Happiness is Great Commenters

~ Jenny

This blog has been around for awhile and it’s evolved over the years it’s been sitting here. In the beginning Mollie told me not to enable comments because I’d end up chatting with people instead of writing. As usual, Mollie was right. As of today, this blog has over 142,000 comments. Good news is, only 18,500 of those are mine. The original intent of the blog was to create new content for the website which was linked to it. Now the intent is to shelter the community, talk about whatever catches our attention (SQUIRREL!), give each other pep talks, show off what we’ve done and talk about what we’ve read and celebrate why we’re happy. It’s not what it was in 2005, but then neither am I.

The POINT is, this blog is nothing without the comments. Which is why I’m very happy you’re all here.

What made you happy this week?

81 thoughts on “Happiness is Great Commenters”

  1. Argh commenters also made me happy this week. They surrounded me with good vibes while I had an angiogram — not, as it turned out, angioplasty (placement of a stent), because while the procedure went well (yay for vibes!), it was determined that there are two spots where the artery is too clogged for a stent to be the best recourse, so it looks like I’ll be having bypass surgery. No details yet on when or what the recuperation period will be, etc., but the other happiness this week has been the realization of how great and supportive my friends are, both virtual and in person, with everyone offering the help (rides to/from hospital and errands and the like) that I’m reluctant to ask for, so I don’t even have to ask!

    4. Oh eek. Sending you lots of good vibes for nice smooth surgery. And I hope they can do it soon.

    5. If it helps, think of it how doctors do: Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting or CABG aka cabbage. Any kind of cardiac surgery is scary, I’m not trying to dismiss any fears you have, but the tech is so amazing now and these things are becoming routine and so simple.

      About 10-12 years ago my uncle had a quadruple bypass and his arteries were so clogged the only thing that kept him alive was his green tea habit. His blood was so thin that it was basically sneaking through. It was so thin it was worrisome for doing the surgery. He was working in the bush almost an hour from the nearest town and his coworker rushed him to the hospital when the skin on his face looked like it was turning back. We are pasty white peoples. His coworker said that on the drive into town he had one had on the wheel and one hand on my uncle’s wrist feeding his pulse and as Bill’s pulse went up, so did the speed of the truck. On the highway he hit over 150 km/hour or half again as much as the speed limit.

  2. And it is so nice to have a supportive, interesting community that is otherwise not part of my life – in some way it keeps it special and relaxing to be here.

    The support of my nearest and dearest has made me happy this week, as I have suffered from the mysterious intestinal problems (have been on and off for 5 weeks), which last week took a turn for the “have to leave work now” variety. So far urgent care not much help, but my boss is researching a specialist for me, and the reiki person has done some very perceptive work with me, and yesterday my dear friend did a Shiatsu massage on me, which felt wonderful. As well as all the loving healing energy people are sending me. So as I said, very thankful. Now would also like to feel very healthy!

  3. Happiness is plenty of time, now that I’m retired: time to mess around in my garden, hang out with family and good friends, do some volunteer work, read the comments on this blog, and read lots and lots of books. 🙂

    1. Isn’t retirement great? People told me I’d be bored to which I replied you don’t know me very well! All day every day to do whatever you want. Priceless.

    2. I love retirment! And isn’t it strange how the hours get filled? However did we find the time to do all those things and work?

  4. Someone told me, “parents are as happy as their most unhappy child.” It’s so true.

    My college-age daughter is struggling with something and it kills me. We’ve offered to buy her a plane ticket home (Indiana to NJ) for Labor Day weekend. She said she’d think about it. This morning she texted that she’d like to come home. My heart breaks for her. Please send good vibes and/or prayers that she finds the help she needs to get through her struggles.

    1. This must be so hard. I can’t even stand to see my cats unhappy and cannot imagine how much more difficult it is when it is a beloved child.

    2. I have no kids, but I’ve been that age and had struggles, so I feel with her. Sending all kinds of good vibes and cyber hugs. Hope she’ll find a way to get through these hard times. There is light on the other side. <3

      1. Both my kids struggled with issues in college. I didn’t get it — my husband did understand because he had had issues then too. (I did also, but college was my one strength and support).

    4. Three of my four kids had issues in College – the fourth probably does too, but doesn’t really tell me about them. It’s the age, I think, and expectations. Well for my kids, your milage may vary!

    5. I feel for her (and you), and send good vibes and thoughts. When my daughter was just shattered from a breakup, I flew down to be with her. She’d given me instructions on how to behave. ‘I need you to be strong for me, and show me that there is a way forward. I can’t have you crying with me.’ So I tried to be that, along with making tasty veggie meals, and saved my sympathy tears for when I was alone.

  5. This week’s happiness was tearing out a huge ugly honeysuckle that blocked a good chunk of the view from my porch and shed dead leaves all over the place. Just finished this morning- 6 huge black garbage bags worth – and feel very pleased with myself.

    1. Also, this is a great community, even tho I mostly only read. Interesting people, positive vibes. Thanks, Jenny

  7. Even when life is too busy to get to the blog and read and comment, I love seeing it pop into my inbox and remembering that these people are here, and when I return it will be like I never left.

    Like the last two months…

  8. Happiness is definitely chatting with all of you.

    I so look forward to reading Jenny’s posts and everybody’s reactions, I definitely come here once a day (and way more than that on Thursdays).

  9. So many little happies. I’m happy to be a part of this community. You all are so interesting and caring, and I look forward to what Jenny has to say and how that prompts our conversations.

    I’m happy that blood work determined I didn’t need another full body scan – so yay!

    And this little chipmunk just amused me. He’s feasting at my squirrel-proof feeder – and if you look closely, you can see how full his little cheeks are.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CTIwAMVnGcw/

    And my replacement shower valve works beautifully! And is a nice brushed bronze color, so doesn’t clash with the gold trim on the shower surround.

  10. Good vibes to all. I’m grateful for this forum too. Supported me through bad and cheered me during good.

    I’m happy because I was efficient in Friday and today, even in the midst of being in the middle of a weird sinusitis flare up. I’m definitely sensitive to some foods and I’ve got to work at learning what they are. Food allergy screening is waaaay too expensive here. So continued experimentation is the way to go.

    I watched the Korean Cinderella and her Four Knights and it was pretty good fun except for plot I consistencies and one-time characters. So now I’m watching Lupin. I loved the animated Lupin and this one has grown on me.

  11. A couple days ago, I got a wonderful outing. My son drove me to his home, and we watched a movie together – The Wind Rises by by Hayao Miyazaki. What a powerful movie! Then he cooked me dinner, and after that drove me back home. The entire day made me happy.

    1. Love those kind of days which are enjoyable with no personal effort necessary. You did a great job with your son.

  12. The sewer project is in hiatus. They ran into a large stone that the equipment cannot budge. So they are talking to the experts and the city inspector again and the 3 day project has now exceeded 6 days and the neighbors on the street below whose access is being blocked are giving me funny looks.

    However, while everything has ground to a halt, I can work in the yard again and I have dug up a section of day lilies that were infested with couch grass and nut sedge and as soon as the guys finish the job, I now have a 10 foot square area of flower bed that can be redesigned. This is true happiness. Big changes are in the works!

  13. Glad and happy for the blog. Only one I visit regularly. I love how we are from many different countries, thoughtful comments, many, many new authors and books I may never have read without Good Book Thursday, gardening tips, the quilters, the knitters, etc., and food. Respectful people. I can move to Portugal without moving there, tramp around England, Maine or New Zealand vicariously. Worry and pray for others and feel loved in return. And it’s my favourite author hosting.

    I worry for Toni and all those in New Orleans as hurricane Ida gets closer. Be safe.

    Happy to have spent time with granddaughters at the PNE (very carefully) and had Sangria with dinner at Havana’s. The best ever sangria. Truly.

    1. We used to go to the PNE many years ago never won the house OR a car 🚙. My birthday is in September so my kids would buy me a present at the PNE . You brought back happy memories Carol Mc. Another reason why we all enjoy this blog, the memories we can share.

      1. Still waiting to win a house, win a car! A few years ago a woman won the house after buying tickets for 30+ years. Maybe it’s our turn this year. We always buy the ticket and mini donuts. Glad to bring back memories for you, Margaret.

  14. Agreed. You’ve created a very welcoming and supportive community. Hats off to you!

    My happy this week is my mystery series ten-year book birthday this weekend. Amazing how fast the time goes. I’m not sure if other writers have this, but the occasion made me very reflective just like an actual birthday sometimes does.

    Also inspired me to create a new Pinterest page for the series where readers can also participate. Just got it up and running and hoping it will be fun.

    Anyone who wants to take a peek can see it here:

    https://www.pinterest.ca/Lora_weaver_reader_cafe/

    I’m not fab at social media, but Pinterest somehow works for me. Mostly I make mood boards for house stuff, but I’ve also tried some recipes I found there. This new board is for the books, of course, which are set in Montreal so I can still include plenty of pretty house stuff and some local chocolatier flavour so I’m having fun with it and that’s a happy, too:)

  15. I’m grateful for this community too. And for input from people in other countries, with interests I wouldn’t have discovered otherwise, and most importantly for books and the viewpoints that book people bring to their lives.

    It’s so interesting to find a community based, not on neighborhood, or age, or occupation or any of the things that arise from proximity or class, but on love of a similar group of books. I came here because of a mention elsewhere that Jenny considered Terry Pratchett and Georgette Heyer probably her favorite writers; that caused me to pick up Jenny’s books, then eventually discover this blog and a host of you who also love (in the past, the present or probably in some cases the future) those same authors.

    I feel as if response to the value system and sense of what is good or bad in people’s behavior that one finds in fiction can be a better guide to choosing friends than most other things. And this community, arising from a similar place, has that same trustworthy feel.

    I’m lucky to have found this place and all of you guys!

  16. This blog & community makes me happy too. 🙂

    Other happymaking: got my minimum required hours of yardwork done early this morning; the feral rose (I chucked a supermarket mini rose into the wilderness some time ago, didn’t even dig it a hole, and it is now four feet tall) continues to bloom; the bougainvillea continue to be unkillable brilliant-colored pleasure in the backyard; was contemplating breakfast when the husband joined me, whereupon I actually *cooked* breakfast (this is noteworthy because uncommon), after which we watched ‘The Heat’ again and laughed again.

    Now I’m about to do a read-through polish on the latest-completed novella. Once I have a cover for this one, I’ll have four new things in the publication queue, which means a fresh title every month through the end of the year.

  17. This community always makes me happy. I’m so grateful I found my way here. I don’t remember exactly how, but I think I slid in on a banana peel after a friend of mine told me Jenny had Min’s Chicken Marsala-recipe on her site, and through clicking around I ended up on Argh. Then I discovered the Good Book Thursday posts and lurked for a while and just loved reading everything. Don’t know any other group of people who is as respectful, accepting, open-minded, non-judgemental, kind and supportive as all of you. Such a safe and comforting place. Happy place. Thank you, jenny. And thank you, Arghers.
    Happies this week :
    – Keys to our new place!
    – Met the previous owners, and they were very, very sweet. We even invited them to come visit once we’ve finished fixing things and moved in. They were so sad to leave the place, but had to because of sickness, so we figured the least we could do is show them we’ll take care of their former home.
    – The lady-owner had planted a lot(!) of mint on the patio! And she was so happy that I was so happy about it that she almost cried. So endearing.
    – Got to rip out floors with MIL, which was fun and felt good. Love working with my body. Hate the gym, love real physical work-exercise. (Less happy: Found bunch of mould under one of the floors. Gross.)
    – Going back to judo class tomorrow. Happy. MIL promised to bring me for this first time back there, so I don’t have to be super scared of going after such a long time away (hi again, social anxiety). Our head trainer will be the same as last year, which is a HUGE relief. My stamina and muscle mass are probably 3 kinds of trash, but we’ll see if I survive tomorrow. Hopefully I’m not the only one who’s out of shape.
    – When I was looking for a ballad mentioned in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes earlier today through Spotify, I found there’s a girl who’s set all the original songs written in the book to music. Always fun to discover new music.

    There were a bunch of unhappies as well, but I will ignore them in favour of the happies. I hope that if I focus on those, the unhappies will go away, somehow. And the belly-problems with them.

  19. Happy for this blog (today it was my reward for transcribing the board meeting minutes I blew off doing yesterday).

    Happy to get the minutes done.

    Happy it’s the dog that’s been distracted by squirrels and I’ve been able to focus on ‘stuff’.

    Happy for Pratchett. I’ve started a Discworld reread, in order of publication. Although I will break it up with other stuff. It’ll be interesting to see how things develop and change over time.

    Happy everyone is well and/or coping.

  20. This place makes me happy too!

    As did a splendid hike this week, as well as buying baby carrots from a woman whose garden was on the path. Roasted carrots with carrot top pesto was the third happy making.

  21. Happy to have this blog and Jenny’s books to re-read, just because I love the people she’s brought to life.

    Happy to have lunch with a long-time friend who lives an hour + away, and whom I’ve not seen since before covid.

    Happy to have a massage Friday, and a gift of many colorful zinnias from my therapist.

    Happy to have experienced an oxymoron today: a productive committee meeting, and general progress.

  22. Yeah, I never understood that tied-to-a-website thing, because for me the posts and the comments have been The Draw from the first. And, oh, the personalities! Oh, the interests! Oh, the books! Such an engaging, ongoing story told by a community with respect and tolerance. You’ll never get me to leave. I’m ensconced. Okay, yes, even ensorcelled.

  23. I’m happy that those slippers are finally done(a week ago) and that I have a date(in 25 min) to leave the house to go to the post office with them. Lockdown has made me ever more reluctant to go outside. The date is literally to leave the house together and walk to the end of the block. Then he’s off to the right and a long walk somewhere green while I’ll head left to the post office.

    My new pants just arrived! I think I’ll be happy about that until I get back. New clothes without out tryons in a store sound good, but there’re reasons that I find doing that frustrating. These are from esty and partially customized so I have hope. If they’re actually wearable I’ll be thrilled.

    An older happy, but I bet this group will smile. The dutch word for hoarding is hamsteren! Now I have a picture in my head of people with enormous cheek pouches stuffed with toilet paper rolls. I love exploring the languages differences between us.

  24. I finished Camelot today. I had doubts all month long that we were going to finish given how things are going, but we did it! And the shows went well! And people liked it!

    I am also happy that even though one person got diagnosed with Covid last Monday after the first weekend run of shows, I tested negative on days 3 and 5. HOPEFULLY I am okay, but who knows these days.

    1. Forgot the SECOND item that I meant to share with you today: the traffic lights being installed in Maryborough, Queensland, Australia.

      Do a google search on those terms and select for Images!

  26. A lot of neighbourhood cats use our back lawn as a thoroughfare. And they all run at the sight of us – except one. He runs too, but towards us for a belly rub, which is lovely.

    We’ve had a sopping wet winter and part of the lawn is a pond. A couple of days ago, Puss stood on the far side of the pond and looked at me. He had two ways to get to me: clockwise round the pool across the wet-but-not-flooded lawn, or anticlockwise, which meant going through some foot-high wet grass, up a 6-foot high fence, across the top of two spiky bushes, down the fence, and through some dense undergrowth.

    So of course, he went anticlockwise. It was less than 10 metres total but it took him about 5 minutes. I’ve never had a cat so determined to get to me. He got a very thorough belly rub once he made it.

  27. I’m just starting my fourth day off – first long weekend in ages, and I needed the break. I’ve got a friend staying who I haven’t seen since this time last year, and we’re having a great time. The sun came out and we had a bit more summer, and could sit in the garden, which made us both really happy. Yesterday we did a garden trail in a nearby village on a south-facing hillside, with wonderful views south down the border, west into Wales and east across the Shropshire Plain. Met some interesting people, too.

    Then went to the allotment to pick veg for the evening meal, and harvested my first ever supermarket-worthy carrot. They’re usually scrawny and riddled with carrot-fly tunnels.

    And I love this community. It’s invaluable companionship, and a feeling of being connected to people all over the world. Thank you, everyone.

  28. Happiness this week is having tomorrow off. I am deeply grateful to have the new job and to be getting rostered so many hours but I have spent 41 of them on site at a public housing complex in the past four days and I need a day without any screaming or threats of violence. Argh is wonderfully soothing at the end of a very long week. Thank you all. 🙂

    1. I work with animals, not humans, but yeah, no screaming or threats of violence is very good!

      1. (Also, not having to get something that weighs 218 pounds to go where he does not want to go. I weigh about half that.) Yes, I’m looking forward to tomorrow off.

  29. This week I learned two very happy-producing facts:

    1. My younger son is now engaged! I love his fiancee and am glad they are getting married on October 8, 2022.

    2. My niece (by marriage) is adopting her foster son. He has come such a long way in the past 3-4 years he’s been living with my niece’s family. I’m proud and happy that he’s going to be a McGee.

  30. I do love to come here to chat and report.

    Last week was the big family reunion, which went well, and let us get acquainted and re-acquainted. Some young children were there, so that’s fun.
    My cousins all came from the middle of the country, so for some this was their first time to see a moon rise over the ocean. Nature cooperated with an almost full copper-orange moon sailing in the night sky. We had a bonfire, and the kids wore light sticks which glowed in the dark, so we could see them dancing and running around the yard.
    This is my first morning back to work. I am a zombie, but I’m here!

  31. I went to my sister’s house to make copies to submit to the State, only to discover that I had left the originals at home. It was very frustrating until my niece in Minneapolis called and I got to talk to her, too. Even when her life is not going well, talking to her feels like basking in sunshine because she is such a funny and sweet person.

    Earlier in the week I managed to reach my niece in Milwaukee to ask how the move to their new house was going. She told me that it was the first time that her husband didn’t have a panic attack prior to a move and that their cat had recovered from the process in record time. I was happy to hear that because it means that they will be able to get out of the apartment in time to get their security deposit back and I am planning to stay overnight with them soon so I was glad to hear that I will have a place to sleep. I’ve have been jealous of Jane being able to reunite with friends and the upcoming 2 days in Milwaukee will be a real treat.

    I started a round of physical therapy on my “good” knee and am now so sore that I can barely move. I am reminding myself that it always gets worse before it gets better and that my therapist seems confident that we can get my knee back up to speed before my flight to France. Since this is the same guy who got me off of the cane 3 years ago, his opinion really means something. I was also happy to hear that it had been 3 years since I last worked with him because that means that the long term goal of avoiding or at least postponing knee replacement is going well.

    The Post Office did not eat my vaccination card! Although it is a step above the copy of a computer printout that I have been carrying around with me, I still think I will need more to be able to navigate while in France. The link my SIL sent me has left me more confused than anything. It looks like the card I have will get me in at the airport, but will not be enough for me to be able to get on a train and go down to where my brother lives. I think another phone call is in order.

    I called my C-PAP supplier and found out that Medicare will not pay for rental or purchase of a travel-sized unit and that rental for 5 weeks is almost $300. I think that I will have to bite the bullet and rent one, but this trip just keeps getting more expensive every day.

    During the pandemic, the local Jewish social services sent out grocery gift cards instead of food boxes before Rosh Hashannah and Passover. This pleased me a lot because it enabled me to buy what I really needed (vegetables) and didn’t give me things that nobody I know would eat. Yesterday they delivered the New Year’s box and while it was smaller than in previous years, the food was much higher quality. The Challahs were not already stale, the gefilte fish was not made with sugar, and the honey cake was fairly edible. And the apples were tasty! Maybe the brand of chicken they bought this year will be less of a salt bomb covered in pinfeathers, too. And the onions arrived just as the prices went up at the local grocery.
    The downside of the improved quality is that I am not supposed to eat bread or cake and now I have very edible temptation in my house. But I am grateful to have less to give away since the couple I used to split this box with are both gone now.

  32. My heroic brother in law is confirmed safely out of Afghanistan and will soon be home with my sister and their 19 month and 3 month old kids. So happy about that!

  33. Argh definitely makes me happy.

    There are so many things in my life that make me happy. I am so incredibly grateful for my life. Every day I look around and I’m just amazed at how good my life is in that moment.

    Some days I am more acutely aware than others that I came so very close to missing it all.

  34. I feel welcome at Argh which is deeply pleasing. Thank you all.

    My happy is that my trip to Colorado from Massachusetts has been incredible. Specifically, everyone I’ve passed on the street, in a store, or anywhere has said hello or has responded positively to a greeting. In fact, I’ve had substantive conversations with strangers. (If that’s the right word.) These chats in passing seem remarkable considering how long it has been since I traveled and how much negative stuff I have heard about people in different parts of the country than mine.

  35. I love ArghInk. I like all of the regular posts because yay comments! Yay book recces! So many good recommendations from here, and reminders to take happiness in the moment.

    I also love when Jenny has time / inclination for longer posts – TV, writing craft, pets, life. 16 years of blogging, what a commitment! Thank you! (and for the novels, of course. Word of the day: happify – to make happy).

    I’m happy today because we’re in L3 lockdown tomorrow after a two week short sharp L4 lockdown. Case numbers are restricted to Auckland and hopefully on the way down. Fingers crossed.

    I am happy and not happy that I ran 30km tonight. (18.6 miles). Furthest ever, felt strong, but now I’m contemplating sleeping on the couch because stairs. Ha!

  36. I don’t comment much these days (my life is so boring) but I love to read about the happenings, joys, concerns, etc. of everyone else. So thanks for providing this space.

  37. The comments here also make me happy; I have found SO many good book recs in the Thursday Good Book posts.

    Other things making me happy this week: cooler weather, the return of pumpkin spice everything, back to the ballet school’s fall schedule, and many many plants ordered to establish this fall and winter for next spring and summer. Pretty much everything fall is making me happy. It was a very long, extremely hot summer.

  38. I love it here. It’s a really warm and supportive community, and even though I don’t post much I appreciate every single one of you.

    My happy was our first ever train ride with DS – on a steam train no less!! We went to Bala Steam Gala over the weekend, not intending to ride on any of the trains at all, but it was not too crowded and well set up, so we bought last minute tickets and did the 25 min ride along Bala Lake and back again. The trains aren’t exactly mini, but they aren’t full size either – the engines all used to work in the local slate quarries. It was fabulous weather, and a fabulous day. DS was wide-eyed with excitement throughout. He has developed a fascination with trains and this was his first experience of the real thing 🙂

    A link if you’re interested: https://bala-lake-railway.co.uk/

  39. ​”This communicating of a man’s self to his friend works two contrary effects, for it redoubleth joys, and cutteth griefs in half.” – Francis Bacon, Essays

    Shared pain is lessened; shared joy, increased — thus do we refute entropy.
    “Callahan’s Law”, as expressed in The Callahan Chronicals (1996) (He obviously enjoyed his Bacon.)

    1. That’s also a classic wedding toast — “May your joys be doubled and your sorrows halved.”

  41. I’m arriving late to this topic of mutual admiration and love of Argh, and I have been uplifted by the appreciation shared here.

    It reminds me of an article in the NYT back in March about Monty Don and Gardener’s World, a British TV show, both new to me. I read every single one of the 304 comments and all but one were an outpouring of the joy and soothing from this presenter and the show as a whole.

    My heart runneth over…

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