Reflecting on 99 things I love

Write 99 things you love. At first, I thought, no I don’t think so. I’m not good at things like this, or ‘what is the best advice you have been given’, or ’10 things you hate about….’. My mind goes blank and although I am sure I have been given much advice by various people over the years, when put on the spot I can’t recall anything specific!

However, I read some of the other contributions and thought okay maybe I CAN do this. I woke early this morning about 2am so I suppose writing a list of 99 things I love was a way to fill in the early morning hours when I had given up on trying to sleep.

Here are my 99 things I love

(in fact, after I finished I found I could have kept going! Not bad for someone who thought they couldn’t come up with 10 things.)

1. My husband and our loving relationship
2. My relationship with my children and their partners
3. My gorgeous grandchildren
4. My friends, especially my Saturday Sisters who I run with
5. Spending each Tuesday with my darling grandson Ethan. He is 18 months old and brings such joy to my life
6. Surprises
7. Sunshine
8. Exercising – feeling alive and ready to take on the world after a session
9. Enjoying the Outdoors
10. Chocolate especially dark chocolate with roasted almonds
11. My favourite sandwich – Chicken, Avocado and Tasty Cheese on wholemeal bread
12. Travelling with my darling to discover new cultures
13. ‘Running away’ for weekends
14. Walking along the beach feeling the soft sand and trying not to get my feet wet!
15. Watching storms and lightening when I am cosy inside
16. Log fires
17. Red Wine
18. Cheese Platters
19. Making special birthday cakes for my grandchildren
20. My new look website & blog
21. The perfume of roses
22. Daffodils because they make me feel happy
23. Having a facial
24. Having a manicure and pedicure
25. Being pampered with a visit to the hair salon
26. Preparing special dinners and trying new recipes
27. Waking early, my husband still asleep, the house is quiet and still
28. Having ‘me’ time
29. Family gatherings and bbqs
30. Reading a book in the sunshine on a lazy afternoon
31. The smell of freshly cut grass
32. Christmas! The season of goodwill. Decorating the tree, delighted and happy grandchildren opening their presents, Santa, over eating lunch followed by an afternoon snooze
33. Driving to the coast with my darling and listening to Pink Floyd ‘Dark Side of the Moon’
34. Luxurious, fluffy bath sheets
35. Bubble baths
36. Champagne
37. Spring blossoms
38. My morning coffee made for me by my darling
39. Drinking hot chocolate in Quebec
40. Cruising to different ports
41. Making others feel happy
42. Connecting with my readers
43. The Truilli houses in Alberobello in Italy. Such a fascinating and unusual architecture
44. Still receiving love notes from my darling after 23 years
45. Massages
46. New Running Shoes
47. Meryl Streep, Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Helen Mirren – all wonderful actors who definitely are Sizzling beyond 60
48. Friends I’ve made through blogging
49. A pre dinner drink with my darling at the end of the day
50. The best years start now
51. Snuggling in bed on a cold, rainy day
52. My beautiful china tea set
53. Long brunches
54. Yoga
55. Taking a step back to ‘stop and just be’
56. A great pen that will make my handwriting look better!
57. Stationery – pens, pretty notepaper, notebooks, journals, highlighters. I used to love going back to school just for the stationery
58. Watching Gogglebox and being horrified that I think I’m like that watching TV
59. My age – I’m 64!
60. Dreaming & Planning
61. Being healthy & living life to the full
62. Being grateful for all I have
63. Sentimental movies that make me cry
64. My Smartphone – My husband is concerned I will need it surgically removed from my hand
65. My laptop
66. A cold glass of water on a hot, steamy day
67. Long Hot showers after a winter’s run
68. Wearing my fluffy bathrobe after my shower
69. Watching the changing colours of the sky at sunset
70. Watching the surprise and excitement on my grandchildren’s faces when they open their birthday presents
71. Planning Celebrations
72. Preparing a romantic dinner for my darling
73. Winter in Brisbane – cool, crips mornings and evenings with sunny days and vivid blue skies
74. The smell of rain after a steamy hot summer’s day
75. The fact I only have 24 things to list
76. The surprise of a rainbow
77. Lying on the grass watching the clouds float by
78. Airplane spotting with my 18 month old grandson
79. My grandpuppy who thinks she is human and Ethan’s ‘big sister’
80. Making people smile and feel special
81. Coffee catchups
82. One-on-one time with my daughter – never often enough
83. Muscials – Mama Mia is my favourite
84. Taking off in an airplane with the excitement of a new adventures
85. Helicopter flights – scary and fun at the same time
86. Experiencing the wonders of nature – helicopter flight over the expansive Grand Canyon.  The beauty and power of the Niagara Falls
87. Visiting my husband’s cousins in Italy and trying to speak in Italian with them – lots of fun
88. When I can’t think of a topic to write about and then and idea comes from nowhere
89. The encouragement of other bloggers
90. The generosity of spirit people have
91. I’ve run full marathons at 55, 61, 63 and 64
92. Drinking French Early Grey tea in my beautiful china cup
93. My husband cooking dinner for me
94. Veal parmagiana – my husband’s speciality
95. Singing – although I think I’m my only fan
96. Being Me – it only took 60 years to accept myself for who I am and to love the person I am
97. Herbs – the smell of basil and mint
98. French lavendar
99. The unconditional love I have from my husband and family

I did it!  I listed 99 things I love.  Looking through the list I am so lucky to have the life that I do and it makes me grateful and appreciative of all I have and the beautiful people in my life.

“Can you list 99 things you love? Why not take the challenge – you may be surprised at what you list”

First published at #FridayReflections