Writing Challenge: Day 1

I saw a post on Facebook that I found intriguing. It is a 30-day writing challenge, but it isn't the standard challenge. It has some very insightful topics and I thought I'd try it out.

Day 1 - List 10 things that make you really happy

Bubbaloo

1 - My cats. I really couldn't live without them. They are therapy, comfort, and comedy all in one. Diedra is a torti-tabby and she has all the attitude of a torti. But she is the first to notice if I am struggling and she won't leave my side. Bubbaloo is my 22-pound, orange tabby and he if my main snuggle buddy. Ivy Girl is a dead, wobbly, house panther who doesn't snuggle, but is an inspiration. She is a foster failure (she was a foster cat I couldn't give up) and seeing her progress from a terrified cat who had never lived outside a cage to a happy cat who does the cutest little dance for treats just makes my heart overflow.

2 - My new friends. I have recently made new friends right here in St. George. That is a huge step for me. It is wonderful to actually go out for coffee or lunch or go thrift store shopping with another human being.

3 - My old friends. I have some absolutely wonderful people with whom I have been friends since my days in Los Angeles (that's the 90s, by the way). I love texting or swapping Facebook and Instagram pictures and it is a profound joy to get notes and cards in the mail.

4 - My parents. They have been an enormous support. No matter what physical or mental issues I am dealing with on any given day, they are willing to help me get through it. Eight years ago they made the ultimate sacrifice and gave up their office/craft room in their 2-bedroom condo so that I could move in with them. A girl couldn't ask for better parents.

5 - Southern Utah. Oh, it is a marvelous place to live. I am a desert rat, and I am most at home among the red sandstone a black basalt of the Desert Southwest. Our vast spaces and unending skies are a constant wonder.

6 - My health care professionals - I am blessed to have a great group of doctors and specialists that are here for me. They help me deal with all of my myriad issues and even consult with each other to make sure I am getting the best care. It has taken decades to get the right mix of people to help me.

7 - My garden. I am an Earth Witch and I am profoundly happy when I am in the yard playing in the dirt. I love nurturing my plants so that they are healthy and happy. I love my worm bin that I use to compost and get excellent fertilizer for my plants. It all just makes me so happy.

8 - My sisters. We don't talk as much as we used to, but Tammy, Abbie, and Kristin are always supportive when I need help. They have sent cards and texts when I am doing poorly and I know they are always there for me.

9 - Music. I couldn't live without it. It is therapy, and escape, and a joy all at once. I am a metal head - give me loud and obnoxious any day - and my favorite bands are sometimes all I have to drown out the noise in my head.

10 - The #sicknotweak group on Twitter. I never imagined I would find support group online, especially on Twitter. It is wonderful to both give and receive help and support from people across the globe. It lets me know that I am not alone.