Happiness is Something Exciting Ahead

~ Jenny

I like quiet. Peace. Silence. So I’d forgotten what it was like to be looking at a major life change, happy to be going toward it. By this time next week, I should be in a new place, trying to peel a freaked-out Veronica off the ceiling, explain to Emily William that yes, that is her cactus cat tower and her food dish is inside it as usual, full. That makes me happy, along with the new office I’m going to set up, and the new kitchen I’ll have, and two bathrooms so when Krissie comes to stay, she’ll finally have some privacy. And lunches with Pat Gaffney and heated swimming pools and lot of restaurants and a whole new town to discover. I should have done this YEARS ago. And more books to write and read and new recipes to try and . . .

This week I am very happy about next week.

What made you happy this week?

103 thoughts on “Happiness is Something Exciting Ahead”

  1. Congratulations on having got to this point! It sounds great.

    I’m curled up beside my snoozing partner. He makes me happy.

  3. I’m very excited for you, Jenny. And very excited for me – three new Crusie/Mayers on the way!

  4. I spent 4 hours one afternoon watching a couple of guys from the tree company do a structural pruning of our Norway maple. I studied tree care for my Hort program and watched lots of videos but seeing it being done was fascinating. They were very patient with my questions and I learned a lot. Plus now, I can see blue sky through the canopy which will allow more light into the garden.

    My brother and SIL came for supper one night and DS and I went up to SIL’s family cottage another afternoon. They’re on their annual visit to Canada. We had a nice visit with them and her family. My brother has an artisanal bread business and was teaching his BIL how to make ciabatta. Watching the process was instructive – my brother is always willing to coach me over the phone but an in-person demo was really helpful. My brother gave me several bread making tools which I’m going to try today (starter’s already mixed).

    Good luck with your move, Jenny.

  5. The last time I moved with a cat, she curled up inside her covered litter box and refused to come out for two days.

    Happiness this weekend is being on a personal development, two-day workshop, online, all day. That sounds dull but it’s actually quite engrossing. Plus I prepared with healthy fruit snacks to keep me energized.

  6. Two bathrooms is the best. I am pretty sure having them is directly responsible for the ongoing success of my marriage.

    1. I concur that two bathrooms is necessary when more than one person lives in the house. I also like that we have two sinks in our “primary” bathroom. That too has added to our marital bliss.

      1. Interesting. I wasn’t married, but when my roommate and I rented a house with one main bathroom (the so-called second bathroom was in the basement but it was nice to have a spare) and we found the double sinks quite useless. More counter space would have been much nicer. Of course we were seldom getting ready for work at the same time.

  7. I have a new haircut – actually have had it for a couple of weeks – but it is really light and fun and it makes me happy. I saw my doctor’s assistant this week and she gushed over how good I looked. Not only am I looking younger, but I’ve lost weight too – probably 5 pounds of hair! It makes me happy.

  8. Yay! I’m glad you are looking forward to the move and that the new town has so much fun stuff.

  9. I am flying for work, so very little happiness, lots of stress. I hate airports. Fortunately, I no longer have to spend a lot of time in one.

  10. After 14 years in the same house, I had to move twice – once last September, and again in January (could only find a short term rental).

    Surprisingly, my scaredy cat was fine – it was only the removalists that freaked him out, as each time I had to do it in stages, mostly because the short term house had a steep driveway that couldn’t take anything above a four tonne truck.

    The house is marinating in Felliway to keep both cats calm and happy.

    Best of luck with your move, and make sure you have several days worth of clothes with you – it took several weeks to find the rest of my clothes after the first move. At least I knew where the washing machine was!

  11. What made me happy this week? First, there was this humidity problem. The Owner’s Suite has a dehumidifier that dehumidifies the entire basement. There is an Air Handling Unit for the central heat and air conditioning that sprouts over a dozen ducts that run along the basement ceiling before rising to the rest of the house. I may not have been properly maintaining the DeHum unit – I don’t know how long it was OFF before I took action, and the action was prompted by the raining condensation form the ducts. Call this Home Moanership Problem XII. Some maintenance to the unit, some mopping on the ducts, and the rain is in Spain, not dripping on my plain. Happy!

    Various orders from Amazon arrived. Various Healthy Choice Canned Soups, in addition to being fairly decent meals themselves, make outstanding bases for other meals with the addition of a few choice… additions. The Wild Planet NoSaltAdded canned chicken breast, for instance, boosts the chicken content of certain soups. Adding a pouch of Ben’s Brown Rice or Minute Rice helps sometimes. Roasting potatoes to add works, too. And hot peppers. And sweet peppers. And celery. And canned beans or corn. Happy!

    Hearing that there are nine (NINE!) Crusie-Mayer books coming? HAPPY!

    Home Moanership XI was actually a refrigerator that sounded like failure was immanent until the tech finally showed up for warranty work after over two months of failures to show up as scheduled, along with all the phone calls and unreturned calls that entailed. It works again. Happy!

    1. Brigitta Fellner asked Lois McMaster Bujold:
      Your books are my all-time favourites. My to go book whenever I am sad or sick is A Civil Campaign. But I love all the others, too. Penrik, Sharing knife,… Will there by any more? I would love to hear how Miles copes with his children, who will probably be as brilliant and maybe as hyperactive as he is. Or maybe about some of the secondary characters? Byerly, Elli, …

      Lois McMaster Bujold: Glad you have enjoyed my work!

      I have no idea when, or if, there will be anything more, or what it would look like should it get here. I can say there is nothing in progress or in the pipeline right at the moment (July 2023.)

      I am, actually, not the same writer or person who wrote those books back in the 80s and 90s; they say that in 20 years, even your bones replace themselves. So writing “more of the same” would be as much of a stretch as trying to write a pastiche of another writer. (Or, more weirdly, trying to write my own fanfiction. Though that notion may be too self-limiting.) Though I’m immensely thankful those books have lasted till now, and are still finding new readers.

      Ta, L.

      Are all Ohioans this brilliant?!? The Jennifer Crusie of today is not the Jennifer Crusie of 20 years ago. I/we know this, and like her anyway!

      I suppose the Patricia C. Wrede of today follows that same trope. It has to have been something in the Ohio waters (whether or not those waters burn.)

      1. That is brilliant. Thank you for sharing that.
        I just wrote a long rambling self-indulgent post that said the same thing although not as cogently.

  12. The proximity happiness for you is what I am most pleased about. I was ever so surprised when Mollie told me that you lived many leagues away from her in response to a query I’d had sometime after your move from Ohio.

    As for meself? I’m injured, sore (pain at 7/10) because the injury is infected, annoyed because I did every correct disinfection and treatment, sulky because I had to go to the doc on cash to remedy this, cranky because its overcast and rainy. I asked my friends for a “poor baby” via whatsapp status, out of 40 readers, I got 4! Huh. See if I entertain them as much in future!

    BUT the happy is that I get to complain ALL of that while typing on the repaired 2012 MacBook that stood for years undone. The 2017 Acer was irreparable at a worthwhile cost, but the Mac was repaired for ZAR 2K. It’s slow, and I will forever use it as a protected and dare I say, deified home desktop now. After 8 months, I have a working personal computer.

    Also, I re-read my childhood copy of Treasure Island and now see that so much of my style of speaking and writing comes from RL Stevenson! I realised that I have a very wordy turn of phrase when I am not burned out. It’s nice to rediscover my influences. That has made me VERY happy.

    1. I wish I could figure out how I got so verbose, but I hesitate to attribute it to my childhood reading. I think it is more likely that as the youngest of five kids I had to wait for my turn and once I got it I was loathe to give it up. As a T-shirt my sister once gave our French niece once said,”Attention! Attention! I just LOVE attention!”

      1. Sure Thing, I’m glad that you’re hanging on in there. I only realize after pain retreats how bad I felt when it was in full force — sidelights like exhaustion, difficulty getting all sorts of things right, worry, and fussing (well, bitching a lot).

        Keep Argh up to date with your injury, please. I’m going to be looking for your entries.

        2. Thank you. And thank you all for the support.

          I learned that I had to quantify my pain during an episode/incident/injury because I have a high pain tolerance and might need pain killers but don’t think it’s serious enough to take them. 😝

          Waiting on the radiologist’s xray report for the leg. But as per GP, it mightn’t be whole. 💔

          I’m laughing anyway because not-as-burned-out is still a thing, and I’m enjoying cracking meself up. 🤪 Maybe literally. 🤣😂

          I’ve always been good at making bad days into a funny story. There’s probably a post on the Lucy March blog or Betty blog about my car breaking down, and my rescuer’s car doing the same upon their arrival at my location. I remember giving people a good giggle in the telling. 🗣️

    6. Definitely poor baby! 7 out of 10 pain is awful and I hope you come right very fast.

    9. Poor baby.
      An infected wound certainly fits the ‘adding insult to injury’ label.
      I am Canadian born and Dutch bred but my speaking habits (when I do not instinctively curb them) started being formed by Enid Blyton and were polished by P. G. Wodehouse. I am occasionally asked where I am from.
      This is a bit of a lonely feeling, apart from the dread of being perceived pedantic and pretentious, but I would still rather speak like an educated person than adopt the local colouring. ‘Right on!’ ‘D’youse like more coffee?’ ‘That’s awesome, eh?’
      Ok, no two ways around it— I am pedantic and pretentious.

  13. It makes me happy to read the excitement in your post. Nothing but good times ahead! <3 Good luck with the move, stay safe for falling boxes and remember to take breaks.

    Tomorrow Sven and I are going on a small adventure that I've set up – we're going tree-climbing! One of our friends in Germany mentioned he would do that a few years ago, and I've been curious to try it since then. What with my battle against depression and all, I googled it a few weeks ago and found you can do it not so far away from where we live. So, we're doing that tomorrow. I'm super-excited. Happy.

    Coming Friday, I'll get sewing-lessons from a lady who has experience of teaching blind and visually impared people to use sewing machines. Hope it'll be a success. Worst case scenario we at least know what doesn't work so we can figure out what does.

    Happy is not the right word I think, but I'm proud of myself for finally taking the step and cancelling my contract with the lad from the buddy-association. I've known for a few months already that it wouldn't work out, but I kept trying to make it work. That wasn't fair to any of us, and since I'm TRYING to be kinder to myself, I decided it was time to stop walking right over my own feelings and listen for once. So, there. I'm on the waiting-list for a new buddy, but it's long and frankly: right now I don't care if I get a new one or not. I'm happy I took care of myself this time.

    We're going to Canada next Saturday to visit a friend and his family. We've known him online for 5-6 years already, but because of his physical disabilities he can not travel far, and what with COVID and other stuff, we weren't able to until now. I'm gonna go trail-riding with his mum and they've planned so many delicious dinners for us and hot-tub-bathing and there are cats and a huge dog, and I'm getting more excited by the day. That's wonderful, because excitement for things ahead is somethign I haven't felt for a looooooooooooooong time. I'm gonna miss Triple and Matcha something fierce, but I know MIL will take good care of them.

    My dad is coming to visit in September and staying for a week. Happy.

    Many happies!

    1. Tree-climbing??? That sounds wonderful! And then set boundaries? Woohoo! Follwed by travel to Canada? Oh, envy in the best possible way. May the road rise up to meet you and the wind be at your back!

      1. I’ll come back and tell y’all about the tree-climbing, provided I don’t fall down from one and break every bone in my body*.

        * Not very likely scenario, since it’s all with safety-lines and all that good stuff, so let’s assume I’ll be back later this week to recount the experience. 🙂

      1. Angus. I hear that’s about 1.5h from Toronto. We’ll also be in Toronto for a chunk of time on the 22nd, where there’s a fighting-game-tournament, which we will attend all three of us.
        I know little about Canada except that it’s HUGE, they have poutine (which I will have to try so I know what all the fuss is about) and it’s very hot there right now. Rumours have it air-conditioning is a thing, so I have hopes of survival. 🙂

        1. Enjoy your visit to Canada! We are indeed a huge country – I live 1 province west of Ontario and it would be a 24 hour drive to get to Toronto, and similar to get to Vancouver. From my limited time spent in Ontario in the summer, air conditioning and swimming pools make knife bearable. Have fun!

      1. It’s great to feel it, too!
        Small fly in the ointment is that no trailriding-place allows me to go trail-riding with our friend’s mother. She’s tried 3-4 different ones, and they refuse me because of my blindness. Trying not to feel sad about it. I half expected it, so I was prepared for the blow. Still, argh. 🙁
        We’re gonna go shopping instead – my “Canadian mom” (she named herself that) is gonna help me find confidence-boosting clothes.

  14. So great that you are almost past the stress and worry phase of moving and into the looking forward eagerly phase! I send you a virtual bunch of forsythia, which I read is the flower symbolizing anticipation, hope, and renewal of fresh growth.
    Wishes for a smooth and happy transplantation!

  15. The time is here! I hope it goes well. I’ve moved a lot, and my last move was better because of hints I read about. I got two large, clear plastic bins and put all the basic, essential kitchen things in one, and it went in almost last. The other one was labeled “Last box in, First box out” (of the truck or car) with a contents list taped on top of the bin. Inside was a box cutter, packing and magic tape, paper towels, markers, post-it notes, a notepad and pen, TP, trash bags, first aid stuff, small bags for screws, basic tools, and hex wrenches for IKEA stuff, a tape measure, gloves, a small flashlight, duct tape, gallon zip-lock bags, tissues, pain killers, and if you have prescriptions, those could also go in there. Maybe extra glasses, too. That saved me a lot of trouble multiple times.

    Another hint that really helped was to get extra large, long, black garbage bags, put an armful of hanging clothes in each one, and tie the ties around the hanger tops. It will keep the clothes clean, and in reasonably good shape, they can be laid out on top of each other, and it’s cheaper and takes less space than those huge portable closet boxes. With the hanger tops kept together, it’s easy to rehang the clothes. But whatever system you have, I hope it works great and you are happy in your new home.

    1. Wait just a second — shouldn’t that first box out also contain chocolate??? Priorities, people!

    2. What a great list!

      I assume cat and dog food and dishes would also go in there. And key toiletries and bedding.

      1. There’s provision for luggage, too, which might hold some of that stuff. And the cat and dog food would go in the conveyance they are traveling in.

  16. Best wishes for a smooth week and a relaxed move. I’m so glad you got many years in your cottage in the woods and that you’re now moving to a new more citified adventure. (I preordered the trio which makes me very happy!)

  17. I am very happy for you, Jenny. All will be well. Smooth way before you as you settle in your new home which sounds absolutely wonderful. Two bathrooms are essential.

    I’m happy creating, planting and making the back garden colourful, soothing, and peaceful. Next is the space under the balcony/deck. Install lights, tongue and groove ceiling, paint it medium blue, (still looking at colours), find some seating on marketplace or a good sale, move the potted shade loving plants into the new space, hang the swing seats, (think of a sort of one person hammock, great for reading), and have friends over for dinner. Totally doable if the contractor is amenable. Right? She says. Hopefully.

  18. I’m glad you are happy about this move and looking forward eagerly, Jenny.

    One unhappy note first: I went to my public library and asked them to order Lavender’s Blue.
    Discovered that Baker and Taylor, through whom many libraries do their ordering, tends not to deal with self-published books. It was near closing time, but the reference person was on the trail of another source, so it may happen.

    My happy was hosting friends I’ve not seen for a year, terrific guys who are doing interesting things and are good conversationalists. Also making progress on the WIP I hope to have out in the fall.

  19. Happy for you. Starting fresh can be really fun. Work, yes, but also refreshing, like your own personal renaissance.

    I’ve moved many times and always with pets. My favourite part was always getting to know the new neighbourhood. Yours sounds great and like it will offer you both a peaceful new home and a fun place to explore. Look forward to hearing more about your new digs when you’ve settled in:)

  20. Oh gosh, I was SOOOO glad to read about your move making you happy!! You have been doing such hugely difficult things lately, what with charcoal-colored stoves and filling dumpsters and arguing about zombies that you DESERVE joy and freedom!

    Best of good luck with the move and the POD and the animals. Also, put chocolate into the first box out — I think it’s mandatory?

  21. I’m happy that the Endocrine Society reprinted the patient perspective article I co authored in a special issue. Happy for two reasons — because it was chosen for inclusion based on high reader engagement (which means the medical community was paying attention to patient voice, and I’d worried they might ignore it), and the reprint increases the articles exposure, so more medical providers may see and read it.

  22. Sounds like the best change of scene: good luck.

    I’ve let myself veg this week, and enjoyed long phone chats with a couple of friends, plus a trip to explore a rather overgrown garden – with a lake, a baking hot terrace, and a rockery with a twisting tunnel underneath. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cuevem2MG7t/ (Didn’t take many pictures, though we meant to – Pam was trying out her new camera – but good photography chat and delightful hidden corners.)

  23. Felt peculiar for a day, so now aware of and appreciating normal.
    Have had and still have nice things to eat this weekend, which is always a plus.
    Boss in CA for another two weeks, so assuming office will be quiet and restful, phone calls notwithstanding.
    Feeling generally optimistic and enjoying it.

  25. Today’s happy is that DH helped me reconfigure the den for greater comfort with existing furniture in the time remaining in this house.

    Also today: turned on the AC for the first time this year. Got overheated doing furniture stuff. By 7:00 (if not before) I’ll be able to turn it off again. Generally speaking, if I have back and front doors open, the constant breeze keeps the house comfortable…but not when there’s furniture-moving going on.

  26. Looking forward to accomplishing cleaning (sister coming the following week for a visit) most of July’s meetings and a car inspection.

    Looking forward to the fireworks stopping (some people were still at it yesterday; today’s rain may finally put a damper on things).

    Hope your move goes smoothly. Since it’s just you, you can take your time unpacking and setting everything up. Most of my stress from moving came from other people involving themselves in my processes. Hope you find a good diner or two.

  27. Happy that my surgery went well and enjoying the r and r recovery. I plan to take a full two weeks off, but will use it to finish organizing the August party (which is really 3– a Friday dinner for family, the official event, and a Sunday drop in brunch. Which, after I counted noses, looks like it will be nearly as big as the Saturday event.) and then our trip to California for my (ex)aunt’s 80th birthday.

    This means I also need to do a lot of filing and decluttering…

    2. Glad the surgery went well. Be kind to yourself. Frequently you feel better instantly then in a week or so you deflate. Go slow and give yourself time.

  28. Happiness this week has been communing with trees in parks several times.

    Also – on Wednesday when I left the house so my daughter could have privacy for her therapy session – I decided to make it a writing adventure. I had to force myself to go to the bar but I went to a local bar, drank delicious virgin bloody Mary’s and wrote a vignette about the scene all around me. Happy. (If you want to read it click on my name and it is posted on my blog.)

    Still rereading Amanda Quicks Burning Cove series but that may change because I got an amazon gift card & Lavendar’s Blue is available!!! Perfect timing!

    Hoping you have a smooth, easy move, Jenny!

  29. Yeseterday, husband, daughter, and I drove 2 hours to edge of CT and Long Island Sound for a party held by a cousin I seldom see. Other cousins were there, as well as other interesting people. The beach house is near one where I spent summers as a child. The area has been developed a lot, but it was weird and fun to see it again.

    Then we drove for 1.5 hours to another part of CT for a party held by my husband’s niece. We know this group of folks well and enjoyed a laid back chat while little kids went crazy with water. One of our niece’s brothers was there; another brother was shot dead several months ago. I was glad to have the chance to give the living brother my condolences. And I flirted with his 7-month-old baby who has a beatific smile.

    I mention the shooting because I want to keep it present, just like the baby’s smile. It’s part of family memory now.

    1. It’s just sad to me that a shooting has become part of your family history. And many family histories. This is a sick time in the U.S. I hope a solution comes forward, soon. Independence Day week had a record number of mass shootings. What a way to “celebrate”!

    2. Poignant contrasts there. A snapshot of the US in a way. Many good people and loving families but a very troubled society. I respect your decision to hold both aspects openly in your hands.

  30. Happy was a six hour video call with my sisters. My younger sister is having marriage problems, which sucks, but it’s good to be able to offer support from afar. Also I’m about to go back to evening shifts at work, so no more 4am for a while. Yay!

  31. My sister died on Thursday. Have you ever had so many emotions whirling around and you feel everything and nothing?

    3. Yes, it takes a while for grief to sink into me and to make sense of my feelings. I’m so sorry for your loss.

    4. My sympathies, Amyll. So difficult for you & all who loved her. Wishing you peace. And the time & space to process your thoughts & feelings. Take care.

    8. Sorry you are going through this. I hope you can take the time to let the jumble of emotions settle to be dealt with as needed.

    9. So sorry to hear your sad news. Hope you are getting a lot of support in this difficult time.

    16. My sympathies.

      And yes. I remember telling someone that the 5 stages of grief don’t visit one at a time, in sequence. Rather, they descend en famille without a care to the tasks you have to accomplish.

      That’s if you ascribe to that theory. There are other views of grief.

    18. Oh my. So sorry, Amyll. I’ve been through the surreal feeling you describe. Eventually, it passes, but being in that space is so hard. Big hugs.

  32. I bought a new mattress. I bought a different mattress a little more than a month ago – one of those foam ones that comes compressed and stinks for the first week. Once I got over the smell, I put it on my bed – and hated it. It’s so hard. So I’ve been trying to get around to buying a new one, a proper in-the-shop one, but have been really busy, plus not sleeping well because of this crappy mattress.

    But on Sunday I did it. Haven’t actually got it on my bed yet – it’s about a week until delivery. And I CAN’T WAIT. After trying the lovely mattress in the shop, lying on the awful one again was like being hoisted on a flat platform.

    Once the new one arrives I can set about trying to get my money back on the awful one.

  33. My dad was in to see the eye surgeon today and he goes for his cataract surgery August 2!! I’m not sure if it’s for one eye or both, I’ll find out when they get home from Grande Prairie this evening. I’m very excited for him, he’s needed this for a long while.

      1. They are mostly out/under control around here but there are some bad ones in BC and eastern Canada. Still have bad smoke days here but better than before.

  34. Happiness is visiting family (elderly parents, youngest sister, stepdaughter and her fiance, his parents) and spending a few blissful days at the ocean eating delicious food and talking writing in between with one of my best friends. I’m in San Diego (the beach portion was in Del Mar), and trying to soak up the sun before heading back to rainy upstate NY on Wednesday.
    It’s nice to be here, but I’m not looking forward to the all-day travels back. Hopefully it will all go as smoothly as the trip out here. Also, I miss my cats.

    So excited for you, Jenny.

    1. I think your witchy powers must be vibrating, because upstate New York is said to be having bathtubs of rain falling in giant cascades. It doesn’t sound fun to be there. Have a good reunion with the kitties on your return home!

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