1. “Angels with dirty faces.” Although all are still children—one taller than I am— my heart squeezes with love when one throws his arms around my waist, tilts his head back for a kiss, and grins like a little devil. I become a blubbering mess when I receive hand-written thank-you letters and drawings; when they say please and thank you; clear their own plates and utensils from the table; say grace with his brother when no one else is at the table; and yelling “Watch this!”, when doing something daring. Are they perfect? Heavens, no! But it doesn’t get much better than this.
2. When every appliance in my house, every piece of electronic equipment, and both vehicles work! I hate it when I have to shop for a new refrigerator, television, or car. It’s always another learning experience and aggravation I can do without. I dread having to call a repairman to come to the house, having them tromp in and out, taking who knows how long, putting me on hold while they take over. Why don’t refrigerators last 30 years like they used to?
3. An all-girls road trip! Once a year, four of us take off, no men allowed, and where we go and what we do is our business. “What happens in….” Don’t worry, we wouldn’t do anything we’d be ashamed about! The Great Escape is all that matters.
4. Finishing a WIP! –especially one that caused so much trouble, refusing to cooperate with MY plans for the plot, going off on its own tangents, creating havoc where there was none, a background character taking over, causing me to stop, ponder, and begin again. Like raising a recalcitrant child, I am ecstatic when the WIP finally reaches adulthood and turns out to be a worthwhile creation after all.
5. An e-mail from a publisher in response to a submitted manuscript saying: “Congratulations! We love your story and wish to give you a contract in its present form. You do not need to re-write the plot, remove any POVs, or add any more internal or external conflict. Your storyline is great, your transitions are wonderful, and your characters leap off the page.” Okay, in my dreams, so I’ll definitely be very happy to receive one that says: “Congratulations. We would like to offer you a contract for your manuscript. While your writing is good, we will need to polish and edit it to some degree. If you’re willing to work with us, Welcome Aboard.” Then, I would do a little happy dance and run to tell my husband my good news.
Celia Yeary
Romance…and a little bit o' Texas
TEXAS BLUE-eBook and Print
SHOWDOWN IN SOUTHFORK—eBook
ALL MY HOPES AND DREAMS-eBook and Print
All great choices!
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping to be happy soon about one of your items - Finishing my WIP!
Morgan Mandel
http://facebook.com/morgan.mandel
Five great things to love.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I love are those perfectly clear summer nights when the temperature as cooled and the air is ladened with the scents of jasmine and honeysuckle. I feel eternal on those nights.
Fun list, Celia!
ReplyDeleteHi Celia,
ReplyDeleteI couldn't have picked a better list of things that make me happy too. Number 1 on your list is my very favorite. Great job!
I love your list and agree with them all. What a delightful post. Thanks for making me smile today.
ReplyDeleteMORGAN--yes, finishing a ms is a grand feeling! Celia
ReplyDeleteKEENA--I love to sit on my back screened-in porch on a cool summer morning, before the sun heats up the world, listening to the birds. Just lovely. Celia
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lindsay! Celia
ReplyDeleteREBECCA--only grandmothers understand number 1 one my list! It's sort of like falling in love, isn't it? I always dreamed of little, cute granddaughters, and I got only boys. Now, I think I'd take boy s all over again. Celia
ReplyDeleteMAEVE--my goal in life is to make someone smile at least once each day! I did it! Celia
ReplyDeleteGreat list, Celia. I don't have grandchildren, but I remember when my girls were small. They're still lovely, but I loved when they were still living with us.
ReplyDeleteI love early mornings, too. We don't have a sceened in patio (we always intended to screen in one half) but we have bird feeders outside our breakfast area and watch the birds while we eat any meal. Always interesting. Last night our neighbor's cow knocked several of the feeders over, so my husband repaired those today. Joys of living in a rural area!
I love your list! Always nice to read happy thoughts, although the gripes can be fun, too. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI with you with most of the list, but don't mention the appliance going wrong thing.
ReplyDeleteWe just replaced the microwave and washer, so I think they're okay for now. *gives nervous glance to refrigerator*
Janice~
CAROLINE--you made me laugh about the cow. We're in a subdivision, but we have acreages--no curbs, county road, no street lights, etc.--it's in the country, for sure. We have a concrete bird bath, and the bucks--when they have their racks--use it as a scratching post and knock the bowl off the pedestal. Celia
ReplyDeleteLORAINE--I know! Griping is really more fun. Celia
ReplyDeleteWhat a great list, Celia. I love #2. How blessed are we when both vehicles are running w/ no problems. Life is indeed good.
ReplyDeleteYes, Janice, I know what you mean. I do the tiptoe thing around my wahing machine--our refrigerator? Just got a new one. Every appliance is the same age, so it's like dominos falling. Ewww. Celia
ReplyDeleteWell, my positive didn't take. So here it goes again...
ReplyDeleteI love to listen to the mockingbirds early in the morning. They sit up there, and sing their little heart outs. And it is a beautiful sound too. I really enjoy them.
I love it when my kids or grandkids accomplish something or finish something that has taken so long to do. The joy on their faces is worth a million dollars.
I like to hear kids having fun, their laughter, it makes me happy.
I love watching an old movie, just leaning back and enjoying it for what it is.
I love getting a close parking place to the store. God is so good to me.
I love the fact that God forgives me of the ugly things I've done, and the satisfaction of knowing where I'm going when I die. It's a wonderful feeling.
I love singing to myself, this pleases me greatly, I know that sounds funny, but I don't need a radio to entertain me, I can hum or sing to myself. This is a God given joy and a lot of the time we take it for granted. And my great grandbaby loves me to sing to him.
I love babies, and watching them, they are so carefree and happy, most of the time, that is.
I loved being with my husband while he was alive. Just being with him, he didn't even have to talk to me, just him doing his thing, me doing mine.
I enjoy watching people and animals. You learn so much from them.
I love learning new things, I feel as though I accomplish something.
I love the freedoms I have that I hope I never take for granted. And the freedom to write what I want, when I want, pleases me greatly. The fact that someone might enjoy it, is a bonus, and really makes my day.
When I please a reader and she takes the time to write me about it, it thrills me.
Winning $5. on a lotto ticket. I mean let's face it, we aren't all going to win the big one, but even the small ones can make you happy.
That's a few things I really love.
EVIE--yes, those vehicles--your life comes to a standstill if it stops running, or has a flat, or is out of gas, even! You're so right. Celia
ReplyDeleteRITA--You should have written this post. I absolutely love your list, and I enjoy every one except--singing to myself. Not me, uh-huh. My darling little baby grandsons did not appreciate my singing.
ReplyDeleteI could have made a list a mile long, because, like you, dear friend, I need God to overlook my failings and wrong-doings, and wrap me in His arms anyway.
I think it's good sometimes, to stop and Count Our Blessings--don't you? Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful list with me. Celia
Love your post, Celia. Five things for me are:
ReplyDelete*McDonald's iced coffee.
*A nice long walk in the ocean breeze.
*My new Kindle.
*Being with my grandbaby.
*The blessings of health, happy relationships, and no financial worries.
TANYA--yes, a worthy list, for sure. We should appreciate the small and the big--iced coffee--oh, yes, grandbaby!!!! Fantastic! Celia
ReplyDeleteI love #1, too, but unfortunately my little angels all live far away so I seldom see them.
ReplyDelete#2 makes the world go 'round. When you don't have #2, everything else is a trial, too.
What a fun list, Celia.
I'll add one of my greatest delights--fan letters from people who don't know me. Even after two books, it always surprises the petunias out of me!
Jacquie
Celia, this was a joy to read and I only wish a grandchild of either sex could be counted among my joys. I have a 10 year old washing machine that may be on its last spin, and like you, I hate shopping for essentials. It's been a while since since I've indulged in a girls only trip farther than a local restaurant (long overdue) but I really relate to the last two. There's no feeling like finishing that WIP baby unless it's having it adopted into some publisher's family. Thanks for a great end of the day read. Linda
ReplyDeleteJACQUIE--oh, my kids live halfway across the country--it's a long three day road trip. We see them twice a year.
ReplyDeleteAnd I forgot about "fan" letters or messagse. Those are super cool--I got one from a man in Argentina about All My Hopes and Dreams. His English was a little hard to read, but he liked the book, and especially my hero, Ricardo Romero. Hmmm, he liked my hero. Celia
And thank you, Linda, for finding my post!A perfect ending to a pretty terrific day. Celia
ReplyDeleteCelia, you made me smile. Big Time!
ReplyDeleteCelia, awesome, inspiring post. My favorite #4. I'm a sucker for happy faces.
ReplyDeleteSmiles
Steph
SAVANNA--My goal in life is to make someone smile. Celia
ReplyDeleteSTEPH--I liked that happy face because of all the flowers! Celia
ReplyDeleteGreat post and love the list!
ReplyDeleteMy eldest was thrilled when he grew taller than me. Now the youngest is almost my height. They get taller and I get shorter.
ReplyDeleteDIANE--glad you liked it-Celia
ReplyDeleteALICE--I understand the "getting shorter" bit. I used to be 5'6", now I'm 5'5". Blech. My taller gs is only 12--he has the potential to be extremely tall, and he's well on his way. Celia
I'm hoping to be happy soon about one of your items
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