I intended to post my Happiness Revolution in mid-May but I'm a little late.  Thank you Astra:   http://ajourneytoadream.blogspot.co.uk/

1  Not being cold all the time because the weather is warmer and so the temperature in the house is higher.  I hate being cold.  It was already 10'C when I left for work this morning and the sun was shining.  Sunshine always lifts the mood and makes you feel better.

2  Going to the shops and finding something you need at half price - like my catfood.  That is a little bit more in my smallholderwannabe coffers.  Every little helps.  Nice Mr Sainsbury also sent me four £6 off if I spend £30 vouchers.  I can spend £30 if I stock up on a few things.  £40 is harder to spend and any more than that is well nigh impossible.  I can only bring myself to stock up on incredibly good offers on something that I know that I will use and won't go off.

3  Watching the school chicks grow.  I find it incredible that in just 21 days, the egg can go from being just an egg to being a fully formed chick that is strong enough to break out of the eggshell and can live on its own.  In less than a week, the feathers are forming on the wings and by 10 days the tail feathers are becoming visible too. By 2 weeks, the wing feathers will be strong enough for them to be able to make short flights around their box.  It is a little miracle happening right in front of my eyes.

4  Watching the seeds sprout into little plants and know that we'll have homegrown food on the table shortly.  I feel a real sense of pride when I can eat a meal where we have produced the bulk of it ourselves.  The lettuce leaves are nearly big enough to pick.  We had a couple of sprout plants in large tubs that we left here at the house rather than take them to the allotment.  they never grew any sprouts but they have grown leaves all winter and spring and are now forming flowers that the rabbits just love eating.  The leaves have fed the rabbits and us all winter so I shall grow a couple of plants in tubs again next winter just for the leaves.  One of my favourite veg with an autumn/winter meal is steamed greens - a mixture of small cauliflower leaves and brussel sprout leaves, cabbage leaves and anything else green that I have - all shredded together and steamed and then served with a little knob of butter. Yum!

5  Having my son ring me up for a chat, just because he hadn't spoken to me for a few days.  No big news but lots of chit-chat and catching up : )

6  Having a meal of leftovers work out so well that it is a real pleasure to eat - and at the same time knowing that there are a few more pennies in the smallholderwannabe coffers.  That meal (or meals, as it turned out) might only have saved me from spending a few pennies but they all add up.  As Mr Tesco says, every little helps  : )

7  Spending time with my family.  We have a family birthday in a few days' time so we'll be having a family get-together at half term.  I'm so looking forward to it and seeing everybody.

8  It is my best friend's birthday today and I have found her a book that I know she will love and I spotted a card that goes with it beautifully.  Normally I would prefer to make a card but this card was so right that I just had to buy it.  I'm looking forward to watching her open the parcel : )  I love it when you find a present for somebody that is not just good but just perfect.  And I didn't pay the earth for it either.

9  Having the kids from school smile at me and say hello.  Occasionally they will do it in the corridor but just sometimes I'll run into one out shopping.  If they look embarrassed and dive down the next supermarket, I hate it.  If they just smile and say hi as they walk past then it really gives me a lift and this has happened again recently.  I can remember doing the embarassment-and-dive-down-the-next-aisle bit myself and then growing up enough to acknowledge staff as human beings.

10  Having my husband to myself for an evening without him having to do work either for school or church or the exam boards.  Such evenings are rare and I love them.

This exercise is good for me - counting my blessings : )