My Gratitude Journal

Oprah did it.  And if I were going to conform to her philosophy when I describe the things I'm thankful for, my journal would go something like this:

I'm grateful for:  cleansing rain that clears the sky and the depths of my soul...  the written word of the eternal voice of the human poet...  the hope for new life when I see the tender green shoots of a spring flower struggle through the snow's crusty surface...  the sighs of relief which stir the embers of my heavy heart...  finding a pocket of air when I am in a dark cave, on the verge of asphyxia...  the gentle soothing of Lortab and Flexeril when my back hurts, or when The D is getting on my nerves and I don't want to fix dinner for him...

No, really.  Here's what I'm thankful for, in no particular order:  celery seed.  money.  my own HVAC unit.  cayenne pepper.  two hour lunches with my friend Donna (the brunette Ellie Mae).  my baby sister.  macaroni and cheese.  painting.  getting an unexpected government check in the mail (IRS, VA, City or County property tax refund).  electricians.  cinnamon.  showers with big tanks of hot water.  cotton sheets.  my Kindle Fire.  Downton Abbey.  the Beatles and the Stones.  being 50.  really.  a clear mammogram and colonoscopy.  having The Daddler here.  having Kiddo far, far away in North Carolina.  good dreams - when I'm flying, or talking to my mother, or snuggling up to a certain someone.  indoor plumbing and electricity.  google.  my new leaf shredder.  texting.  Words With Friends.  hearing "Groovy Kind of Love" when a certain someone calls...