#160: Bagels and lox

Reason to Be Happy #160:
Bagels & Lox

Perhaps my favorite breakfast food (which is saying a lot, since I love breakfast above all other meals!), especially with those tart little caper berries on it. Mmm. Although I love salmon in almost any form or incarnation, this is at the top of the list.

Favorite bagel and lox story: At home in Dayton once at the Bagel Cafe (corner of Stroop & Far Hills), I asked the young girl behind the counter, "Do you have lox?" She narrowed her eyes, looked at the door, and said, "Yes," very defiantly. Turns out they had locks…but no smoked salmon!

#159: First Snowfall

Reason to Be Happy #159:
First Snowfall of the Season

Okay, so I'm a wee late. Ours (in Dayton, Ohio) was a week ago today, but it was a good first one—no wimpy little "dusting," it actually accumulated enough to cling to branches and grass and look lovely and festive. Even if you hate winter, there's something about the first snow of the season that feels kinda magical.

#158: That Fantastic Aroma of the Christmas Trees for Sale

Reason to Be Happy #158:
That Fantastic Aroma of the Christmas Trees for Sale

Outside grocery stores, in parking lots, where ever this club or that club has set up their Christmas tree sale—that spruce and pine aroma wafts through air. It's sharp and so evocative of the season. I love it!

Thanks to Erin and Kim for both posting this reason on my Facebook fan page!

#157: Kahlua in Your Coffee

Reason to Be Happy #157:
Kahlua in Your Coffee

A lovely pleasure, reserved for weekend mornings—especially when it's raining or snowing—when you have the time to linger over the newspaper and stay in your jammies for a while.

#156: The Way Ducks Sound Like They're Chuckling

Reason to Be Happy #156:
The Way Ducks Sound Like They're Chuckling

#155: Trader Joe's Candy Cane Joe-Joe's

Reason to be Happy #155:
Trader Joe's Candy Cane Joe-Joe's

A recent discovery for me. All I can say is, "Where have you been all my life?"

#154: Remembering Funky Dreams

Reason to Be Happy #154:
Remembering Funky Dreams

Dreams are so amazing. It's so fun when you remember long, weird ones. I have three favorites from last year. In one, Dexter was living in my garden shed, only he was always wearing pink sparkly boots. He told me, "I'm gonna use your shed for a while, okay?" and I said, "Sure. I love the show," and he said, "What are you talking about?" In the dream I got nervous and said, "Nothing," thinking, "He doesn't know we know!" Another dream had to do with my garden. I dreamed that Chris Hemsworth as Thor and an animated Nancy Drew were stealing zucchini from my garden in the middle of the night. When I caught them, Nancy locked herself in my shed, but Chris ran around my yard and couldn't figure out how to get out of the privacy fence. (Really? Thor couldn't get over a fence? The Avengers are in trouble!). He started to cry and begged me not to call the police. He offered to write me a poem. I'm disappointed with my dream self for rejecting his offer.
My third favorite dream was of Erica, on my marketing team at HarperCollins. I showed up at her office and she was wearing a full body kitten suit, complete with whiskers drawn on her face. She said she wore it when she was sad and it always cheered her up. She offered to let me borrow it.

The show that always got dreams just right, and really captured their disjointed time-jumps and absurdity? The Sopranos.