Some Happy Scribbles...
Simply typing April 1 above made me happy, which feels like a very good start to this week’s dispatch!
On the other hand, “spring” has been behaving very rudely here – sending a full-blown snowstorm on Sunday and Monday, and below freezing temperatures most mornings. Ugh!
Instead of looking out my own windows at the barren trees and brownish grass, I’ve been immersing myself in Charlotte-Anne Fidler’s Instagram. She lives in a beautiful old house in the English countryside and is definitely experiencing the spring of my dreams!
Here are some more of the things that made me happy this week.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Amelia
This Very Thing
This project – writing about the happy moments of my week and sharing them - is making me very happy!
I didn’t have a grand plan when I started this blog and newsletter – and I think because of my lack of a big goal or purpose, I felt sheepish telling people about it: I mean, it’s just some weekly notes about what made me happy. Why would anyone care? But after sharing last week’s newsletter, and hearing from friends who felt a tiny bit inspired – or happier – I felt over the moon!
Which got me thinking about gratitude in general – and how to cultivate it. Several years ago, after reading about the many successful people who swear by the power of a regular “gratitude practice,” I decided to start each morning by writing down three things I’m thankful for. As a routine lover, I have been doing this faithfully for at least 3 years. But – and I have not wanted to admit this, even to myself - I haven’t found it particularly meaningful, or mood-boosting. I thought there was something wrong with me - that maybe I just wasn’t very grateful - or that this whole gratitude practice thing was overblown.
And so I am thrilled – and a bit surprised – to find that thinking about and writing this feels much more powerful, and happiness-inducing, than my morning gratitude routine.
Is it because I am thinking about what makes me happy at the end of each day instead of at the beginning? Or because I’m paying more attention during my days, and recording certain things as they happen? Is it because I’m paying attention to why certain things made me feel good? Or is it because I’m sharing these feelings with other people? Maybe a morning practice is better for some people than others?
Right now, I have more questions than answers, and I think it will be a fun side project to figure out what makes a gratitude practice truly powerful and effective. If you have any ideas, let me know!
And most of all, thank you for being a part of this happiness / gratitude project with me!
Chicken Recipe of the Week
It is not an exaggeration to say I am obsessed with roast chicken dinners. To me, a chicken surrounded by garlic, potatoes, and other veggies roasting in the oven is the epitome of cozy, homey, deliciousness, and makes me very happy! However, I have never been able to elegantly cut the hot chicken up: I end up burnt, sweaty, and covered in juices. Frustrated by this, I stopped roasting chickens at home for a while - until discovering the life-changing magic of pre-cut chicken pieces!
Now, most weeks I make a different version of roast chicken pieces, and this week’s recipe by Alison Roman was a true winner: turmeric-tossed chicken with vinegar, crushed olives, garlic, and parsley. I used chicken thighs, not breasts, and we ate it with white rice, which was excellent for sopping up the salty, garlicky sauce, and a green salad. You could probably skip the olives if you’re not a fan - I think it’s the vinegar, turmeric, and garlic that make this special.
Stacy’s Dad is a Real Chad
I have learned, repeatedly, that teenage girls are nearly impossible to impress. In my experience, they tend to treat the recommendations of middle-aged women with blatant skepticism - especially if the woman in question happens to be their mother.
So I was taking quite a risk with my credibility - and pride - last Sunday, when driving Sadie (15) and two of her friends somewhere, I suggested they check out a Stacy’s Mom music video parody by Sub-Radio, which I find hilarious.
When I brought it up, I assumed the girls, in their TikTok savviness, would have already seen the video – but they hadn’t! Sadie’s initial reaction was predictably lukewarm, but after I urged them to check it out – in a totally cool, understated way – they did.
The video is truly funny, with perfect lyrics and ridiculous dancing (Tongs! Multicolored lights! Coordinated hand movements!) and as the girls laughed out loud my heart swelled two sizes with happiness that they were impressed with my recommendation!
Mixed Feelings About Mixed Doubles
Last weekend, Jim and I entered a mixed doubles paddle tennis tournament together. (If you’re wondering what paddle tennis is, it’s a fantastic cold-weather racquet sport: more info here!)
Fittingly, I had mixed feelings about this, because while I truly love the game, and I know Jim is a great player, I am also very aware that competitive activities can bring out the worst in married couples; Jim and I have had our fair share of spats and misunderstandings during tense tennis matches and the cartoon below hangs in our powder room, as a reminder of said incidents…
And so it was a huge relief – and joy – that the morning went smoothly and we played like a happy, well-functioning couple: communicating well, each doing our part, and supporting each other through ups and downs.
Sometimes marriage can feel like a competition between each other, and so our tournament experience felt like a wonderful reminder that we’re “in it together.”
A Tiny Gift to Myself
You know that feeling when you’re exhausted and just want to sit or lie down but you have things to do - so you force yourself to keep going?
That’s how I felt, one night this week after dinner, as I stood in front of the kitchen sink full of dirty dishes, contemplating the fact that while the plates were not going to load themselves into the dishwasher, I didn’t want to put them there either. It had been an exhausting and stressful day and I knew what I needed: rest. But I felt like I couldn’t do that until I cleaned up the kitchen.
An internal debate ensued:
“It will only take five minutes.” Said my grown up, mature, voice. “Just do it!”
“I don’t want to!” Said my tired, rebellious voice. “I want to take a break!”
It was just me and Teddy at home, and we typically “do” the dishwasher together – but as my mental argument continued, I realized I didn’t even want to talk about the dirty dishes. I just wanted to ignore them.
Finally, I decided to give myself permission to walk away from the kitchen. The truth was, while I felt like I should clean up, it really didn’t matter. There wasn’t much of a mess, and it would keep until the next morning. As I turned my back on the sink, I felt a huge sense of relief, and a big thrill at the tiny gift of kindness I had given myself.
I sat down, read a magazine, and then did what truly needed doing (put Teddy to bed and walked the dogs) and happily went to bed early. Which was exactly what I needed. Loading the dishwasher the next morning took less than five minutes and didn’t feel like a chore at all.
Two Fun Shows
Have you seen The Tourist on HBO? It’s a fun, easy-to-watch series about a man (played by Jamie Dornan) who wakes up with amnesia after a car accident and discovers his life is in danger. I binge-watched all 6 episodes last weekend and loved it - much of it is set in the hot, dusty, Aussie outback and the supporting characters are great. My favorite is the plucky, kind, Helen Chambers, an underappreciated trainee police officer.
Looking around for a new show, I happened across The Minx, also on HBO, and am hooked. The 70’s period details are fabulous, the acting is excellent, and the country club scenes in the second episode had me belly laughing. The story is about the creation of a fictional feminist magazine featuring nude male centerfolds. What’s not fascinating about that?
And Then This Happened…
I was just about to hit send, when I happened to look outside to see this gorgeous rainbow. It felt like such a gift I had to share it!
Beautiful and very much a feel good read too. Will have to try the chicken! Thanks for sharing your happy moments. Looking forward to read you next week!
Thank you so much! ❤️