I appreciate:

• How lucky I am that I deeply enjoy so much of what occupies any given day. Of course I have bad days and feel stressed or anxious sometimes, but I am never bored and more often than not wake up feeling excited about whatever the day might hold. I am amazed at how good my life is – even during a tumultuous year like this!
• Making things with sparkly crystals and beautiful, grounding stones. So much fun to design – and even more fun when someone falls in love with it and feels beautiful wearing it. What a treat.
• My awesome family who for some crazy reason, supports me no matter what I am doing.

I appreciate:

• Heat. It is so wonderful to come home from doing errands out in the tundra and walk into a cozy house.
• Electricity. In this season of darkness I absolutely adore our lighted windows. Love!
• Luna cat learning from our crazy Toby how to be a kitten. When we adopted Luna as a 6-week old kitten, she and her litter mates had been abandoned in an alley and she was so fearful and serious. We’ve had her 10 years and she’s grown into a very nice lap kitty now, but since we got Toby, she’s started PLAYING. So fun to see her acting like a kitten – however delayed!

I appreciate:

• My proximity to everything. Especially when I’m busy and/or it’s cold outside, I love how quickly I can accomplish a bunch of things.
• Beta blockers and ace inhibitors. I expect that they are helping rest my heart and give it time to heal so when I have my next echocardiogram in the spring, the docs will all stand back in wonder and tell me my heart function is back to normal.
•  Pandora. I started this station with Etta James’ Santa Baby and it is just getting so good.

I appreciate:

• Waking up to the sound of neighbors shoveling. Even before I get out of bed I know it’s SNOWED! I love snow — especially these first few snows that really transform our landscape.
• People who do really interesting things with music.
• Starting work with a purring Luna on my lap, snow falling outside the window, soothing warm beverage at hand and a day full of work I enjoy. Nice.

I appreciate:

• Winter. Dark clear nights with the moon peeking through trees, lights on windows, quiet streets. Good stuff.
• Raspberry leaf tea. So soothing for an upset stomach and sore throat.
• Wodehouse turns of phrase like this one: “The swan had been uncoiling a further supply of neck in our direction…” Uncoiling a further supply of neck! I don’t think I can adequately describe how much I enjoy Wodehouse.

I appreciate:

• Kaiser Permanente’s guided imagery podcasts (link to follow). I like spending 20 minutes imagining all the love I’ve ever felt and seeing my heart getting stronger.
• Starting the week with clean laundry AND a clean kitchen.
• The chance of snow this week. I’m ready!

I appreciate:

• The comfort of hanging out with Katie all day…even though we were both sick.
• My grandma’s dishes. Using them always makes me feel connected to my family. Plus, they’re pretty.
• Watching Toby walk around with a clothespin in his mouth. Weirdo!

I appreciate:

• Getting to see all the nieces and nephews and their partners – oh, well, and their mom & dad, too.
• All this warmish, sunnyish weather we’ve been having. So uncharacteristic!
• Earl Grey tea. Mmmmm.

I appreciate:

• Playing Settlers of Catan with the family. Yup. My kind of fun.
• Putting up the lights. I love this time of year.
• Electricity. So many practical and beautiful (like the lights) uses

I appreciate:

• Ryan, who went out and got us coffees this morning!!
• The people who are working today (doing things like making delicious coffee). I hope they also get time to be with their families and play.
• My family. I’m so lucky that I look forward to holidays and the chance to spend time with them!