The Happy Book Week Two

In this second week of staying alert to the things that make me happy, I'm paying attention to the different kinds of "Happy" that come my way. And I play in my head how I'd depict them if this were my week to have the book in my hands.

This would not have been the week I'd have pulled out sparkles *. For the most part the delights and surprises were quieter. Children provided the best laughs. Mother nature gets the Oohs and Aahhs. I've been feeling a little impatient as far as my creative work is concerned - have had so many interruptions as well as having undertaken a very necessary culling project. I haven't had time to actually paint or collage. But there's an upside to this, too, as you'll see in my list. So here goes, in no particular order:

1. I was doing a demonstration at my art guild shop last weekend when little girl of about 7 came to watch me. After a while she asked me how long I'd been painting. I told her about 8 years. She then asked "How old ARE you?" To which I replied 64. Then she said, "Wow. I don't think anyone has ever really told me their age before. Very old people don't like to tell you." It was all I could do to keep from laughing out loud, but I was able to respond with "And sometimes very young people like to tell you that they're older than they are. So what is the age that you think people most often like to admit their real age?" My husband and I have laughed about that conversation all week.

2. A roof leak that started in the heavy rains earlier this week and the subsequent hole my husband accidentally put in the ceiling trying to get to it were fixed so quickly by this fabulous guy, George, whom we met this fall when we hired him to paint our house. It is a huge relief to find someone like this who is nice, responsive, and handy at everything.

3. I came home from my very chilly walk this morning and my husband had the most delicious veggie burger sandwich waiting for me for breakfast!

*4. Yesterday we had the most perfect snowman snow - which my grandson and I took full advantage of . And we lay on the ground watching clouds scurrying overhead as we made snow angels, laughing as we saw what we'd made. I could use some sparkles here, if I were drawing it!

5. Listening to Canticle of Brother Sun from Paul Winter's Earth Mass - I could just dance around my studio when it's playing.

So those are some of my highlights. And you? Have you had some special or ordinary moments this week that brought you joy? I hope so!

To read about what others have experienced in their weeks you can go to Jamie's blog http://www.tnc-thehappybook.blogspot.com/ . And you can join in these conversations. Happiness is contagious.