Happiness is...

1.  Adopting this sweet cat from PAWS but she likes to drink out of the toilet and now we have to keep  the toilet seats in the down position because that is just yucky.
2.  Being greeted in the morning with meow's especially after she uses the litter box at 0430.
3.  Finding out she likes string and yarn to play with so I have to watch out for the 'attack' as I knit.
4.  Finding an unfinished dishcloth that my mom was working on just before she passed away 3 years ago and finishing it knowing that she held the knitting needles too.
5.  Looking at the weather forecast in the paper this morning and seeing a sun for the day even though it is pouring out right now.
6.  Getting to help a friend's daughter with her high school biology this afternoon because she's having trouble with DNA.
7.  Knowing that NCIS comes on at 8pm tonight and it is my favorite show ever.

Today is shaping up nicely.

Things to think about...

I'm just sitting here, listening to the wind howl and the rain pour, being kind of lazy but doing my first of the year thinking.  So I've made a list of things that I'd like to accomplish over the coming months, self improvements etc.  Of course this isn't written in stone and I can amend it at any time and add to it.  But I like to have reminders and I know that I will forget some things if I don't get them down in some form...
(not in any significant order, just random thoughts)

• Craft for others.  Knitting, quilting, weaving, spinning...  Never to early to plan for Christmas next year.
• Eat more pesto.  My niece Robin made a pot of vegetarian pesto pasta over the holidays and it was yummy.  I made a pot when we got home and now I am hooked on pesto.  
• Eat more vegetables and less meat.  Although our family motto is "salty meat can't be beat", I really need to watch my saturated fats.
• Lose that 20 lbs that crept back on over the past couple of years...no snacking after dinner, more gym time etc.
• Stay in better touch with distant relatives and friends.
• Have people over to dinner more often.
• Put a wild streak of color in my hair...purple I think.
• Say 'yes' more often, look for fun adventures, step out of my comfort zone. 

That is a good start I think...time to go have some homemade chili and fresh bread that the Mr. made this afternoon.

Happy New Year!!

There really is nothing like plunging into 45 degree water on a cold New Year's Day to get things off to a good start.  Especially when you have a great friend who talks you into it.  

So with about 75 of our 'closest friends', we gathered up our husbands and headed down to Brackett's Landing for the 5th annual Edmonds WA Polar Bear Plunge.  The Mr. thought  R and I were crazy and would only go along as our photographer.  He made a comment that we should be in straight jackets instead of matching robes.  Sheesh.  R's husband was pretty much of the same mind and rolled his eyes when he saw our awesomeness.  (by the way sister, did you notice I borrowed your robe for the event?)

I made a thermos of Peppermint Schnapps spiked hot chocolate for fortification as we waited for everyone to arrive...

Got to know some of our new best friends, R and I are talking to the man in the spiffy red and white striped bathing costume...

                                       

Then the whistle blew, confetti flew and we were off, charging into the REALLY COLD water.

Needless to say we stayed in long enough to plunge up to our necks, stop breathing for those shocking few moments, wave our arms about wildly and run back out where the men had our towels and more yummy hot chocolate waiting for us.  Will I do it again next year?  You bet!  2012 is going to be all about saying 'yes' to as many fun challenges I can.