Five Happy Things
I very much appreciate and enjoy the focus that looking for life's small and not-so-small happy things brings to my daily life - so here we go:
Five Happy Things
1) A Clear Mammogram Re-do. This is the biggest Happy Thing, without question - I had to do a follow up mammogram yesterday, after a slightly questionable mammogram earlier in the month. I was reassured that the follow up was likely not going to bring up anything, but just to be safe . . .
So yesterday was it, along with an ultrasound of the breast in question. As the radiologist finished the ultrasound, she smiled and said I'd receive an official notification by mail, but she could tell me with confidence that there was nothing there.
Whew!
2) You're so thin! While undergoing the first of yesterday's procedures, the follow up mammogram, the female technician (the only gender I'd allow to give me a mammogram, just saying!), kept commenting on how thin I was, and how did I do it?
OMG, did I or did I not love that??? 😄
I told her it was as simple as not eating a lot, and just as hard. So, so hard on some days!
3) I bought a ukulele. And I can already play a song on it!
I bought a ukulele and ukulele chord chart, and after spending just a few minutes with the ukulele chord chart relearning some of the basic guitar chords, began working on Somewhere Under The Rainbow. And after just a few minutes of effort, I have to say it started to sound pretty good! The chord revisions I started with were pretty simple - G, C, Em, Am, and F - and the strumming pattern changes (a bit faster, and more pronounced, for ukulele) came along pretty much organically.
I'll next begin working on some of the suggested songs the ukulele group I'm looking to join suggests that newcomers learn. I'm thinking by September I should be ready to raise my hand and give the group a try - and vice versa of course!
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I learned while shopping yesterday that there are three types of ukuleles - soprano, tenor, and baritone. I liked the sound of the tenor ukulele the most, so that is the one I decided to go with. It looks so small and cute next to my guitar! |
Update: I went ahead and joined the ukulele group! They welcome beginners, and summer practice sessions begin next week. 😄
4) Summer Cherries. Cherries are beginning to come into season, and are on sale just in time for the upcoming 4th of July holiday. My supermarket sales ads this week are featuring cherries at $1.99 a pound, so a whole of them will be coming home with me tomorrow when I do my weekly grocery shop.
5) Free Symphony In The Park event tonight. This is the first free concert of the 2025 summer season we're able to attend, so I'm feeling particularly happy and excited. I'm making a Mediterranean tuna salad, plus baguette slices with cheese, grapes, and some sparkling wine. It should be a lovely, though possibly still slightly cool evening, so I'll try and remember to throw in some sweaters in addition to some sun hats. June is our month of transition here, with the heat generally not reaching us until July.
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What's made you happy recently? Please share!
A clear mammogram is a very happy thing! Enjoy your ukulele practice and concert plus picnic.
ReplyDeleteYes, with my dear girlfriend currently struggling through her fourth bout of cancer, I did find myself 'what if'ing' as I watched both technicians work. And of course, this is not good news I would share with her, so a moment of emotion as I gave thought to that as well.
DeleteYour husband plays something as well, correct? I just can't remember which instrument!
Thank you so much for saying the key to bring things is as simple but also as hard as eating right. I don't begrudge thin, healthy active people..I applaud their diligence. I'm bothered by the holier than thou thin people that either were blessed with incredible metabolisms or really probably are thin but may not be healthy that get on mean soap boxes about weight management. It is hard. The mammogram results had to be a relief. I have more frequent paps because of irregular results, but it's always a relief to hear no change.
ReplyDeleteSam, I have had a profound 'aha' about food over the past year. My 'drug' was sugar, but really, so much of our modern food is just a big dose of drugs vs cleaner food preparation in the past. We've added so many additives to our food, that many if not most of us are addicted to the drugs in our food - sugar, salt, fats - without our even realizing it.
DeleteIt's no wonder we struggle! We really aren't addicted to food in it's purest form - vegetables, fruit, meat, dairy - we're addicted to the fat, sugar, and salt that have been added. So frustrating.