24 May 2006

Wednesday's Happy Things

It's been a few weeks since I've done this, but it's Wednesday, so here are some things that are making me smile:

1. Coffee and the Last of the Cadbury Eggs


I wonder how many times coffee will make this list? Honestly, it makes me happy every day.
(Pardon the Cadbury Egg's absence. My camera was out of batteries and I just couldn't wait for them to charge before eating it -- Thanks Mom!!).

2. Freshly cut grass


Yep, yesterday I participated in the spring/summer ritual practiced by most people, but absent from my life for over a decade -- Cutting grass. I've lived on a college campus or in a major city for the last almost ten years. I forgot about cutting grass. But when the grass at my house here got about knee high, and my next door neighbor told me he was wondering if I'd moved out, I decided it was time to cut the grass. My landlord came by and weedwacked the stuff to a manageable height (and bought me a lawn mower!!!!) and yesterday, in a fit of warm-weather induced frenzy, I cut the whole thing (and I only had t call my dad once to figure out how to turn the thing on!). Now I understand why people have "yard goats." My front yard is an absolute bitch to mow -- up the mountain, right the road. I bruised the palms of my hands pushing the mower up the hill and look what a crappy job I did!


But I did a nice job on the backyard and it looks so pretty and neat and smells so good. I finished sweaty, grassy, hot and feeling more accomplished than I have in a looooong time.

3. Home


Man, it feels good to be at home. I love my space, my stuff, my kitties, my time. I've been reading (The Nation and Confederates in the Attic), knitting (Anthropologie Sweater and T-SALP), and listening to the radio (WMMT - Voice of the Hillbilly Nation). Oh, and don't worry, I've been

4. Working, too.


Yep. Work made it onto the list of things making me happy. How lucky am I? I spent a bunch of time yesterday transcribing an interview I did a week and a half ago. It's an amazing interview and typing it up has been a pleasure. Tomorrow, I'm going up to the Ralph Stanley Memorial Hills of Home Festival, which is just up the mountain from my house. This is my job. I thank my lucky stars.

5. Orangina


I love orangina. What a pleasurable knit. I'm generally frustrated with T-SALP (gauge issues, needle issues, yarn issues), but Orangina makes me smile every time I pick her up.

Oh, and I've done an Amazing Lace post -- so check it out!

3 comments:

Theresa said...

I knew I liked you. Coffee. Cadbury eggs. Confederates in the Attic is one of the craziest fun books ever. Lace knitting. That's a great day right there.

Meg said...

I've been to that festival - it was brilliant! I know you'll have stacks of fun.
Also, a little lawn mowing trick from a former mountain dweller - it is much easier (not to mention safer) to PULL the lawnmower up the hill, instead of pushing it. (I'm not sure if it's a mountain legend but I was always told if you pushed it up the hill you were in danger of having the mower roll back down on you if you lost your grip, and then you would be mown just like the grass - not good.) Another trick I saw a lot around my home town was where you tie a rope to the mower, then stand on top of the hill, let the mower roll down in a straight line, then pull the mower back up with the rope at a slight angle (so as to cut the next swathe of grass). Once the mower is at the top, you adjust it to roll back down for the next swathe. Soon, voila - hole hilly lawn mowed and you've hardly stepped off your back porch. (Disclaimer: I've never tried it this way, it sounds like it would really be just as difficult as going up and down yourself, with all that pulling of the rope.)

Chris said...

Bless coffee. Bless chocolate.

I'm phobic about mowers, so I applaud your mowing! So brave! So tough! Go!!

Orangine tempts me more and more...