Happiness is...

... a piece of moldy cheese.

My dad drop by with a huge hunk of gorgonzola cheese the other day. He split it in 3, left some for me and some for a friend who loves cheese.

Kind of random, I thought, but I've got to tell you--I've been enjoying that cheese. It's not the kind of treat I would have bought for myself, so it tastes a little luxurious. Also, I've discovered that both of my older kids like it, too. It's a snack the 3 of us can enjoy together and a reminder that their taste buds are definitely maturing.

My folks do thoughtful things like this all the time. A couple of dog bones showed up at my house the other day, a stack of coupons and comics, a basket full of freshly picked grapes.

It's fun to be thought of by someone who knows what you like. Has anyone done anything thoughtful for you lately? Have you done anything for someone else?

Third Place Causualty

Most Americans have a third place. Your first place is your home. Second place is work (though my second place is church). And third place is that home away from home where you feel comfortable hanging out.

My third place closed down.

Cafe D'vine was a coffee shop connected to our local Christian bookstore. I could get a cup of chai or a blackened chicken wrap and type away at my work in progress. Or I could meet a friend there for a leisure chat. I could walk next door to the bookstore without stepping foot outside. It had a fireplace, a lending library, and a whole room full of smiling faces.

I was in there a month ago. The place was full. But today when I went, the sign on the door said that because of the economic downturn, Cafe D'vine is closed.

Where will I find another third place that's so perfect for me? Will it be Bubble Fusion, the funky east meets west tea shop? I doubt it. The purple suede psychiatrist couches don't exactly lend themselves to open conversation. Another tea house up the street just closed down, too. Brewed Awakenings is too far, Starbucks is too noisy, the library doesn't encourage visiting.

I'll probably end up at Barnes and Noble, though its corporate feel lacks the homey atmosphere of Cafe D'vine.

Do you have a third place? Tell me about it. And enjoy it while you can.

Raindrops on Roses and Whiskers on Kittens

Irish Breakfast Tea.

Literary Fiction.

Periwinkle blue.

Chocolate and raspberry.

Inspirational music.

Warm fuzzy socks.

A good, firm back massage.

An afternoon with friends.

Fruit fresh off the tree.

Salt water air.

A well-turned phrase.

The scent of gardenia.

A hand-written letter.

These are a few of my favorite things.