Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens...these are a few of my favourite things!

I know - how trite! A list of my favourite things - but I just wanted to share! (They are listed in no particular order)

1. The smell of Kody's paws. You gotta trust me on that one.


2. A dog rolling in the grass at the park. There is always a look of pure, unadulterated joy on their faces as they roll and squirm and wriggle along the grass. Makes me want to drop to the grass and join in!


3. Watching the sun set at the cottage. We have the perfect spot at the cottage, aptly named Sunset Rock, to watch the setting of the sun. In fact, I have witnessed some of the most beautiful and dramatic sunsets ever right at Sunset Rock. The rocks, warmed by the sun all day, face west across the lake. There's one spot that has been warn down and shaped by numerous bums that have sat there over the decades. Cottagers gather with their post-prandial beverage to celebrate the joys of being at the cottage. This favourite cottage ritual is enhanced some evenings with the bagpipes - Roger pipes down the sun to Amazing Grace. Brings a tear to the eye and peace to the heart.


4. Stargazing. And I don't mean hanging out at the Four Seasons waiting for a celebrity to walk by! I love to lay out on the swim dock at the cottage waiting for the first star to appear. Looking up at the stars clears the mind and puts things into perspective. No matter how crazy life gets, looking at the stars makes me realise that we are here on this planet for an infinitesimal amount of time - so stop worrying about things and get out there and live.


5. Hugs! I love to hug and be hugged. There is a sense of connection and completion in hugs. They convey so much that words are incapable and ineffectual of expressing.


6. The sound of the first cicada of the summer - it is a portent of long hot summer nights and lazy days at the cottage.


7. Chocolate - it is my one vice, and will never apologise for it! Popping a piece of dark, bitter chocolate in your mouth and waiting for it to melt is decadent and almost naughty!