10 Simple pleasures

I got tagged while hanging out at Lutheranchik's, so here goes: 10 of my favorite simple pleasures.

1. My hammock. I have it strung between an old iron clothesline pole and a sadly decrepit silver maple. The tree is dying and I am at a complete loss as to how to manage the hammock when we finally have to cut it down. I love lying in the hammock and looking into the branches at all the birds.

2. Listening to my kids when they are supposed to be asleep, but are upstairs giggling instead. Even when I yell at them to settle down, there is a part of me that feels such joy at the fact that they love each other so much.

3. This is a new one: holding Theo in my lap and petting him. He sits stock still and I can't tell if he actually likes it, but since he doesn't try to escape, I am assuming he doesn't mind too much. Maybe he is just indulging me, but I'll take it.

4. Homemade chocolate chip cookies.

5. Walking on a beach in the off-season. Not frigid cold, but cool and most important, empty. I LOVE beaches in the early spring or fall when there are no crowds. I love the smell of the salt in the air. The feel of the breeze. The sound of the waves and gulls. The feeling of being small.

6. Sitting in an empty church. Sometimes I have this urge to just go up to the sanctuary and lie, face down, in front of the alter. If I am really alone, I will lie down in the pew and just look up at the ceiling.

7. Having coffee with a friend. This is one of those very basic pleasures which happen so rarely in my life.

8. Lying in bed on weekend morning. Before kids, Nguyen and I would sometimes spend a whole day in bed, catching up on sleep, reading a paper, drinking coffee. I miss that! Since kids, we have never been able to do that.

9. Taking communion.

10. Homemade white bread slathered with butter and strawberry jam.

Tag! Your turn!