1. God
2. Readiness to take directions
3. John explains his day to me – I only have to make four phone calls he said (well, I assume he must teach, too, but it’s a good way to frame things)
4. The imperfect idea and the imperfect action
5. Better than that
6. Extensions
7. Warmth
8. Remembering who and what
9. through surprises

1. God
2. Surprise party organized by Cassie, she spent months planning
3. Hannah drove from Pennsylvania to be there
4. Kind greetings and kind words
5. Thoughtful gifts although as Cassie pointed out the best gifts are experiences and being together
6. On a day when I’d really given up and just wanted to hide under the covers
7. Also going to the park and watching the dogs run around and the dog owners’ know dogs’ names if not people’s
8. A message from my nephews though I missed them “Where is Garrett” “Can we speak to Garrett”

1. God
2. Some gold disk in the sky
3. Still point of the turning world
4. Peabody comes when you call him (though it helps to have treats)
5. We must not forget our feline companions
6. Heard from Susana, she found a place on Plum Island
7. Companionship and growth
8. Lindsey’s equation of gratitude and awareness
9. Grace
10. This is colossal

1. God
2. A trip to the World War II museum with Cassie and David
3. There was a charming youth (maybe 9 or so) who followed us around spouting facts and wanting to engage us in conversation. I need to get away from that kid, David told me, he reminds me of me at that age. Your comeuppance, I told him, I was the same way. The unfettered delight in knowledge.
4. Walking dogs and talking about dogs and dogs running and playing
5. The warmth of a cat lying on top of me.
6. Cassie making photograph calendars
7. Alan strung green lights along part of our fence.
8. Heat

1. God
2. Approaching daylight through the trees
3. Going to a workshop with Cassie, one rare occasion where our work interests intersected
4. Long conversation with David
5. Sauce made from our own tomatoes
6. Christmas decorations on Bacon Row courtesy of St. Vincent
7. Winter, more and less
8. Scales

1. God

2. Coffee with Steve P.

3. At this, enlightened

4. The cats keeping sentry duty for the mouse in the cupboard (poor mouse, though this is a wily one)

5. The new cafe which serves Cuban food

6. Everyone’s gone to the movies including us

7. Night walks with Mr. Peabody

8. Reflections

1. God
2. Seeing Hannah for a short visit
3. Blankets
4. Coleus growing inside
5. All of us animals getting along
6. Heavenly music
7. Winter white
8. Exponential gratitude

1. God

2. Right words at the right time via the universe about letting go

3. Gratitude in action

4. No knock on feeling, “who feels it knows it all”

5. by acting the way I want to feel

6. and the scene changes

7. as I stay on the train or keep driving the car or remain on the beam

1. God

2. Closeness

3. Making pumpkin kale bean soup and salad

4. A stove

5. Cassie polishing silver so generally we can have nice things as opposed to “this is why we can’t have nice things.” She imagines she’s doing it for the queen but I don’t see another queen around here.

6. Coffee with women

7. November light

8. A walk with Mr. Peabody along the river as he sniffs everything and takes a roll – well, many of them, and people who like dogs greet him affectionately.

9. Fallen leaves good for composting

10. This day which the Lord has made, rejoice and be glad

1. God
2. Roasted root vegetables
3. Warm house
4. Getting from place to place
5. Walking over the hill despite the fierce west wind
6. Newer computers for some of the students
7. Something to look forward to
8. A now to appreciate
“No matter what I do or say,
Sometimes I grump, when I don’t get my way,
I want ya all to know,
I’m happy to be here today.”
Sheila Jordan singing on Bob Moses’s record When Elephants Dream of Music