Friday Five: These are a few of my favorite things!

Posted on September 26, 2013 by Deb

RevPal Mindy recently shared this quote:

Talking about our problems is our greatest addiction.

Break the habit. Talk about your joys.

~Rita Schiano

So, to focus on those joys, she posted recently about things that she enjoys or loves in life. Her list made me smile!
Sometimes as pastors, chaplains, professors or caregivers, our lives are so very full and our hearts ache with worries for others (or, if we are honest for ourselves!) So for this week’s Friday Five, let’s list things that are on your happy list! (We’ll assume that your family and friends and pets are included, so branch out a little, if you can!)
What are your joys? Places? Food? Activities? Books? Season? Hobbies? Smells? Colors? To inspire you, Mindy came up with THIRTEEN things that bring her joy or make her happy. So go for it! 
Post your list with pictures, if you can, and then tell us where you blogged in the comments. All you have to do is cut and paste your blog post URL and we can find you.

I'm going to have to really think about this.  I have been trying to simplify my life.  I have too many things and want to sort through things and divest myself of stuff.  So favorite things are difficult.

1.   Cooking:  I like having all my stuff that helps me cook from the food processor to the set of knives I use, the spices I have collected.  I hate processed food so I love to do stuff from scratch.  I make my own rubs, sauces, dressings, etc.  

2. Fly box:  I have a fly box for the patterns of the flies I tie for fishing.  It was made by a man who was in my parish whom I married.  We had gone through the painful divorce of his first

spouse together and when he met his new bride, it was incredible to watch what love can do to heal.  The box is about the size of my study Bible.  It is made of walnut and is a warm golden color and opens on both sides.  He is a marvelous wood worker with wonderful gold fittings.  I love sharing it and the flies I tie with other fisherfolk.  It reminds me of him and his wonderful wife how they are growing old together.

3.   Pottery:  We have acquired some really nice pieces of pottery over the years.  My favorite is a casserole dish that I have been lugging to church dinners for years.  It was given to me by my sister-in-law for Christmas on year.  She had found it at a shop near where they lived.  Come to find out it was made by a school classmate that I had gone all the way through school with.  At our 50th HS class reunion I met up with him again.  We hadn't seen each other since graduation.  But some months he asked me to marry he and his girlfriend.  As a thank you gift, he made me a lovely creamer and sugar set.  Now the casserole pot has some competition for favorite.

4.  Cats:  We have given up on looking pristine and professional.  We have cats!  Tyke is the senior member and only male we have in the house. And he makes up for the void!  And then we have Little Bit--until she started weighing 16lbs!  Now she is just Bit.  She also love to do the affectionate bite routine.  We have had cats ever since we started to room together.  We buy cheap furniture because we have cats.  

5.  Music:  I was a music major in college.  Music is still an important part of my life--spiritual or otherwise.  While I am at the computer I listen to Pandora (free) and listen to all kinds of music.  Mostly classical, but

sometimes Country and Western, Flamenco, Chant, Brass ensembles.  J and I don't necessarily like the same programs on TV so we trade off and I put on my earphones and drift into another dimension.   I also like to play 'name that tune' because they don't announce the pieces that they play.  Right now I am listening to Bach's Brandenburg Concerto #2.  I know it is #2 because it has piccolo trumpet.