"I get knocked down, but I get up again"

Winter…because hoodies. Jeans. Warm hugs, warm drinks, snuggling in bed either alone or with someone sexy. I love the icey kiss from the wind on my cheeks and the happy way leaves dance as they rush along the pavement. Also how nice a warm bath is…or putting on pjs warmed from the radiator…bliss.

When the guy driving the car puts his arm around the passenger seat while reversing. It’s like he’s keeping me safe AND driving backwards…and that is hot AF.

The first bite of a meal or a dessert when you’re really hungry.

Meeting up with a friend (or bunch of them) that you’ve not seen in ages. The “hello there” embrace seems to travel through time and bind the days as if you’d never been apart.

Icecream. Sooo good. Especially because I’m lactose intolerant so I feel badass for eating something that’s going to make me explode not long afterwards. I don’t take my lactose intolerance very seriously. I suspect nobody who has it does. Cheese is too good to give up just because of farts and bloating. I mean, come on now.

The Beach. The ocean. A lake. Hell, any large body of water…I love sitting by it or swimming in it…doing both is a special day indeed.

Long trips. I love the journey so much more than the destination. I love the flight from Australia to England best because I get a guilt free rest for over 24 hours where I can press a button and nice people bring me things. “Yes, a juice please” “Ooo snacks, thank you!” “Eyemask? Well alrighty”. I get to read books and watch movies and no one has a go at me for it.

Reading. I bloody love books. I love visiting other lands, people and points in time all from the comfort and safety of the sofa.

Watching movies – same deal as books but less effort and because my hands are free, I get to eat popcorn too. That’s awesome.

Sunsets

Rainbows

Kittens

Art. When a painting or sculpture or kid’s drawing…when anything makes me stop and LOOK and feel something…it’s magical.

Colouring in. I’m so thankful it’s been embraced as “ok” for adults and now we have adult colouring books that are so much fun to use. I have about 40 of them; most of them created by Joanna Basford so I have about 20 very short pencils in various shades of green.

Music. I love that a song can remind me of sleepovers with my friends, take me back to the days my heart broke over a certain guy, or the petrol-type smell of my Dad when he’d work on cars and hum along to songs on the radio. We can time travel through songs to specific events and that’s amazing. I’ve heard that Math (omg I hate it) is the universal language but I think music trumps math (blech) every day of the week and twice on a Sunday. I also think singing is the best thing ever. Not to blow my own horn or anything but I’m an incredible singer. Just saying.

Church and being with people who love God as much as I do. I especially love when we sing together, that’s the best bit – tied with cups of tea, hugs and talking after the service.

The peace I get from praying.

The light, fluttery feeling I get in my heart: 1) When someone is praying for me 2) When I do a kind thing for someone 3) When I see people being kind to each other 4) When I forgive

Kids. I love them. I love how innocent, innovative, smart, amazing and hilarious they are. Children are so pure and so sweet that it touches my heart. Kids are like sunbeams. I love how they see the world as something with hope. Kids think they can do anything. I’d love to work with children and teach them never to let anyone take their light away. Ever.

Forearms. Ooft. I love me a man’s forearms with muscles and veins. Mmm mmm.

Fingertips.

A sexy wink. Omg. I will do whatever you want if you flash a good one at me. It must be well-timed and perfectly executed. No point in repeatedly winking at me for no reason, that just weirds me out.

Pies. Mmmmm. The Golden Bakery on William St does the best ones. Mmmmm.

Laughing. Just yes. A guy died once from laughing too much at his own joke. That’s defo how I’d like to die, too. Either that or an awesome shark attack.

Sharks. I’m equally fascinated and in fear of them. I wanted to experience cage diving with sharks but I don’t trust that huge-ass gap in the cage. It’s a no from me. Put me in a cage with gaps tiny silver fish can get through – not one a sofa could easily get through. That’s just taking the p*ss.

Making my husband laugh. I feel like I’ve won a million dollars when I make him laugh. Similar feeling when I make my friends laugh.

Gardening. The magic and mystery in planting seeds and seeing them grow. I love the simple pleasure of growing our own fruits and vegetables. I hate veggies but I find I’m more willing to eat green beans, capsicum (peppers to anyone in the US/UK), cherry tomatoes and all manner of herbs because Al and I have taken so much care to grow them.

Libraries and Bookstores. Whenever I walk into them, I feel like I’m home. There is something wonderful about being around books.