My Hatbox of Happiness

"Always organizing - never organized." My day is running off in all directions, once again. All I did was go upstairs with a cup of coffee. That did it. I saw things. Things that needed to be moved, or opened, or "organized", or put into a pile for a yard sale. Six hatboxes were waiting to be emptied. Most contained hats. One, however, is my "Happy" box. And it hadn't been opened in a long, long time.

Maybe you can tell what it contains...if not, here's a brief list: favorite cartoons that make me laugh, a list of "30 Tips To Trigger Happiness", ripped out of a magazine, and many years-worth of the MOST hilarious, sentimental, meaningful and or touching cards I've received from dear friends over the years. I mean, they have to be REALLY good to be included in the Happy Box.
For example, one of many funny cards from my friend, Julie, whose greeting is: "Hi, you voluptuous, sultry, she-devil of the skies!" (None of which I am....but that just makes me laugh!)



As you can see, I really do have too many hats. (...the background portrait is the first object I ever purchased at an auction. I still love it. I'd love my amazing and talented art-wise friend, Lisa, to dig up more on the artist - Goddard. I can't find much. )

"Is that a PITH helmet?", you may ask. Indeed it is, and it's fabulous when mowing three acres, so don't mock it! But here's my favorite: a Panama...love, love, LOVE this hat! Anyway, these are just my SUMMER hats...so, as you can imagine, since I rarely don any of them, I needed to go through them.



Ironically, the little Demdaco girl with bluebirds, is called: "Happiness", and was given to me by a dear friend, who also makes me happy.

In attempting to share the list of happiness "triggers" with you, I scanned the article, but it's not displaying well....so I'll reference it by informing you that it was written by Helen D. Wright, Ph.D., and is from "Relief From Depression" ...and I'm hoping the feds don't come after me for copying it. I encourage you to Google away.



Yeah, I know...I probably shouldn't have even put that photo up.

Like my ol' fave clock advises (in another less-than-great-photo): Have a Happy Day!

Pretty face: Part 2

Same dog, different coif'.
Sophia Lucia.
Mostly Cocker Spaniel...part..Dalmation?

I'm just a sucker for a pretty face.

Meet Sophia Lucia.
Soon to be groomed...but came to us, stinky, blind, somewhat deaf, hairy, and cute as a button.We're doing what we can with all this information. She's been bathed, scissor cut (until she can afford a professional, she's stuck with "Hair by Liz".), and attempts at potty training, which apparantly isn't done when dogs are USED for breeding purposes...poor little thing. She's following me everywhere....bumping into the other dogs....but gradually learning her way around the house. Now, if she would only learn to go outside to take care of business....
So....can't show favoritism, or the other pups get jealous, so here's her new brother, Luigi...who's only half blind, and doesn't quite love Sophia yet, but has been tolerant. Luigi's been in our family for several years now....


...and here's her "cousin" Mina....who she has yet to meet, but I just happened to have this picture of her.


Someday, she'll get to meet her other "cousin", Charlie, who's pictured here:
(My nephew took this, while teaching me to use my cell phone camera).


Here's a picture of Luigi, being "tolerant":


And, finally, here's Sophia's new big sister, Bailey, who's been a very good big sister to the new girl.

Presently, the three doggies at my house are all sleeping. This is good. The snoring's a bit much.