Happiness is Three Scarves

~ Jenny

I finished three scarves this month so far, two for presents and one for me (experimental) and I like all of them (pictures on Working Wednesday), but mostly what I like is that I FINISHED them. There’s something about completing something (like, say, a novel, ARGH) that is just so satisfying. So today I’m going to complete a stir fry and some pumpkin puff pastry things and this lemon chicken meal kit and build a fire and those will all be complete things so that I can pat myself on the back and think,”Well, THAT’s done, good job, Jenny.”

How did you do a good job at happiness this week?

39 thoughts on “Happiness is Three Scarves”

  1. DH and I went to a local market yesterday and I got a good start on my Christmas shopping. My gift list gets a little smaller every year but I like to buy local, handmade gifts as much as possible. Plus, going to the malls in December makes me feel claustrophobic. I got a new pair of Bog boots – good timing as we had 6 inches of snow earlier this week and it doesn’t show any sign of melting. I need warm boots to wander through the snow after my puppy, who adores frolicking in the deepest drifts she can find (she’s barely 12 lbs so she doesn’t lead a lots of snow). Warm toes + puppy games = happiness in my world.

  2. ALL THE WOODWORK ON THE UPSTAIRS LANDING IS DONE!!!!!!!!! Okay we had professionals strip it about 10 years ago which was part of the job. To finish it involved rebuilding the doors on the linen cabinet and plumbers door, refinishing 4 doors, doing any repairs to the baseboard and door moldings, replace the hardware with period appropriate stuff and sanding everything. Then shellac, sanding, light varnish, sanding, first full varnish coat, sanding, last coat of varnish. The stairway has 15 steps and the ceiling is way up there so my guy made a portable stair platform and bought a new 16 foot extension ladder (the 28 foot one was too long) so we could reach it without killing ourselves. While I would not climb the ladder, it was my job to hand supplies back and forth so he did not have to climb up and down. Also I did everything except the final varnishes on the woodwork on the landing. It only has taken us pretty much the last 4 months plus a lot work on and off for the previous 2 years. PLUS we ordered glass shelves for the breakfast room built-in cabinets which has been on the agenda for the last two years since we finished refinishing them. And when the shelves come next week, I will be able to finally empty the boxes holding the stuff that goes into them.

    We now are moving on to painting the ceilings and walls which has been waiting since the plasterer repaired them during the remodel two, or was it three?, years ago. BUT the hardest work is done. And we have the ladder platform for the stairs so we can just start right in as soon as we get all that wood taped off and masked. And my window is all set to be reinstalled in the mini-studio, also known as the front bedroom closet.

    HAPPINESS. The end is in sight.

  3. It amazes me how much I struggle with starting something but then an so SATISFIED when it’s done.

    I’m happy because I rested. A lot. Never underestimate the power of rest. I certainly won’t push myself again. I prefer being healthy.

  4. I can’t say I completed anything at work. Like many jobs, the work is a continuous process, not to some finishing point, but to maintaining a status. I maintained.

    I have no home projects like ka-nitting or ka-not tying (macrame?). I look around the room and think that it may be time for more simplification. What can I do without? There’s a lot of clutter, so maybe tidying up will suffice.

    I’ll ask the dotter at dinner tonight.

  5. I had a lovely time with a friend who stayed the night on Friday. We hadn’t had time, just the two of us, for ages. I also felt a lot happier on the two days I started with creative time – garden design on Thursday and this morning I drove to a nearby garden and had a wander with my macro lens (I’ll post a few for Working Wednesday). Then a friend who’s spent the past four months in France phoned to say she’s back, and invited me to lunch next week.

    Connections make me happy. Plus the prospect of two days off work: I’ve delayed my weekend until after the rain, so plan lots of gardening tomorrow and Tuesday. (I really need a respite: the Italians are facing the Russian winter, and it’s the Balkans next. I’m pretty sure things are going to get really bad.)

  6. My whole life right now is big projects (novels and proposals to write, bed-sized quilt I promised someone, housework, cutting down more saplings), that I keep getting distracted with little things just for the sense of completion. I guess it’s okay, because I now have almost 20 chemo caps to donate (and if anyone here ever needs one for themselves or friends/family, just give a shout at my website: gin at ginjones.com).

    As to scarves, I would be happy to get rid of a couple that I knit years ago and really just don’t use, so I was going to donate them to a coat drive and I washed them (cotton yarn) so they’d be all fresh but kept forgetting to bring them with me to the grocery store that was collecting stuff, and now it looks like they’ve ended it. So it becomes another long-term project, waiting for next year’s coat drive. Or maybe I could donate them to the Salvation Army store that just opened down the road from me.

    1. Some places, including my small town, are starting to have a spot where people can leave hats, scarves, and mittens for those who need them. Maybe check and see if there is such a thing where you live?

    1. Sister! I finished a bottle of catsup tonight. It did not need rinsing before going in the recycling. 🙂

  8. Happiness was watching (and crying) at my youngest daughter’s graduation performance at university. I think the video is too big for Working Wednesday. She will be my first graduate (unless she gets in to Honours in which case she will finish at the same time as my eldest).
    Extra Joy comes is the form of a couple of days staying with my best friend, drinking wine, catching up, laughing.
    Work is the icky bit where I see the rheumatologist and confirm the stupid Rheumatoid Arthritis diagnosis. Imagine I’ll have another feel sorry for myself day before I get back into my big girl pants.

  9. I finished a rewrite on my picture book The Undertoads and I sent it out. When I actually submit it’s an amazing feeling. I titled Thursday on my calendar as a repeating event.
    Submission Thursday.
    two submissions. You can do it.

    And this Thursday I actually did it. Wonderful feeling.

  10. This was a week where I hit some bumps in the road (minor not major) and it was a important reminder that sometimes I just have to lighten my mental/emotional load even if I feel like I “should” be able to to do it all. Dropped nano for this year (just wasn’t feeling and I’ve “won” multiple years so I have nothing to prove). Dropped the weight of of the expectations of some people who I suspect will never be happy no matter what I do. Watched YouTube videos in Italian which is more fun than flash cards.
    I also made some roll out sugar cookies with chai spice and stashed them in the freezer for holidays. I’m also going to make a double batch of gingersnaps to take to my mother-in-law’s house for Thanksgiving. They’re a family favorite and Iusually only make them at Christmas, but since we’re staying home for Christmas this year, I’m providing a special dispensation just this once 😉

    I swear, I’m not quite like Gollum when it comes to Christmas cookies, but I do get a little. . . intense. Maybe I’m more like Smaug with his hoard . . .

  11. My happy is that I’m organising my next year ahead of time. I’m about to go into a new job, that’s a big step from the current (ARGH) and if I don’t organise now, I’m screwed. This weekend was looking at the last 12 months of my finances which was full of “Did I really spend THAT MUCH on” in the last 12 months!!” moments, the aim is to setup my budget and then automate as much as possible so I don’t have to think about it.

  12. I didn’t finish anything but I didn’t really start anything either. Maybe next week I’ll wrap-up the last medical billing question before Medicare. And get aletter out for next year’s election board appointment. And do a couple of online courses for a volunteer job. All ongoing but I should try to get them done before the holidays.

  13. I’m in Charleston this weekend, and happy to report that I have bagged my 49th state. Just Hawaii to go (for both DH and me) and we’ll knock that off before we head to Portugal. Walking a lot here (happiness) and trying not to eat too much of some very good food.

    1. My last state is North Dakota. I think I’m going to have to plan to go there, rather than just happen by. DH is considerably further behind on his count, as he didn’t travel much in his youth.

      1. My daughter’s remaining state is Nebraska. She is in Hawaii this week so that just leaves the one state left. She trying for all the National Parks also. I’m still not sure where she got her wanderlust. Not from her stay-at-home mom!

      2. I got North Dakota on an epic Upper Great Plains/Rockies road trip prompted by a family reunion in South Dakota. The reunion had some… odd moments, but I knocked off Wyoming, the Dakotas, Montana, and Idaho. Sometimes you just gotta get in the car and go. Orr get on an airplane to get to a place where you can get in the car and go. 🙂

        1. I travel a lot for work. One time I had time and a rental car on my hands, and closed up a stretch of I-35 in Minnesota. So, now I can say I’ve driven it from San Antonio to Minneapolis. It was a whim, but I consider it an accomplishment.

  14. I am happy that for two days in a row, I got 15,000 steps in. I’ve been slacking lately with only making it to 10,000 (which is my daily minimum). I am bound and determined to keep my bones, muscles, and body healthy and walking is the one thing I will definitely do.

    I am also happy that I got my new washer and dryer delivered today. The washer is hooked up and ready to use; the dryer is supposed to get hooked up tomorrow. And, I got a replacement sump pump for the one that died on me during the flood. I have an electrician coming who is making sure my electrical components in the basement are good and is going to hose the rest of the flood debris off the floor and hook up my dryer. He’s a retired electrician whose daughter works with me so he is willing and able to help out with things like that.

  15. I’ve been training a new person at work, and feeling a bit overwhelmed with the idea of being responsible for someone else’s job performance. She’s doing really well though, and we only have two more days to go. This entire week should be evening shifts too, so if the insomnia’s not too awful this week I can sleep in. Hooray!

    The one thing I feel like I really accomplished this week was getting my little sister’s and sister-in-law’s Christmas presents ordered. My brother just wants cash (he’s building a new computer) so it’s three down and I’m halfway there! That feels worth celebrating.

  16. I went to visit my goddess-daughter on the occasion of her 13th birthday. Her mom has been in my coven since the beginning (2004!) and I officiated at mom’s marriage to a fabulous guy. I was there when Sophie was born, and I can’t believe it has been 13 years.

    When I asked my friend Robin what Sophie wanted for her birthday, the answer was, “A visit from you.” Which is nothing short of a miracle from a 13 year old, so there was a lot of happy there, and I made it happen even though I haven’t been feeling great. We arranged it as a surprise (they moved about 50 minutes way years ago, so I don’t see them nearly as often as I did when Sophie and her brother were young) but when I showed up, Sophie said, “I wasn’t surprised. I asked you to come. I knew you would.” Such faith–also a lot of happy.

    I brought her 13 gifts, all of which were big hits, we had a great meal, and I got to spend the day with my family-of-choice, plus best friend Ellen who did a chunk of the driving (I tend to fall asleep behind the wheel on extended trips…not good). Plus there was really good cake. SO much happy.

  17. I’ve been struggling with self-discipline so much this year, and getting not much writing done as a result. Social media – such an awful timewaster, and so seductive. But I took part in a webinar last week with Garth Nix (YA fantasy author), and it jump-started me. I’m not sure why – most of what he talked about I already knew. But I just needed that bit of extra input.

    So I’ve just done a solid morning’s work without checking my email once, and feel better than I have in ages.

  18. Did manage to get my “must do” chores done today, but for the most part I have been taking it very easy this weekend, which apparently I needed. Have a busy and unusual week coming up, many odd errands while boss out of town, including getting my snow tires put on, which would have been very useful last week!

  19. Today I was to take myself and a mountain of stuff out to my sister’s house to spend the next week or more with her grandson while she accompanies her DH to the Mayo clinic. I was rather heavily laden on the 3 elevated trains I had to take to get out there so I left my suitcase underneath the seat on one of the trains. I don’t know for sure which route I left it on and so far nobody has found it. And my c-pap machine died last night so I have not only lost a half month’s supply of my allergy medicine, but I also have to wait for a new machine to be delivered.

    On the upside, I am overdue for a new machine so I know that my insurance will pay for it and I can call to place the order for it when I go to my apartment to get some clothes.

  20. Happiness is when you are invited to go see the (future) Broadway cast of Six: Divorced. Beheaded. Live. and you don’t decline even though the tickets are a bit expensive and the show is amazing. So amazing. Edmonton Arghers, it’s at the Citadel until Nov 24 then it goes to St. Paul Minnesota and onto Broadway in July 2020.

  21. I finished a jigsaw puzzle – not rocket science, but it was 1,000 pieces.

    I also weeded and tidied up the backyard to get it ready for winter. Not as much fun as the puzzle, but necessary.

  23. I got a paycheck, and bought 2 large bouquets at Trader Joes, one of dark pink roses, and one mixed with fuschia gerber daisies daisies. I mixed them together in my large glass vase. Quite satisfying.

  25. I just got back from the doctor. My ankle is healing well. They removed the staples (yeowch!) and replaced the splint with a cast. I’m still to stay off it for another four weeks. But hooray, no infection or other issues that would cause a set back for this. Happy happy!

  26. Made a couple intelligent remarks in a conference call, and then had the good sense to go on mute.

    Made it through a social event that intimidated me but turned out fun.

    Made the all-important selection of a 2020 wall calendar for our kitchen. Maybe.

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