Thanksgiving (Blog 11)

Today is the annual day of giving thanks and, despite circumstances to the contrary (and despite the fact that historians don’t believe the whole pilgrim-and-Indian-peace-and-harmony story but that’s beside the point), I have so much to be grateful for. I decided to literally count my blessings—excluding those things in life that go without saying such as family and friends—and have thus compiled a list. Without further ado and in no particular order, here are a few of my favorite things, in no particular order:

My Little Lola

For my home:

• Dachshunds, particularly mine
• High thread count sheets
• Fresh flowers in every room of my home
• A book I can’t put down
• Period-based (preferably medieval) films (and The Tudors series on DVD counts)
• Candlelight
• Yoga

For my body:

• Silk pajamas
• Bare Escentuals makeup—I’m obsessed!
• Cheap foam ear plugs—it’s the only way to truly relax
• Chapstick
• Olay in-shower body lotion
• Neutrogena face moisturizer
• Cetaphil face wash
• Handbags, stiletto heels, and funky jewelry to dress up a simple pair of jeans
• Spanx

Random things:

• Tide to Go
• Mr. Clean Magic Eraser
• TurboTax

In my kitchen/belly:

• Cabernet Sauvignon (or a good cab blend)
• Pizza
• Guacamole
• Fruit smoothies
• Chinese take-out
• Cheese enchiladas
• Peter Pan reduced fat creamy peanut butter
• Blue Bunny Peanut Butter Panic ice cream
• No-water chai tea lattes

On any given day:

• Rainy days and thunderstorms
• Bright stars in a clear night sky
• The ocean—smells, sounds, and cresting waves
• Sleeping with open windows on a cold night
• Snakes—they fascinate me!
• Christmas
• Pachelbel’s Canon in D Major
• The smell of freshly mowed grass
• Crazy dreams that I can repeat to anyone who will listen the next morning, then analyze them in my numerous dream interpretation books
• Massages, facials, manicures, and pedicures
• Playing Bejeweled on my laptop in bed

I’ve decided to maintain this as a running list.  I will continuously add to it when inspiration strikes, and frequently revisit it when I need a good reminder of the little things in life (or a swift kick in the Spanx-clad ass). I challenge everyone else to do the same this holiday season.

Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas!