. It’s one of the few places I get to slow dance with hubby and then a minute later pull my heels off for Kenny Loggin’s Footloose.

Can you relate to any of these? What makes you happy?