Happy Days!

Happy happy happy!! It was International Day of Happiness today. Mind you if you looked out of your window today it wasn't happy weather, not here anyway, it poured down with rain. no not that fine drizzly stuff, proper, full on rain. When it's an official happy day though, you just have to find your sunshine somewhere else.

What makes us happy?

Well for me, lots of things....

A Brew - of course it does....a freshly made pot of tea or a good quality mug of coffee. I say pot of tea and not cup because one cup is just never enough. Keep it flowing. I cannot literally refuse a brew of any kind, 'Sue would you like a brew?' yes yes yes yes and yes. If you offer and I say no, I'm ill and I need to seek professional help. 

Food - I'm putting food in general because it covers a multitude of sins. Freshly baked cake makes me happy with a big dollop of cream on the side. in fact desserts like lemon meringue, cheesecake, my mother in laws strawberry trifle (yes I still have access), all put a smile on my face. I haven't baked bread for a while but the smell of fresh baked bread is beautiful, if you don't bake just loiter around a supermarket bakery and take a nice deep breath in. Chocolate is a happy food too, my favourite is a big bar of Galaxy, just heaven! Minstrels and chocolate buttons (giant ones) yum yum. 

Prosecco - it's bubbly, makes me feel a bit posh like I'm drinking champagne and it makes me a bit giggly. I don't tend to drink much alcohol these days but this would have to be my happy tipple. 

Sunshine - ohh the feel of warmth and the sunny rays are great aren't they? Gives you such a good feeling and such a welcome after a dark cold miserable winter. We start drinking icy cold drinks and wear less clothes. Switch the heating off and move from the sofa to the beer garden at the local pub. 

Laughing - I know! It goes well with being happy. I love to laugh from a small girly giggle to a big belly laugh that hurts and makes tears stream from your eyes. Comedians make me happy, the great late Victoria Wood was my favourite, Billy Connolly has very nearly split my sides from laughing, also Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders, Peter Kay and many more.

A nice walk - Love to have a walk, the exercise is good for oneself. If I go on my own I pop some tunes on and get a good pace on to burn some calories or if I go with my eldest son we talk Thomas the Tank and all his friends around the park. We've walked for miles going through all the episodes and talking Disney Pixar. It certainly blows the cobwebs away a good walk.

Freshly Cut Grass - I don't like the chore of cutting my own grass, in fact not much of a gardener at all but love it when out and about, it's a sign that spring is here and summer is around the corner. Not good for everyone as it makes people sneezy. 

Family & Friends - These peeps make me happy the most. I love a family get together, a meal or my dads barbecues are just the best. My kids make me smile and laugh even when they're a bit moody, teenagers eh? It's funny when I'm just about to get frustrated about their teenage ways, I have this massive flashback and remember what I was like and then it all makes sense. It's like going through it all again when you have kids. I love a get together with my pals as well, usually over a brew. I was arranging a catch up with one of my friends this week and she said ' what time and which Costa?' Just made me chuckle. She knows me so well. 

Music - my big love....I love to put my headphones on and completely lose myself in music land. For me it's my stress reliever, my diva making moment and drives me through my exercise. I sing along like I don't care or sometimes just relax and listen. Love everything from classical to rock and it is truly my happy place. Not sure what I would do without music, it's medicine and therapy rolled into one. Like the song says ' music was my first love and it will be my last' a classic five minute belter by John Miles and if that doesn't get played at my funeral, I will come back and haunt you....in a scary way. I love 'Here comes the Sun' by Nina Simone and my son asked me what my favourite song was the other day and I said 'In my Life' by The Beatles.....all good feely good songs.....might have to have a desert islands disc post one day. 

And that's just a few things that make me happy, there are many more as I am a happy person, well most of the time. We all have our moments and I have off days and days that are a complete contrast to all these things but that's just life. We have to have a balance to enable to feel happiness again. It's a strong emotion that needs a bit of encouragement to come out and play some days but just think of your favourite things, yes just like Julie Andrews told us to do in The Sound of Music and feel happy!!

Catch you tomorrow for Teapot Tuesday.....thanks for reading.