Things that have recently made me happy:

This is my wolfie, Anu. I love her beyond words.
Snow makes her happy, too. :)
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Sitting on my cold bum in the snow, laughing and talking to Bee.
I had just been playing with Anu when the phone rang.
Dang, the best of everything!

Dogs + Snow + A very good friend = A very happy Jessie!
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Since the party Up North was cancelled due to weather, we celebrated my nephew's 8th birthday with sloppy joes and salad at my sister's house. This is a photo of our "massage-train." My sister is cooking at the stove...followed by my brother, then his girlfriend, then my brother-in-law, then me, and last but not least, my goof-ball nephew (the caboose!). Vinny, unfortunately, had to give up his place in line to take the photo. :)-
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Luckily, my sister, my brother, and I
all live within a few blocks of each other.
Have I mentioned that I LOVE snow?!
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This is Daniel Handler, one of the resident cats at the bookstore. I took his picture this morning because he was being a lover and is just too cute. As I look at the photo right now, I feel a sense of relief because I finally got a chance to talk to the bookstore matriarch and it seems that everything is going to work out perfectly. I was nervous about telling them about my other job...but I left work today feeling sense of relief. I'm glad to say that I will be enjoying the best of both worlds.
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And speaking of books...
On Saturday I received a package from Martha in the mail.
She sent me something for the book swap and I suppose it goes without saying that I love what I found inside!
In the card she wrote:
"Enclosed you will find 3 thing that I love.
Out of Africa--for you pleasure
blank watercolor moleskine--for your art
post-its--to capture those fleeting brilliant insights."
And so it shall be. :)
Tonight I'm going to spend some time in my studio playing with watercolors. I can't wait! And Out of Africa is the very next book on my list. I'm drawn to the ever-so-blank pages of this new journal and the earthy, sepia tones of Out of Africa's dust jacket. I've never read the book, but have always wanted to.
I couldn't have received a more perfect gift!