I don’t know where you live, but where I live it’s hot. I’m still walking my dog three times a day, but where he usually dances the whole time, now he’s dragging toward the end and so am I. But our last walk is at midnight and it’s heaven. The air is cool and perfect, the streets all have streetlights, and the stars are out. It’s like a movie set, and Johnny dances the whole time.
Happiness is midnight.
What made you happy this week?
Jennifer Crusie is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author and co-author of twenty-three novels, one book of literary criticism, miscellaneous articles, essays, novellas, and short stories, and the editor of three essay anthologies. She lives in a cottage in Pennsylvania, where she often stares at the ceiling and counts her blessings.
Find out more about Jenny’s published works by visiting JennyCrusie.com
88 Responses
Must be lovely walking Johnny late at night like that, when everywhere is quiet and the air is cool. Unfortunately here in the UK we’re having a mini heatwave and even our nights are warm and sticky, my poor cats don’t know what to do with themselves, apart from hiding under hedges out of the sun and seeking shade.
As for happy well finally my very erratic potassium levels have sorted themselves out so I’m back on my inhibitors, hurrah. Down side though means another ct scan then a fortnight of trying not to worry. Fortunately I have your blog to read which always makes me smile, that and your facebook posts, and of course books. Always trying to look on the glass half full side, and I also have marvellous friends, on of which brought some beautiful flower this morning. It’s the little things and thoughts that matter.
Down here in Devon, the heat has been fine. Nice weather during the day and cool enough nights to sleep in. A bit weird considering we are on the South coast… but I am not complaining!
I’ve been doing a fair amount of sitting in the garden under a sunshade, after watering my seedlings & going for a walk first thing. But it’s cooled down today, so I’m planning a blitz on my gardens over the next week.
Current events last night had me on a low note that has carried through to this morning. Unfortunate, because it’s been a really good week for thrifting and I was pretty jazzed about my findings.
Today I am going to try to assembly line out 20 firefly masks so I don’t have that task looming in the back of my mind. It’s too hot to be out too much anyway. And I hate procrastinating if I can help it.
What’s a firefly mask?
For my aunt’s dance company. The intermediate level is going to be fireflies and badgers. It’s a Narnia summer. I still have to figure out what the badgers should look like.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DLBUWr0tOgR/?igsh=MTVleDhiYnp0a2w5ag==
Love the fireflies mask! I just saw the fireflies in my backyard and they make me feel so happy!
As my sister said to me yesterday ” We definitely work on different timetables ” when I was having issues starting my errands at 7:45am instead of 6:45am, now that Trader Joe’s opens at 9am instead of 8am …argh.
Jenny, you and I work on very different timetables. It does sound nice to walk Johnny at midnight when the world is quiet and the stars are shining down. I can’t make it to midnight anymore. My dogs are programmed to wake up and start their walk between 5-5:15am, so I still get to enjoy the quiet, and a wide range of sky vistas; sunrises, bright mornings, and sometimes, as Bob would say, BMNT, depending on the time of year. We are experiencing the start of a 5–7-day heat dome so walking in the morning is the most enjoyable walk for Darcy Bell and Pepper Ann. There is definitely a bounce in their step on our morning walks, which always makes me happy to see.
My other happy is going to see my 90&1/2-year-old mom for lunch today. She is back in her own apartment at her assisted living community after a 2 month stay in rehab recovering from a fall and hip surgery. She worked really hard at her PT/OT to get back to her own place. Also brining the dogs which will make her really happy.
Trader Joe’s what??! During COVID, I got there as early as possible, to avoid the crowds. Now, it’s about an hour or so later. Did they say what caused the change? I second your Argh.
I went to my TJ’s site, and they are still opening at 8am and closing at 9pm. This is in Missouri, just across State Line from me, in Kansas.
The TJ manager at my store in IL said it was a corporate decision and as the opening staff still have to be there at 5am to meet the delivery trucks – it just makes their day longer. I sent an email to corporate begging to bring back the 8am open time. Can’t imagine it will make a difference but at least I made my feelings known.
Good for your mom! That must have taken a LOT of work and fortitude!
Thanks ! She was very determined. When she got her walker she had strict instructions to use it in her room only. Of course they gave her an inch and she took a mile- and within days was taking herself to the PT room. The staff were both highly amused at her mixie and worried she would push herself too far and get hurt.
Our Trader Joe’s also loves to a 9am open and – selfishly, I realize – I hate it. Throws my whole errand schedule off kilter!
Moved, not loves. Should have proofread – Argh, indeed!
Oh I hear you! The least amount of people and traffic I have to deal with the better. But gotta love the TJ staff. Chatting with the cashier Janice about my mom and next thing I know they added a bouquet of flowers to bring my mom at lunch.The flowers (and dogs) brought a huge smile to her face.
No walking at midnight where I live here in the country. No lights at all, except maybe a porch light from a house set back from the street. And people who drive way too fast down a narrow road. We’re having a heatwave here too, and major thunderstorms (I know some people love them, but I don’t). So I’m happy that my power is still on, and that the rain is finally slowing, since my basement has enough water in it already.
I made it through last week’s colonoscopy and prep, but I felt pretty crappy afterwards, and it will be weeks before my digestive system is back to normal (probiotics are your friend). Still, everything checked out fine, and I found out a fun trick for getting your electrolytes back in balance if you don’t have something like Gatoraid (ugh). When I was still shaky and sick feeling by the end of the day, I called the doctor and he suggested potatoes, which are high in potassium, and salt–so basically, he gave me a prescription to eat potato chips. We both laughed about it, but it actually did help.
I’m happy to have the colonoscopy behind me, so to speak, and to have almost caught up in the garden, and made a slight amount of progress on the writing. Also happy for air conditioning.
Also, I am now addicted to the Murderbot TV show, and wish there were MORE FASTER.
Right?! I watched two episodes of Murderbot last night, hoping that putting an hour’s worth of them together would help, but it still believes me wanting more!
Watched the first episode last night with Dh, who is a huge sci-fi fan but sadly not a novel reader. He is hooked. Yeah.
Deborah, I’m glad things came out all right for you, no pun intended. And you got to eat potato chips, too!
Deborah, I put in a few splashes of Sprite in my glass of Gatorade or electrolyte of choice to take away the blah taste and give it a zing.
So happy to hear colonoscopy prep and procedure went well. Hurrah for prescribed potato-munchies! Feel better soon. Hugs!
Even those of us who love thunderstorms do not love to have our electricity go out.
Doctor recommended potato chips?!?! I might feel better about my next colonoscopy! Thanks for the tip.
I use LMNT an electrolyte dry mix you put into water. It’s salty, but no where near as sugary as Gatorade. And it comes in lots of flavors.
Me too
I’m happy that school is done. I mean, I still have to go to work so my schedule doesn’t change much, but I don’t have to nag anybody but me….
We’ve had the whole gamut of weather, but it was nice yesterday and I relaxed on the deck reading!
Am I the only one who thinks happiness is that somewhere a person CAN walk her dog at midnight and be safe? That is wonderful. When I was growing up in Denver that was possible. Now? I think not. So happiness is remembering.
We frequently walk at midnight in our city (San Jose) and have never had an issue. Granted, I don’t go alone very often, but I don’t expect it would be a problem…
Depends on the dog. A friend and I used to walk her 100 pound black dog at night and men hanging out on street corners would either go back in the (small neighborhood) bar or cross the street to avoid us.
I’m not walking today, because it was 80º when I got up, and I had very little sleep, due to staying up to finish Lavender’s Blue. Plus, my dog has me trained to carry her for the first two blocks, which is asking a lot in 80º and 75% humidity. We have been under a Heat Advisory for days.
I’m happy the Solstice is past, and the days will get shorter, eventually. A Belated Happy Summer Solstice to you all!
I’m sad the solstice has passed. It means winter is coming and I’m not ready. Even with it feeling like 95F outside today, yesterday was the first hot day of the year. I want summer (and am happy to be getting it).
But the height of summer is always after the solstice, just like the depths of winter.
I know. That’s what made me sad
Happiness was watching the first episodes of two sci-fi shows new to me, Constellation, and Foundation. Constellation is European, heavily Swedish, so very moody and suspenseful. Foundation is more classic sci-fi, based on the Asimov books and so far, done very well. Will continue with both of them.
Thank you for those recommendations, Tammy S.! Good scifi shows are hard to find…
Yes they are. I tried Silo and just couldn’t get into it, even though performances were great.
I also enjoy late night walks.
The pool is open again after being closed for a week, so we had a nice swim yesterday.
We discovered my car had a very flat tire yesterday morning—must have picked up a screw pulling out of the driveway. My happy from that is I finally changed a tire myself! I’d been feeling for years like that was something I should be able to do. Now I know I can.
The weather has been fantastic—sorry to everyone who is dealing with heat. The only downside is the veggies aren’t doing much in the garden. I’ve had a few modest zucchini—that’s about it.
We played hooky and hiked Tuesday afternoon. Going again this morning. Tuesday, a grass fire started about eight miles from where we were while we were in the middle of a dry, dry area with no cell service, so the last part of that hike was pretty stressful—we could smell smoke and knew it was coming towards us, but didn’t know where it was originating. We’re heading out early today to make the most of the residual humidity from overnight and low winds…
Not happy about bombs or incoming heat wave, but happy that my hamstring does seem to be healing a little every day (but not yet enough to go walking at midnight or any other time of the day), and my raised garden is looking fabulous, and I’m finally picking up speed on the editing of the WIP I’m trying to finish by the end of the coming week.
Happy is looking ahead at what promises to be a grueling 5-10 years and deciding to Spend the Damn Money for a fantastic vacation.
We head home today. Work + Moving Prep starts again as soon as we wake up. But we’ve had a great getaway in Alaska.
Major happy: marina-view dinner last night with a sea otter sighting.
I’m happy summer has arrived.
Also, got to spend time with a friend who now lives out of state but was back visiting.
This afternoon, we are visiting a friend who is fostering 2 kittens so that should bring me joy.
Kittens!! I’m envious.
It was a pair of 5.5 week old girls. They were great with everyone!
Very hot in Eastern Ontario – humidity into the 40s (Celsius). DH put up the pop up
gazebo and it’s bearable on the back porch as long as I don’t move much. I’m happy we had a heavy rain last night as the gardens were looking a bit parched. I’ve re-planted beans that got munched and radishes to tempt flea beetles away from my tomatoes. Harvested my first bunch of radishes which also makes me happy.
I volunteered for 2 days at the Dress for Success sale. Lots of visitors which makes it fun and helps the organization. I picked up a couple of tops and pants to take with me on our river cruise, which takes place in July. I can afford clothing but I’ll never say no to a bargain and it’s for a good cause.
My boss sold me a couple of cordon steel planters and I finally got them put together. One is now filled and planted. Cordon steel rusts beautifully and I’ve always wanted one but they tend to be expensive. These are made in Canada which is a happy bonus.
I wondered about those planters, SusanM. I heard the metal made the soil dry out quickly? My co-locataire rebuilt my wooden raised beds this year and I was thinking of using metal next time.
Makes sense that the metal heats up faster than wood or ceramic and dries out the soil. My planters came with styrofoam inserts – maybe they help keep the soil moist for a bit longer.
You must have a different kind of flea beetle. They just attack my rocket.
The heatwave is here, too. Lately, I’m up til around 6AM abd sleep til 2PM. (I just got up a bit ago. My avatar shows the temp outside right now, and I won’t be out walking the cats or dog.
In the basement Owner’s Suite, it says 69.6°F/20.9°C which is near perfect for indoor gardening. Coincidentally, I lost my mind and bought an AeroGarden Harvest 2.0, two Aerovoirs, another shelving unit, and more hot pepper seeds (Piri-Piri).
All my walks in nature will be in my garden room.
I’m happy that my air conditioning worked when I turned it on yesterday and that I didn’t let the guy at the answering service talk me into waiting before requesting a repair on my hot water. I have had no hot water since Friday night. This is the fourth time in 3 weeks, so there is obviously a larger issue that is still unaddressed. And they have taken lack of hot water off the list of what they will address on nights and weekends. I told the guy at the answering service that if I was getting no hot water the whole building wasn’t getting any either, so it couldn’t wait another 2 days. I was calm, but insistent and I once again have hot water. My hair, which wasn’t doing well with sponge baths, and my sinuses are going to be so happy!
Unfortunately, the brief warm up of the water in my apartment didn’t last, so I didn’t shower and I didn’t take out the garbage. At this point, both the garbage and I smell pretty ripe. I will call the office tomorrow and see what the weekday staff can do.
I’ve had to stay places with no running hot water. This is what we do: get a wash tub or bucket, a sponge or washcloths and boil some water in a kettle and mix it with cold water in the tub. soap lightly then just give yourself a sponge down in the shower/bath and then pour the rest of the tub water on yourself to rinse off. If the tub is too heavy use a plastic beaker or similar to scoop the water out onto yourself (my family uses plastic water ladles). Not as efficient as a shower, but you’ll feel better
Sorry ignore me just read your original message… currently have brain fog due to overwork
…I haven’t been outside (yard excepted) since June 6th. Very bad. I would love to take a walk at midnight. I’ve been thinking lately that I should get me one of those reflective vests with “BLIND” written on it and the three dots that are allegedly the international sign of blindness, what with me having been attacked verbally by pricks on bikes twice in the last year. Perhaps that would help a bit to prevent that, AND I would be more visible in general.
I’m happy to have figured out what was wrong with a knitting-pattern I bought a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately I screwed up the cast-on edge after finishing by tightening it the wrong way, buuuut at least I think I should be able to finish this thing on knit-take 833 or somewhere therearound.
I’m happy to have spent 3.5h on the phone with my friend over in England yesterday, just chatting about the now and the back when and good memories and less good memories and what kind of veggies we like or don’t and… random things like that. He made me laugh out loud a whole bunch of times, which is quite a feat, really. He’s an absolute gem, definitely a fountain not a drain. He deserves a care-package soon.
I am very, very definitely not a shopaholic in any way, so I am very happy I managed to kick my own butt and order yarn this weekend. I now have yarn lined up for 5 different projects: first try at mittens, 2 different shawls, a hat that a friend asked me to knit, and the cat that unfortunately is NOT finished but instead had to perish to the scissors (WW story). Quite sad about the last bit there, but trying to not linger on it but instead look forward to the fun knits ahead. ALSO very much looking forward still to the loom-package that will hopefully arrive this coming week(!), even though customs brutally fleeced me of a whole chunk of money to send me the stuff. Argh.
Despite having been, or at least feeling like as if I was, balancing on the very edge of cracking/collapse earlier this week, I’m happy I managed to… not fall or break. Still stubbornly pushing forward. I’m not sure if it’s a victory or just delaying things, but I’m happy it didn’t happen anyway.
Happy for my cats. I love my cats so much. Even when they wake us up in the middle of the night because they wanna sing at the back door or when they come curling up on my lap just to let loose the vilest farts ever or when they find a ball of yarn I’ve forgot to hide and roll it all out all over the floor. They are still the softest, snuggliest, best kitts ever, and one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. <3
That’s a long time not to go outside. Do you have a friend who could come over and go out with you? Cats are the best.
No. No friends. 🙁 Only MIL. Friends have proven to be in short supply here, and the ones I do have live about an hour away and are also blind or visually impareed. Big sad, and it’s not for lack of trying. There aren’t any easy, low-energy spots nearby either where I could just take a walk – last time I tried was when I got attacked by the bike-dude.
Shass, is there any equivalent to the UK’s RNIB in the Netherlands? That’s where I’d go to find local resources and maybe connect with local networks. There are more and more garden groups that offer opportunities for people with various disabilities (here the RHS would be a good source of information, but maybe – if you haven’t already – try Googling ‘community garden group’ plus the name of your locality). Again, in the UK, the National Trust runs many public gardens and is committed to enabling access for people with disabilities. I’m sure there must be similar organizations to these where you are. And at a truly local, low-key level, my allotments gave my friend Pam a key so she could come and sit there during lockdown – there might be some kind of small, private community space like that near you that would do the same?
Do hope you can find a solution to this!
Happy as I had a trip to London with my sister this weekend. We did nice things, like taking a boat down river to Hampton Court, swimming in the ladies pond at Hampstead Heath and on the spur of the moment got tickets to Abba Voyage, which is a concert with holograms! Very cool and a lot of fun.
Less happy, our luggage (I mean for nearly everyone on the plane) got left behind in London. Hopefully it will be sent over tomorrow.
Cold where I am! Ice on the ground this morning which means a crisp clear blue day, that makes me happy.
Friday was Matariki here – Maori New Year, marked by when the Matariki star cluster (pleiades) is visible over the horizon. Even though we are pakeha/tauiwi (not Maori) we celebrated with a family dinner, remembered those we’ve lost, and had a generally good time. Happiness is spending time with people you love, and feeding them.
Sounds like a wonderful holiday!
Happy that son got back safely from an uni excursion to Venice and had a lot of fun: got on very well wuth the other history students, got a round of football (soccer) in with Italians and they visited a ton of sights, too. He survived walking 25 km in the heat on Friday while I spent a cosy day with my mom here in the Bavarian heatwave. I’m glad the heat only now arrived in force.
Must pack my stuff for 8 days in BC to get kiddo #2. Have to bring as little as possible for her to use luggage space. Though I do hope to get some stuff, too, eg anti jet lag medicine. Sadly, the best jet lag relief – made in New Zealand – is not available here (seems to be not available in Canada either).
Not looking forward to the long flight, but to getting back far sooner than expected
Dodo: what is this miracle (jet lag relief) medication? Can one order it online?
Elizabeth, it’s a homeopathic complex medicine. We tried it on our flight from Chrustchurch via LA to Frankfurt and Munich. Almost 24 h in which all sense of time was off. Great stuff. Produced in NZ, but obviously also available in ghe US. The sites I found (iirc also amazon) said no shipping to either Canada nor Europe.
https://www.nojetlag.com/
Christchurch…
My home town ☺️
Allanah, I remember visiting Christchurch very fondly. Heck, our whole holiday – the tour around NZ – was a GREAT experience.
Hi Dodo, thanks for taking the time to answer. Too bad it’s not available here.
http://www.nojetlag.com/where-to-buy-No-Jet-Lag.html
Dodo, I’ve used that! I bought a blister-pac at a travel store. I think Amazon might have it.
Elizabeth, I’m sorry that it’s not available where you are. Neither where I am.
You may be able to find a homoeopathic pharmacy, or just a homoeopath in Germany who can make you up something very similar. Not in the US, though, which banned homoeopathy ages ago because the allopathic establishment feared the competition.
Jane, we have homeopathic medicines, here, they are sold in health food stores and other places like that. I don’t think there are pharmacies, though.
Happiness is friends. We have been making dinner plans with friends to distract us and keep our anxiety down while we wait to meet with more doctors to see if DH should have this surgery—so we had one over Tuesday, went out with a couple Friday, had dinner with my cousins Saturday, and had an unplanned visit with a fourth set Thursday when the power went out for over five hours.
It’s been lovely but I don’t think we can keep this pace up until DH meets with the next doctor in three weeks.
We have an extreme heat warning all day tomorrow and an extreme heat watch for Tuesday —they are predicting high 90s through Wednesday and then dropping to low 90s or high 80s. So happiness also is that I was able to persuade DH to do his 8 mile walks indoors. I am trying really hard not to hover but every time he does anything that gets his heart rate up I worry.
And one more happy—DD has a discussion of her book at Politics and Prose in July and Alexandra Petri agreed to do it with her! She is, along of course with Andy Borowitz, my favorite political humor writer.
(And apparently she just switched from the Post to the Atlantic).
How is the hubby feeling, outside of the logical anxiety about the whole thing? Does he have any physical symptoms that makes this feel extra urgent? Sending hugs. Good to hear there were a bunch of happies this week, despite everything going on.
He’s feeling fine, but apparently you do feel fine until it ruptures. Thanks for the hugs!
😱
Walking at midnight sounds delightful, especially with a dog. They make you see things differently, I find, because what they’re interested in is generally different from what we’re interested in.
I walk on the beach at dawn every morning. I’m dogless, but there are lots of dogs to say hello to, which is fun. And the sunrises are glorious. So they make me happy. Also happy to be doing the (hopefully) final run through of the adult novel before sending it back to my agent. Final run mostly means trying to get rid of 80% of exclamation marks, em dashes and ellipses, all of which I over use.
It’s been about six hours since I last posted. Outdoor temp has dropped to 83 °F/28°C, Humidity 70%. All my orders arrived except the seeds and the storage unit. I assembled the Harvest 2.0 to my very mild disappointment. They saved a lot with the design. It lacks the control pedastal of the Harvest, so it’s shorter. I can’t wait to see how it aligns with the Aerovoir. (I don’t have to, either. I just need to rededicate one.)
The Aerovoirs aren’t here, either, but they were ordered from AeroGarden, not Amazon. “5 – 10 days” vs “next Day,” so there’s that.
I don’t love the Harvest 2 as much as the others I have. I miss the more sophisticated interface and control choices, and the ability to lift the reservoir off the base.
The only advantage of the 2.0 is that it’s cheap to manufacture. I won’t be adding any more of them. I have 8 Sprouts, 4 Harvests, 1 Harvest Elite, and the 1 Harvest 2.0. All of them have an Aerovoir, or will, when the two I ordered from AeroGarden arrive tomorrow.
Something I don’t miss on the Harvest 2.0 is the Harvest’s double-deck, and having to disassemble and clean it.
Our Pridefest and parade was today. It’s one of the best annual events here. It rained a very little bit, just enough to keep the heat in check for most of the afternoon. I got to hang out with a lot of nice people from our indivisible group.
Staying inside for the most part. Pixie gets walked first thing in the morning. Mostly because she insists on accomplishing important things like her walk right away.
Happiness is spending a long weekend hanging out with friends in their low-humidity city. It’s 56 degrees here, but tomorrow I fly home to an extreme heat watch (97 degrees and I assume ridiculous humidity). The weekend was great—among other activities we went to watch the Western Region Summer Rollerski championships. Pretty sure we were the only people there with no ties to the skaters. We capped it off with a nice mini-hike at a nearby local Forest Service site. I really do not want to go home/back to work.
I went to some shows, I went to the county fair, I had a good time. Mom bought me a bunch of stuff while I visited, which is great.
Now I have Patsy Cline singing in my head. I’m not complaining.
What made me happy this week? Well, last week. It’s K-pop comeback summer season. One new favorite group released its first comeback and another group announced their debut date.
My phone is on the injured reserve. Dropped one time too many, I suppose. The screen is loose in one corner. I don’t mind – 98.5% of my calls are either scams or “charities” to/through whom I will not give. Or extended warranty offers (Another scam). Most of my phone usage is taking pictures.
Since Mr. Phone doesn’t want to play well, I bought a $20 64MegaPixel digital camera. It’s less than a third the size of the phone and takes excellent pictures. The only drawback? Once I had it in my hand it looked vaguely familiar. It turns out I already own one, albeit an older model from a different name brand that takes a lower MegaPixel picture. I have no excuse for not taking pictures of the house, the dotter, the grandkinder, the dog, or the cats.
This post felt almost like a poem.
In my email:
The title you pre-ordered is now available for download
Order number: [redacted]
The Honey Pot Plot
Author: Jennifer Crusie
Narrated by: Cris Dukehart
Another thing to remember when walking the dog at midnight is during a heatwave the temperature can go up over the 100’s on streets and sidewalks daytime. I saw that on the weather report yesterday. Not good for pet’s paws. I should have thought of that from when I was a kid and walking from the beach to the hot dog stand in bare feet was quite a challenge.