I’ve spent pretty much this entire day in gratitude and I feel great tonight.  I highly recommend it. I know we all get caught up in “life” but every once in awhile it is so good for the soul to think about all the things that are good for the soul.  Today my thankful list included:

• My good health.  I have more aches and pains then I used to and more than I’m used to yet but I’m thankful they are just aches and pains. I am committed to doing more to practice living a healthy life.
• Doctors and nurses.  I know I’ve talked about how much I appreciate them before but I had a couple of doctors appointments this week and every care giver I worked with was kind, thorough and dedicated. I feel very lucky too to have excellent insurance that allows me good care.
• The beautiful day we had today.  Say what you want about rain in the Pacific Northwest — they just make the sunny days that much more special.  And right now there is a sunset that has me out on the deck because there’s no tv program that can give you this kind of show.
• My wonderful family.  We had so much fun getting together for dad’s birthday tuesday night.  My mother out did herself as usual with a yummy dinner and we had fun visiting, ooohing and aahing over our baby and posing for my youngest nephew who took semiformal photos of everyone as a thoughtful gift for my dad.
• My wonderful friends.  One of them today left me beautiful roses on my back deck — and its her birthday weekend!
• My recipe “basket”.  I know most people have a recipe box but in my case it is a big pile of stuff collected into a basket.  It started with looking for a recipe for lemon ginger scones, but ended with me spending a couple hours today going through the basket.  Its funny how much sentiment can be connected to recipes.  It made me happy and sentimental at the same time.

I also have some favorites to share tonight. 

• At the moment, I am just super into the Leonard Cohen Live in London CD.  If you haven’t heard him, he’s an older performer with a very rough voice and he writes his own songs.  His music is at least “interesting” some find it controversial, lots don’t like him but one song I think everyone thinks is really powerful is his song “Hallelujah.”  To me, that song is knock it out of the park powerful and haunting.  I like to listen to it loud and repeatedly. And while I like Cohen’s version of his own song, I’ve heard numerous performers sing it (including kd lang at the Olympics) and I like them all. 

• So Delicious Yogurt.  This stuff is sooooo good!  You really have to try it.  It’s made using coconut mild instead of regular milk and its a little bit addicting — and only 120 to 150 calories depending on the flavor.  So far, raspberry is my favorite.

• Country Potatoes from Trader Joes.  These are a fabulous discovery.  I probably wouldn’t have bought them if they hadn’t been giving samples out last week at TJs.  One bite though by Glen and I and we were hooked.  Trust me, get a bag of these for your freezer.  They are simple enough for everyday, dressy enough for company and versatile enough to serve them at almost any meal.
• The Conversation with God books by Neale Donald Walsch.  The guys controversial for some — along the line of Shirley Maclaine – but he talks my kind of language and, for me, his books make sense.  In fact, I picked something interesting up this week from his work.  I’ve always thought the word disease was interesting that it broke down to dis – ease.  It sure makes sense.  NDW broke the word intimacy down in a similar way — in-to-me-see.  Wow.  That gave me chills.

Okay, one last moment, for my thankful list:  this one.  The sunset is still spectacular, Leonard Cohen is playing Hallelujah (loudly even out here on the deck : ) ) in the background and all of you are in my thoughts as people I love.  My little life here by the bay is full and oh so satisfying.