Count Your Blessings

HAVING looked through yesteday's post two things struck me - there seem to be a lot of lunches, and there seem to be a lot of friends. And, since food and friendship are two of life's great pleasures, that leads in nicely to item number two on the 'Reorganising My Life List': Count Your Blessings.

It may not always seem like it, but really I am very lucky, and have lots to be grateful for.

• My wonderful mother, who is always there to support my brother and I, whatever we do, and wherever we are.


• My Daughters, who may occasionally fall out with me, but are a source of joy and pride. They cheer me up, tell me off, make me laugh - and hug me when I need it.


• My friends, who are all incredibly talented, witty, humourous and warm-hearted, and always spare the time to listen and help.


• Muggins, my marmalade moggy.


• My health (touch wood!). Poor eyesight, creaky knees and bad back may be annoying, but they're nothing to worry about.


• The weather. We Brits love moaning about it but honestly, things could be much, much worse - we don't get the extreme conditions or natural disasters that many other countries suffer.

That's just a few things to be going on with, as I have been to a local credit union meeting (I am their secretary) and didn't get back until late, so I am tired.

But before I take myself off to bed with a book (Younger Daughter has lent me her copy of Maggie O'Farrell's The Hand That First Held Mine) I shall think abou the good things that happened today. I had some lovely comments about yesterday's blog (some of them on Facebook), and after reading it a friend is sending me John O' Donohue's 'Divine Beauty'; The Man of the House fed Younger Daughter, himself and The Cat while I went to my meeting, and YD washed up; I've got lots of new followers on Twitter; it didn't rain, and I finally fit into my size 12 orange dress again!

Small pleasures perhaps, but important nevertheless, I feel.