On evenings like this when I’m at home alone and the weather outside is frightfully cold and windy, it does me good to think about all the wonderful things in my life, and yes, the idea did come from The Sound of Music, although it’s been some time since I’ve had a chance to see that movie. So, here are a few of the things that I especially enjoy these days…
1. Angel – I think it’s pretty much a rule that a husband has to top your list of favorite things. Even if it weren’t a rule, he’d probably still be number one for me. Sometimes I wish he wouldn’t forget things like his cell phone or wallet so often, but I love him anyways. And hey, I would probably have never had the adventure getting locked out of my car if it hadn’t been for him. I used to be deathly afraid of such a scenario, but now that I’ve survived it—twice!—with him, I realize that it doesn’t necessarily turn out to be such a tragedy. I love that he wholeheartedly believes that husbands must take their wives shoe shopping at regular intervals.
2. My Family—every last one of them! From Mom and Dad, to aunts and uncles, to grandparents and baby sisters and cousins, and all the “adopted” family members I’ve picked up along the way! They’ve made life so interesting for all of my twenty years—even though I don’t remember the first few, I’ve seen plenty of pictures and videos. They’ve all supported me in my dreams of writing and my parents financed my cravings for craft supplies and unusual clothes long before Angel started picking up the bill. I think my favorite thing in the world would be to live with both Angel and my darling sister Anna, and have them fight over me all the time.
3. Cowboy Boots—Angel didn’t buy these for me, but they’ve been my favorite pair of shoes for about three years now. They have the advantage of being both comfortable and attractive so they get worn a lot more than the others in my shoe collection who have either comfort or beauty to offer but not both. Lately I’ve been dreaming of a red and white pair to keep my rusty brown pair company.
4. Books—During this long break from school, I’ve spent many an evening reading the night away. When I was a kid, I always thought that the supreme form of relaxation that I might achieve when I grew up would be to lie on the couch with some snacks and a good book and read for as long as I wanted to. Now I have achieved that, and, yes, it’s pretty much the most fun you can have when there’s no one around to play with.
5. Photography—I don’t want to be a photographer, in any way, shape, or form. I like my small point and shoot camera and I wouldn’t want anything bulkier or of better quality. But I would like a personal photographer, because I love to look at good pictures—of me, my family, the outdoors, or pretty much anything. Angel isn’t much of a photographer; his preferred way of taking pictures is to point and shoot without focusing or making sure the camera is still…and without using the flash, even indoors in the evening. So, most of the pictures that we take are not what anyone might call good quality. I still love those pictures because of the good memories involved, though sometimes I do wish for an invisible photographer who could take perfectly composed and lighted pictures of all the interesting events of my life. In the meantime, I’m waiting for my brother, my favorite amateur photographer, to come and take some pictures for me.
6. Indian Food—I don’t think it’s a coincidence that I think about heaven every time I eat chicken butter masala with naan bread. I’m pretty sure that God created chicken butter masala and naan bread as a tiny revelation of the wonders of the world to come. Okay, that may be heresy, but wait until you try that dish and see what you think! I’m pretty sure that there are lots of delicious Indian dishes, and I’d like to try many of them, but the problem is that every time I go to an Indian restaurant (which isn’t very often), I can’t bear to think of choosing not to eat chicken butter masala and naan bread, so I never order anything else. If ever again I live in a place where Indian food is commonplace, I may be able to once again try out other dishes, knowing that the chicken butter masala will still be there when I come back the next day.
7. Homemade Bread—It’s a good thing that I don’t get around to making it very often, because when I do, I usually polish off a couple loaves in as many days, without giving Angel much of a chance to help!
8. Flowered Hair clips—I appreciate the flower hair clips that can be found at the mall or at craft shows lately. Currently my collection includes a white rose, a turquoise flower with feathers, a small purple flower, and two large flowers in different shades of pink. So fun!
9. Dollhouses—It was a lifelong dream that came true when Angel bought me a fully constructed dollhouse that he found on clearance last year. It had been a model, or a “show house” for a kit that was discontinued, so the outside was totally finished, but nothing was done to the inside. In the months since, I’ve wallpapered and painted and laid flooring to my heart’s content, and also decided that my dream career is to be a dollhouse decorator when I grow up.
10. At-home Manicures—I smile every time I look at my nails, which, since yesterday have been a pale turquoise overlaid with white glitter. Last week they were red with black polka-dots. Yeah, I do have a little too much time on my hands, perhaps.
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