Small pleasures.

Late winter is a time of small pleasures. When it's cold and gray and (depending on where you live) snowy, and maybe you're not leaving the house as much, and not being as active as you are in the spring, summer and fall, it's a good time to notice little things that can make you smile or give you a pleased sensation, which is what you hang onto to get you through till spring. (Whew, that was a long sentence.)

Here are a few of my small pleasures right now:

--Gain HE detergent--in lavender! I love Gain, but they've only ever made their high-efficiency detergent in the original scent. Which is nice, but sometimes you long for a new smell. I was so happy to find a lavender scent at Wal-Mart the other day (it almost made going to Wal-Mart feel worthwhile!) Plus, they have a lavender fabric softener. My sheets are tumbling in the dryer right now and giving off a wonderful aroma.

--Craig Ferguson. I've seen lots of clips of "The Late Late Show" on Youtube and CBS.com, and I read Craig's memoir a few months ago, so I've been a casual fan for a while. I've been up late a lot of nights this past month with stomach pain and general anxiety-based insomnia, and so I've gotten to see Craig in real time. And I love this guy. He is ridiculous and goofy, but somehow that goes down better at 1:00 in the morning. And his interviews are a delight. He is really interested in everyone who comes on the show and always manages to make them come off as funny and interesting. And that accent! Love him.

--"Talking" greeting cards. I don't buy greeting cards with those audio chips in them very often, but every now and then I find one that's perfect. I was shopping for Valentine's cards for my nephews and nieces the other day, and I found the perfect one for my 13-year-old nephew. The front says "This little card isn't meant to embarrass you..." and then when you open it this very high-pitched woman's voice shrieks, "Hi, honey! Hi! Guess who wuvs you? I do!" It makes me laugh every time I open it, and it makes me laugh when I picture Tanner's face when he'll open it. I highly recommend this card if you have a teenage boy.

--Sharpie pens. More accurately: Sharpie / Pen. They're bleed-proof permanent pens with a clickie top. I picked them up at Walgreens and they are the black pen I've always dreamed of! Yes, I dream of pens. Don't judge me.

--Ella and Louis. I mean, Ella and Louis. In my continuing quest to become a senior citizen before my time, I've really gotten into jazz/swing/big band music. Pandora is invaluable for stepping outside your musical rut, because it's a great way to hear a lot of an unfamiliar genre without having to buy a bunch of albums. And then if you hear something you love, then you can track it to Amazon and snatch it up. I was cleaning out the fridge a couple weeks ago and listening to my "Bing Crosby" station on Pandora, which pulls up tons of other stuff beyond Bing, and "Isn't This a Lovely Day?" came on, and I literally stopped what I was doing to listen. I had to buy the CD because this track is not available as an mp3, so I used the Amazon gift card my parents gave me for Christmas. What a great purchase.

What are your small pleasures this winter?

Quilt.

I finally got our new quilt put on the bed!

Here's a closer shot of the star:

And the sides...I'm not super crazy about the swags, but they do hang nicely. And the corners are quilted in a kind of fan pattern which makes them drape really well. Lots of nice detail in the quilting.

I was taken aback by the extra fold at the top for folding over the pillows--neither of us noticed that when the quilt was spread out on the stage at the auction. I don't really like making a bed that way, I like stacking my pillows on top of the quilt and against the headboard, for a pillow nest effect. So I'll have to figure out a way around that part.

Other than that, I love it! We've slept under it for a couple of night now and it's ever so soft and warm. It's fun to sit and look at all the different patterns in the big star, too. I love quilts with lots of different little patterns in them. When I was a kid, I had a baby quilt made by the ladies' sewing circle at either my mom's church or my dad's church, not sure which one...anyway, it had a pale green border and then square patches with tons and tons of tiny squares in every pattern you can think of.

When I got to kindergarten age and had to take a blanket for naptimes, my mom embroidered my name on the side in red thread and I would lay on it at naptime and stare at all the tiny little patterns, all different from each other. I still have the quilt--it's so beat up but still pretty.

Happitudes.

Happitudes: things you're happy about and feel gratitude about at the same time.

1. Went to the plastic surgeon yesterday for my follow-up and he says I'm healing just great. I'm over most of that awful exhaustion, too.

2. My cousin Janine gave birth to a beautiful baby boy named Isaac on Wednesday.

3. My niece Natalie had a stellar first week of first grade.

4. My gorgeous 6-year-old niece Evelyn became a gorgeous 7-year-old this week. (And your slacker Aunt Janelle is going to call you this weekend, promise!)

5. My husband went to the grocery store with me (number 13,000,000 on his "favorite things to do" list) and loaded the bags into the car and then carried them into the house for me.

6. It's supposed to cool off next week. (Hallelujah!)

7. I've read two good books in the past week...after months of duds.

8. My brother's dreadfully infected toe is all healed up.

Got any happitudes to share?

Summer's here.

I don't want to be a big giant baby, I really don't--but it's supposed to be in the 90's here for the entire future 10-day forecast and probably beyond, and all I can say is "Waaaaaaaaaaah!"

It wasn't supposed to happen this soon! It's only the beginning of June! It's too soon for hot and humid! I was supposed to have a couple more weeks!

Every year I take it harder (insert rueful laugh.) The summers are going to be what drives me out of Virginia, I swear it!

Anyway, here's a couple of red pictures--from indoors this time. Although I can't stay inside till this heat wave's over, so I may as well go out and get some groceries. Ugh.

It's been fun the past couple of days, looking for red things in my daily life.

Look at what I got in the mail yesterday from my awesome mom!

She's made quilted tote bags for my sister and my sister-in-law, and a number of people she works with, but I never felt like I needed one. Then a few months ago, I started using reusable grocery bags, and I thought to myself how nice it would be to have a pretty bag for my other shopping. I've never been much of a shopper, and I'm even less of one now that the gas companies have decided to ruin us all, so one bag will cover my non-grocery needs pretty well. I just have to remember to use it! I can usually remember to grab my grocery bags, so I think I can remember to have this one on hand, too.

Look at all the pockets inside! I love the fabric--I wanted something darker but still feminine. It was hard to find!


And Mom added little flower buttons on the pocket and the top that just match perfectly. That's my mom all over!