Happy Things

*A rearranged room. First time I've done it since I moved in in August 2012. I'm liking it!
(Speaking of which, our British English language curriculum teaches that you do not use present continuous with "like" or "love." Someone needs to tell McDonalds that.)

*Bukhoor and oudh burning in my room. Oudh is fragrant coal-colored wood chips, and bukhoor is finer pieces of fragrant wood. I used to not like the smell, but it's grown on me. And my friends have stocked me with some kinds that are actually pretty nice.

*A random WhatsApp message from Clyde saying "I love you, Kendra."

*A sparkling clean kitchen, thanks to Andrea, because this week was her turn to clean. (I can't take the credit, in other words.)

*The book "One-Way Love," which I finished tonight and love. It's a keeper to read and reread.

*The newest Flavia DeLuce book checked out from NH Downloadable Books on my phone. Coming riiiiiight up!

*Two morning walks this week, when the temp was only 70-82, thanks to a changed Arabic schedule this month.

*My Arabic nurturer telling me the story of her wedding day. My favorite part, I think, was that 21 of her husband's friends spent that night in jail, either for crazy driving as part of the wedding procession (LOTS of crazy driving in wedding processions here!) or for blocking traffic as part of the wedding procession. It's a tradition to block the bride and groom's car when they leave the wedding so they can't go anywhere, or can go only very slowly. Well, Badr's friends were so effective that it took him FOUR HOURS to drive probably two miles from his wife's house to his. And that's probably why the police got involved. But jail?! I'm still chuckling.

*Power and A/C. It's been cutting a lot recently, almost every other day, and sometimes for hours at a time. It's not a major source of suffering, but it reminds me to be thankful when we have it.

*Turkish Restaurant and Hungry Bunny dates with Andrea

*Visitors who pass through. I love meeting new people and hearing new stories.

*Texts from Craig

*God's forgiveness, mercy, and grace. I'm swimming in it.

*My current students, even the ornery ones.

*My former students and their families. One of their moms sent me a great video this week. It's taken from a car driving on a road lined by 4-6 foot walls of snow. I know that it's from her son, one of five of my former students who are in Germany for two months of job training. I expect to hear people start talking, but all is silent until the music cues up…very, very Arab music. It was one of those where-is-this?! moments. Middle East, meet Europe.

*Bugles. My new favorite snack food.

*Fresh squeezed lemonade with Truvia. Yum! The Truvia compliments of a care package from Allyn and other Monadnock-region friends. And the juicer compliments of my new expat prof friend, Amanda.

*Homemade iced coffee, thanks to Pioneer Woman's awesome recipe. And strong, chocolatey Yemeni coffee, thanks to Tania giving me some she bought here!

*Chana dal, my new favorite comfort food. I might even like it more than pea soup, but don't tell the pea soup.

*Yankee Candle scent tarts in an incense burner in my car. YES, it works! The sun melts the tart so it releases its scent in the car! No actual fire required. One benefit of extreme heat.

*The road changing almost every week with the massive highway construction. I confess that this isn't always a source of happiness, because it can create new slow traffic patterns. But in general, it's a bit of an adventure to see the fast changes and anticipate what new piece of road will open up or redirect me next.