Happy List: #347

Hello! Welcome to this week’s Happy List.

This week on the blog I shared the new and improved gallery wall above our bedroom seating area. I’m enjoying the view of that wall so much now.

I also wrote about our house tools and why they are such a distinctive color. I talk about them so much on social media that it felt like they needed a place on the blog too.

As always, thank you for being here. I know your time is valuable and I enjoy being able to connect with you. I’ve made the best online friends through this website. If you want to connect, and I hope you do, you can always comment on this blog post or email me here. You can also reach out on Instagram or Facebook.

Enjoy this week’s Happy List!

SCREENED-IN PORCH

Perhaps I have romanticized the idea, but I like the idea of a screened-in porch. Our neighbors have one with an outdoor TV, couches, and a dining area. It looks so inviting.

I wouldn’t mind vacationing at a home with this type of sleeping arrangement on a screened-in porch. How about you?

For more screened-in porch ideas, check out this article over at Southern Living.

(image: Jonny Valiant via Southern Living)

TWO SONGS

I have recently become hooked on the music of Rose Betts. Her voice is so pleasant to listen to and her songs are so singable.

My first favorite song of hers is Irish Eyes. It’s happy and upbeat and so darn catchy.

If the video doesn’t load, watch it directly here on YouTube.

You should know I LOVE a good sad song. My second favorite song of Rose’s is the new release Take This Body Home. It is perfection.

If the video doesn’t load, watch it directly here on YouTube.

P.S. I usually write the Happy List on Monday mornings and I can’t seem to write it if I don’t have music blasting through the house. It helps me focus for some reason. But every once in a while a song will break through my focus and I’ll break into spontaneous singing. Rose Betts’ songs have been doing that for me lately. No complaints.

WHY TSA RULES ARE DIFFERENT

If you’ve flown in the United States, you know the TSA security screening procedures are different at every airport.

Laptops in the bag. Laptops out of the bag. MAKE UP YOUR MIND!!!

It slows everything down, doesn’t it? According to this article in The Thrillist, the reason the rules are different comes down to different technology. The screening rules are the same but how they are implemented comes down to which airports have the newest technology. So, budget.

Learn more here.

3 PORCH IDEAS

I have porches on my mind. Can you tell?

This porch by Sarah Hayes Design caught my eye in three different, glorious ways.

First, I loved the stained cap on the porch railing. That would look so good on our deck railing. Second, I’m leaning toward doing a stained ceiling on our front porch someday. I’d probably do beadboard instead of planks. Third, we’ve been discussing front porch lighting because ours is funky. I’m now wondering if a ceiling fan would be a good option for us. Not sure if we have enough height clearance for it though.

Go see more photos of this home over at Town and Country Living.

(image: Sarah Hayes Design via Town and Country Living)

THE GOLDEN QUESTION

I’m going to quote directly from an article I read recently about emotions and decision-making. It was SO helpful.

“The golden question is actually five questions in one, and it looks like this:

How will I feel about this in:

a day?
a week?
a month?
a year?
5 years?

This question can be super helpful, and it has a lot to do with the way our brain processes emotions.

The golden question helps because it forces you to slow down and use your frontal lobe. And since your emotions are caused by thoughts, controlling your thoughts helps you to control your emotions.”

Read the entire article here at EQ Applied. You’ll love it.

HOT DIGGITY DOG

News broke this week that the $1.50 hotdog and drink combo at Costco is SAFE. We can all rest easy now that the price of a drink and hotdog at Costco has been the same since 1984.

What I really found interesting is that Costco, as of 2023, sells more hotdogs annually than every MLB stadium combined. Can you guess how many hotdogs they sell?

100 MILLION.

That’s a lot of hotdogs.

Learn more about how and why they keep the price so low here. The why is a little more interesting to me than the how.

(image: Costco foodcourt in 2008 via Wikimedia)

ARC LIGHTER

My new favorite gadget is a rechargeable electric arc lighter.

Our Bic lighters with the fluid inside were always running out at the most inconvenient times. Then it was a “Quick! Find the matches.” situation.

A one-hour charge of the arc lighter can handle 500 ignitions and mine came in a 3-pack. The other perks are that wind does not blow out the charge and the lighter part is bendy. This also feels a little safer if you live with little kids.

My arc lighter recharges with a USB-C cord and supposedly can light anything that a regular lighter can light. It works great with candles and lamps with wicks. I have not tried it on a gas stove/BBQ, so I can’t speak to that. You can light paper with it, but it is harder to light than with a match.

FRIED PICKLE AND RANCH DIP

I’m a big fan of Michael at Inspired by Charm and his new Fried Pickle and Ranch Dip recipe had me checking my pantry for all of the ingredients.

We have multiple jars of pickles in our fridge at all times, so this recipe is right up our alley.

(image: Inspired by Charm)

POETRY MOMENT

Checkout by Caroline Bird

I think ‘so, this is death’ and wonder why
I can still see through my eyes. An angel
approaches with a feedback form asking
how I’d rate my life (very good, good,
average, bad, very bad) and I intend to tick
‘average’ followed by a rant then I recall
your face like a cartoon treasure chest
glowing with gold light, tick ‘very good,’
and in the comment box below I write
‘nice job.’ The angel asks if I enjoyed
my stay and I say ‘Oh yes, I’d definitely
come again’ and he gives me a soft look
meaning ‘that won’t be possible but thanks
all the same,’ clicks his pen and vanishes.

Poem from “The Air Year” by Caroline Bird.

Thank you for reading today’s Happy List.

Be good to yourself and others this weekend.

I’ll see you back here on Monday.

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