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.
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.
