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The sweet simple pleasures of life-again
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Every so often, I set out to compile a list of 100 sweet, simple pleasures of life. The end product usually numbers more than 100, and even then my list isn't complete. I hope it never is. I'll bet you've got at least a hundred or so of your own. Here's a few to get us started (again).

1. Sleeping in

2. Catching the sunrise

3. Listening to your 10-year-old laugh - in his sleep

4. Turning your pillow over to get to the cool side

5. The exuberance of birds in the morning

6. The exuberance of young children in the morning

7. The calm before the storm

8. Counting the seconds between the lightning bolt and clap of thunder

9. A frozen Kit Kat

10. Melting snow

11. Daffodil crocus tulip

12. A baby's toes

13. When a baby's wrists are so chubby it looks like she has rubber bands around them

14. A baby's reaction upon eating peas for the first time

15. Trying something new - at any age

16. "Green Eggs and Ham"

17. Hearing someone call, "Mom," and knowing they mean you

18. Hearing someone call, "Mom," and knowing it isn't you

19. The gift of gab

20. The gift of silence

21. A friend who offers both at just the right time

22. Birthday cake

23. With more ice cream than cake

24. And not too many candles

25. When your new puppy learns to go outside for ... you know

26. Clothes fresh off the line

27. Polished toenails

28. Wearing sandals

29. A dad who can fix anything

30. Including a broken heart

31. A first-grader's toothless grin

32. When the Tooth Fairy gets tired and nods off before fulfilling her duties

33. Believing in magic

34. Summer rain

35. Iced coffee

36. With real cream

37. Having your best friend on speed dial

38. A good book

39. A long afternoon

40. A pickup game of basketball

41. Shirts versus skins

42. Kick the can

43. The sound of a lawn mower in the distance

44. Lemonade from a lemonade stand

45. Iris lupine lily

46. A bouquet of dandelions

47. Dirt from the garden under your fingernails

48. Corn on the cob, with butter dripping

49. A ripe tomato, fresh from the garden with basil and mozzarella cheese

50. Cold water, straight from the hose

51. A tiny air conditioner, in the window, running full blast in the bedroom

52. Riding with the windows down

53. And the radio blaring

54. A dog in the front seat riding with the windows down

55. "Go Dog Go"

56. A class reunion

57. A family reunion

58. The smell of new paint

59. The look of new paint

60. New paint that's dried without anyone touching or sitting on it

61. A long weekend

62. With no projects

63. "Need some help with that?"

64. A husband with power tools

65. Running into an old friend at the super store

66. Laughing so hard your eyes water and your stomach hurts

67. Eating out, on a Tuesday, just because

68. Chrysanthemum monarda sunflower

69. "Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse"

70. When your kitty hunts houseflies

71. When your kitty and puppy take a nap - together

72. The top of the fridge (where you've got the good chocolate hidden)

73. When your youngest says he loves you from the bottom of his heart

74. A 14-year-old's orthodontically straight smile.

75. When your 16-year-old returns home with the car for the night

76. Camping out in the tent in the backyard with the kids

77. Those fold-up chairs that fit in a bag

78. Sitting outside at a high school football game on a crisp fall evening

79. Those hand warmer things

80. A full moon

81. A full house

82. An empty nest

83. Signing up for a new fitness class

84. Sore muscles - the day after the first class

85. Laugh lines

86. When your husband says your name

87. Squeeze cheese that isn't really cheese

88. Bacon, bacon, bacon

89. "Good Night Moon"

90. "Good night, Mom"

91. Waking up at 3 a.m. with nothing to worry about

92. Your favorite pen

93. Hiding your favorite pen from the rest of the family

94. Forgetting the location of your favorite pen - because someone (perhaps) moved it

95. A husband with a sense of humor

96. Your teenager noticing your haircut - two days after the fact

97. A decorated spruce tree - in the living room

98. A ceramic iguana

99. Created by your daughter's boyfriend

100. An old fluffy quilt

101. Made by your mom when you went off to college

102. A late night phone call from your daughter at college, just to say hi

103. Missing your mom

104. A hug from your dad

105. Holly mistletoe poinsettia

106. Just about any Eric Clapton song

107. "I love you," from anyone, anytime, anywhere

108. The small kindness of bringing you a cup of coffee - every morning - after 25 years of marriage

109. Meeting a new friend

110. Making lists

I went over 100 - again. Such is life, when it is filled with simple pleasures. Happy counting on your end.

- Jill Pertler's column appears every Thursday in the Times. She can be reached at pertmn@qwest.net.