What Are Your Favorite Small Pleasures?

[slinkerwink]

I have this thing where when my dogs are groomed, and they come home. I like to hold them close to me and smell their fur because they smell so good, but there's that distinct doggy smell underneath, and it makes me feel safe and happy.

I also like to get up every morning, slice open a bagel, slather some cream cheese on, pour the coffee into my mug, and read my newspaper or DU. That's what I like to do every morning.

Also, I love crunching my boots through the snow in New England. The sound of my boots crunching through the snow is just so satisfying somehow.

[rwenos]

1. Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee

It costs about $60 a pound, depending on that year's crop.

Also Frank Sinatra CD's, if recorded before 1965 (when he could still sing).

[Must_B_Free]

4. How would you describe Blue Mountain Coffee?

For one who has never really had it.
I have had good Kona.

[rwenos]

10. Clean Taste, . . .

Not too strong. Has multiple levels, like a complex red wine. Kona is delicious too -- and much more available. Kona is "yummie" to me, while Blue Mountain is clean, complex, light on the tongue.

I don't particularly like heavy, strong blends like French Roast. My favorite other coffee is light Colombian, when I don't want to pony up for Kona or Blue Mountain.

[Must_B_Free]

2. There is no pleasure

only work and struggle. Struggle to provide at least as good of life for my family that I had. Struggle to gain financial independence so I don;t have to spend all of my creative efforts on corporate work so that someday I can relax and spend the time to make music again.

[TexasSissy]

45. That is so sad! I truly believe that you can make your own

happiness to a certain extent. We're all trying to get by, one day at a time. But surely there are some small pleasures in your life that you can focus on and be glad about? There's nothing you can afford that you couldn't afford ten years ago? There's no aspect to your health that you can be happy about? You don't know someone who has more problems than you, so you can be happy about your situation?

Not trying to preach or anything. But it is so sad to hear that someone gets no joy out of anything in his or her life.

[Must_B_Free]

47. I like arriving at the airport after 4 days of work

I like a subway Southwest turkey and bacon sub. Coffee. DU. I liked reading DaVinci Code. That's about the extent of it.

[HEyHEY]

59. Those few minutes in bed before falling asleep...if it's raining hard

I could listen to that sound forever

[mykpart]

3. I like sleeping late,

cream cheese and jelly sandwiches, and watching my cat pretend she's a vicious puma!

Oh yeah, and I love rubbing my hubby's bald head!

[ChoralScholar]

5. This is so crass, and I cannot believe I am saying it

Time spent in the bathroom with a good book or magazine.

[slinkerwink]

6. ha, I'm sure everyone's enjoyed a good book in the bathtub

:-P

[ChoralScholar]

7. well, that's not *exactly* what I meant, but thanks for the support :) EOM

[slinkerwink]

8. ha, I knew what you meant, but I was teasing ya

:evilgrin:

[thebaghwan]

9. Courvossier cognac, Myers rum and coke, The Blues

n/t

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

11. Hmmm

Hazelnut coffee with too much creamer and sugar.

Sunday mornings, eggs, bacon, the paper and my husband and daughter. All three of us just lazing around.

The tiny feathered lamp (much cuter than it sounds) on the corner of my desk. Casts a warm little tiny glow.

Clean, freshly-styled and colored hair when I come home from the stylist. I run my hands through it for hours.

My daughter's voice.

Brand new running shoes and clean socks.

The smell of the air before rain.

The first cold snap of the year.

Rubbing my dog's belly.

My cat falling against me in bed, purring, sleeping curled up next to me all night.

Linen spray on my bed.

Falling asleep with Britcoms on.

Jazz on the stereo.

Candles.

A good, satisfying middle of the day nap.

The first sip of a realllllly cold diet Coke.

The feel and smell of leather (sorry but I love it, wish I didn't).

Shooting the breeze with the neighbors while standing outside.

Etc.

[slinkerwink]

12. that's beautiful!

[NJCher]

16. Oh man, what a great list

You truly appreciate life. That is a gift.

Let me try my hand at this:

Looking across my property, seeing flowers as far as it goes. Loving the fact that I don't have to do anything but be in my gardens with my kitty cats.

It makes me smile when I'm standing in the kitchen and a kitty whisks by my ankles.

I love it when it's pitch black here in the back of the mountain and I see only the dim light behind my neighbor's stained glass windows.

Crickets chirping on summer nights.

Watching my two cats boxing each other while they sit on their hind legs.

Leaving the last piece of chocolate for my husband.

The first day in August that's like autumn.

Soft, clean cottons and linens. Any natural fiber.

Coral impatiens against a sea green wall.

When the trees turn bright gold and the sky is bright blue.

Being snowed in with Scrabble and a bottle of red wine.


Cher

[Maddy McCall]

13. Watching my son's peaceful face as he sleeps...

even though he is a preteen ten-year-old "big boy" now, he still looks like my little baby when he sleeps.

[slinkerwink]

14. awww.....

:-)

[Droopy]

15. Drinking beer and sleeping

I don't drink a lot or often, but I do partake at least weekly. I work six days a week and when Saturday night rolls around I like to have have a six pack to finish the week off right.

I also like not having to get up in the morning with an alarm clock. I work a 5pm to 1am shift so I can sleep until my body decides to naturally wake up. It's very cool.

[samplegirl]

17. All of these

A long foot massage
the smell of someone you love
banana popcicles
kitty kisses
sleeping in
driving my car and watching the sunset
good hair day
hearing i love you
random acts of kindness
new clothes
clean crisp sheets
laughing really hard
memories
dancing to your fav. slow song
Singing
swinging on the porch
finding a love note
a long kiss

[ImThatOneGuy]

18. Haha I'm gonna have to agree with ya

The simplest things in life are usually the most enjoyable...

-I love taking a nighttime walk around the neighborhood around 12 or 1 AM every night to clear my head...I love the quiet and serenity

-Listening to soft/classic rock before I go to bed

-MOST DEFINITELY the FIRST sip of ice cold original Coca-Cola Classic (nothing better than the bubbly taste)

-Putting on a nice pair of freshly washed blue jeans

-Having my girlfriend whisper into my ear

-Smelling the intoxicating scent of her hair

-Taking in that first breath of fresh crisp autumn morning air

-Crunching the red, yellow, and orange fallen leaves under your foot

-Letting those first drops of rain touch your lips

-AND since its nice and warm here in California, just letting that wonderful sunshine warmly hug you

[mwdem]

19. Frozen baby peanut butter cups.

mmmmm..

[slinkerwink]

20. my god! I've never thought of freezing them that way....

*salivates*

[mwdem]

21. to die for...

[slinkerwink]

22. which peanut butter cup kind do you use?

And how long do you freeze them for?

[mwdem]

23. Reeses,

just keep them in the freezer for whenever.

[slinkerwink]

24. ha, awesome

;-) will try that tomorrow!

[mwdem]

25. Always keep it on hand!

[gpandas]

32. i always eat them, can't keep on hand...

but frozen mini reese's are my favorite sweet snack

[rumguy]

26. coffee, breakfast, and DU/DKos/Atrios/TPM

That's my favorite way to start the day - within minutes you are up to date on all the important happenings.

[slinkerwink]

28. and any other small pleasures?

It's not just morning pleasures ;-)

[yvr girl]

27. Some of my favourite things

-Walking in the fog
-Warm rain on my face
-Swimming in Kits pool (enormous outdoor pool at a local beach with a view of the ocean and the mountains.)
-Grabbing a latte at Chapters (book store) and browsing for books
-Driving on country roads with good tunes playing and the moon roof open
-In winter, putting on warm socks, straight from the dryer
-A quiet walk in fresh snow after dark. I love the way it sparkles from the street lights.
-Playing in the surf in tropical water
-Laughing so hard that you cry
-Dark chocolate
-The smell, after the rain
-Getting a massage
-Getting my hair washed by someone
-Bubble baths
-Fireworks
-Amusement park rides, especially if they spin
-Clean sheets
-A long, hot shower
-Kissing

[slinkerwink]

29. that's a beautiful list!

:-)

[Rhiannon12866]

30. I also love it when my dogs are groomed

But I hated when they were sprayed with doggy perfume. I don't use it; why should they? I have a continuing argument with my mother about this. In the Middle ages, when people couldn't bathe regularly, they needed perfume. We don't anymore.:puke:

I hate snow, but love the feel of the sun on my face. I realize that it's not going to be summer here for very long.:-(

As for getting up, it's so wonderful to wake up and realize that you don't have to.:-)

[Nay]

31. Sitting under my honey locust tree,

petting my kitty until he purrs so much he starts drooling.

Seeing how happy my kitty is when I greet him as I come home from work.

Giving my son a head rub/scratch.

getting a good massage.

The smell of scented candles.

Homemade hot chocolate at the end of the day.

Puffy little white clouds in a blue, blue sky.

A hug from a friend.

The taste of a ripe fig from my fig tree.

The sound of waves lapping on a seashore.

[arwalden]

33. Kona Coffee

[Zomby Woof]

36. that isn't a small pleasure

That is the gargantuan mother of all pleasures! :D :donut:

[arwalden]

39. True... But It Goes By So Quickly That It Sometimes Seems Small

:-) :hi: :donut:

[Mandate My Ass]

34. My dogs

Seeing how happy they are when I come home at the end of the day or when I give them an unexpected treat or a ride in the car.

Spending a snowy afternoon under the covers with a good book, alternately reading and napping.

Having lunch with my best friend, we almost never stop laughing the whole time and we're always late getting back to the office.

Watching football with my son, he gets silly and makes me stand up and do the E-A-G-L-E-S cheer while making the letters with our bodies.

Being in or near the ocean. The calm I feel at those times is almost blissful.

Baking bread by hand. The feeling of the dough coming to life as I knead it and the smell of it are incredibly satisfying.

Looking through old photo albums.

[Darth_Kitten]

35. Watching my little critters tear into snacks and treats I give them!!

hehehe!!! nothing cuter to watch. :evilgrin:

I like a good saturday morning coffee and newspaper, and checking out DU, while listening to tunes. :)

[Rhiannon12866]

57. My dogs just love cheese!

According to my vet, I should probably eliminate cheese from my little guy's diet, since he went from eight to ten pounds since I have had him, far too much weight for an eight pound dog to gain! But he loves it so much that he will even accept it from someone he's never met before, pretty amazing for a breed that is known for being a "one person dog." My friend often says "Behold, the power of cheese!" LOL! I am a sucker for him, since he is, amazingly, rescue, and had a pretty rough time before he found me. So I still do give him cheese, on occasion, since it makes him so happy that it makes me smile.:-)

[smirkymonkey]

37. The small pleasures are what make me appreciate life...

I love...

Doggy kisses
Central Park on a beautiful day
Sleeping in, then waking up to good coffee w/ heavy cream (bad for me, I know, but I don't care) and going on DU.
Hanging out in Greenwich Village and taking it all in (what I did yesterday)
Slowing down long enough to notice the details and the beauty in everything
Interesting conversations with people I connect with
Travelling and meeting new people, seeing new places and trying new things
Good food, eaten slowly and savored, with people I like
the ability to appreciate beauty, whether in nature or a museum.
So much more, but that's a start for today.

When you can stop and think about what you love and are grateful for, life is just so much richer and enjoyable. The big pleasures don't seem to feed my soul in the same way.

[slinkerwink]

43. that's beautiful!

:-)

[Lizz612]

38. Climbing out my window

and sitting on the roof of the porch. No one looks up, so no one ever sees me. The ash tree in our front yard is right nest to the porch, so its like being in the tree.

I also enjoy the Mississippi beach thats in Crosby Farm Park near my house. It has some really nice water worn logs to sit on.

[Zomby Woof]

40. I posted a "Zomby's Sweet List" some weeks ago

A very similar angle, and I am too lazy to search, lol.

So maybe a new one:

Naw... being lazy is one of life's small pleasures.

(You can bet cooking should be on the list)

[warrior1]

41. The

exaggerated sound my dog makes when she eats tortilla chips.

[CO Liberal]

42. Hazelnut Flavored Coffee

I get a cup every weekday morning at the local Loaf n Jug on my way to work. :9

[marigold20]

44. Saturday morning

The weekend is just starting!

I've always like the smell of pine trees on a warm day.

Expensive, rich ice cream.

Squirrels - they are just funny.

[TexasSissy]

46. What a great, positive post! I have many small pleasures!

1. Hugging my affectionate, fuzzy, black Cocker Spaniel. He loves to be hugged so much that he makes a moaning sound and melts to the floor when I hug him. I love him!

2. That first cup of dark coffee in the morning. I love coffee in the morning!
3. Buying towels on sale - as many as I need or want (there was a time when I couldn't afford them).
4. Taking my dog on a walk on a crisp fall morning or cool, early Spring morning. It's the best! And he's getting old, so the time is approaching where this will soon no longer be possible.

5. Used to be ciggies, until I gave them up several weeks ago. Everyone SHOULD have a vice (perfect people are so boring)...but my lungs were feeling the effects, so I had to give that pleasure up.

6. Jelly beans! Bring on the sugar! (in moderation, of course)

7. Days when I have the discipline to eat low calorie, healthy foods AND exercise, too!

8. Watching a great movie.

9. Lunch with fun friends (there was a time I couldn't afford to eat out, and hence, I still don't enjoy the eating out part, but I do love the friends part)

10. I just bought one of those front loading clothes washing machines. An expensive luxury for frugal me. But I wanted one so much that I splurged, when my old washer broke. I love it!


And many other things, as well. Thanks for the positive post. I was feeling kinda sorry for myself yesterday (bad day, but no big problems). Your post has reminded me of all the pleasures I have now that I used to not have, and that I possibly will not have in the future....and that others don't have. So, thanks!

[SarahB]

48. Moments of solitude

Actually, when I'm driving and can just have some peace and thoughts to myself, listen to music, etc., I don't even care if there's traffic or what's going on around me, I relish in those moments of solitude when I can. I can cry if I want or laugh or sing and it doesn't matter because it's just me.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

49. Strong dark-roast coffee, first thing in the morning

Reading a mystery that not only has a clever plot but is written by a good stylist.

Getting a letter or e-mail message from one of my friends from the past

Walking in the snow when it's just below freezing and the air is calm.

A cloudless blue sky

Sitting on a balcony or porch in a hammock and reading or napping

Writing a well-crafted sentence

Seeing a really fine movie that is both thought-provoking and entertaining

Getting a shy smile from a stranger

A long, afternoon nap after several nights of too little sleep, drifting in and out of wakefulness for three or four hours

Clean towels

Singing with a really good choir, as I now get to do every week

Getting a translation job that's neither technical nor poorly written

Getting a huge, lucrative translation job--who cares how difficult or boring it is? :-)

Ice cream

Meeting up with someone who is truly on my wavelength

[sleepyhead]

50. Getting home early from work

And spending time in the kitchen making a great dinner while sipping a glass of wine and trading witty quips with Mr. Sleepyhead.

A long hot shower with Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Soap (a major addiction of mine! I intend to start a thread on that some day.)

Watching my cats argue over the catnip toy.

Waking up early on a weekend morning and realizing that I don't have to get up unless I want to.

[kodi]

51. petting my dogs

but, with 6 its a bit of an exercise.

[deadparrot]

52. Falling asleep to a thunderstorm n/t

[flamingyouth]

53. Sleeping cat on my lap

A good book, a nice cup of Bancha tea. :)

[Zomby Woof]

56. As long as it's...

ZombyBancha Tea. :-)

[mdmc]

54. The smell of burning wood on a cold August afternoon

I love when there is a cold snap during summer and there is a wiff of fall in the air. :kick:

[HamHocks4Kerry]

55. Fire. I love fire...cooking over it, that is.

Outdoors cooking. That's my hobby.

[MissMillie]

58. Clean Sheets

If I didn't have to do the laundry, I'd change my sheets every night.

Sliced native tomatoes in the summertime.

Hearing my son say "I love you".




Not necessarily in this order.