My happiness non-negotiables

I’ve been nominated by Mama Bear over at ObliviouslyAwesome to post about my happiness non-negotiables.
These are the things that you just can’t live without in your day-to-day life, the things that, without them, you just can’t be happy.

Initially I though "well that will be simple, I'm a happy soul, I should be able to rattle off a few things no problem" but then I saw that family was sort of assumed and not really allowed to be in the running, which is a shame as Darling Teen Daughter makes me not only happy, but on occasion even makes me cry actual tears of laughter, she always has done, she's hilarious. And then there is dear husband's beard...but  I'm losing the thread...I was wondering what I would add, books? music? TV? birdsong? squirrels? the feel of a raw egg yolk in your hand? ... none seemed quite 'me', I had a longer muse... and so here they are, my happy things.

Festivals and Camping

Being in a field in my tent, near my tent, with a fry up or beer or gin in a tin...I love festivals and camping so much I have a whole 2nd blog devoted to it! The feel of a lack of urgency about life, no need for clocks or schedules, no need to wash (for a few days - I'm not that scuzzy) , the joy of drinking as and when the mood takes, just the general freedom...so yes, getting into the wild or into a festival full of folk dressed up, dancing to unknown bands in a field these are my extreme happy things. I hope heaven is just one huge music festival, with camping, no rain, and free beer and bacon.

Cava

I love a glass of bubbly. I am rarely flush enough to afford champagne and prosecco isn't made in the same way, so I opt for the slightly cheaper version, sparkling Spanish wine made in the champagne method. I like to start each Sunday with a glass (or two) while peeling the potatoes for the roast dinner later. And a Friday and Saturday night are not complete without a large glass of fizz to hand. A wine that is easy to drink, makes me light headed though not properly 'drunk' and never gives me a headache, a wine that can be as cheap as £4 a bottle, that is a definite 'happy'. (reading this back I realise I sound like an alcoholic....I could give it up; if I wanted to)

My Bed

I am always tired. Partly due to having Charcot-Marie-Tooth, but mainly just because I'm me I suspect. I can sleep for England. I usually go to bed at 10pm as I get up at 5.30am for work, but at weekends I have no trouble sleeping 12 hours straight, and when camping I love to snooze in in the morning, no hurry, just laying half awake, half dreaming, eyes shut, listening to whatever is going on, feeling the soft warmth of the bed. Snuggly. I love my bed.

Dogs

We used to have two border terriers, they were mine for over 13 years but they are now chasing ghostly rabbits over the rainbow bridge (they are dead! Enough with the euphemisms) So we currently have no dogs, but a dog makes a house a muddy, hairy, messy home and I do love dogs,. Cats are OK, and I have kept mice too, I like all animals but there is nothing  quite like the stupid, tongue lolling face of a dog to greet you in the morning. The daft worship on their face when you magic a tennis ball from your pocket or toss a tiny scrap of bacon to them as you sit in a pub garden enjoying lunch, the sun and a pint. Dogs are slaves, I don't fool myself. For years we have bred an animal to be obedient and do our every bidding, yet at the same time we have bred in a love, a desire in them to please and adore us. I don't know what sort of person it makes me , I suspect all dog lovers are seeking adoration and love (who wouldn't love that!) and so a dog, or dogs are on my happy list. (I realise saying I must have a dog to be happy while having no dog is a bit of a contradiction, I'm filling the dog shaped space in my happy with cava)

Twitter

Last I'm going to name Twitter as a happy. Maybe it should have been first. I once gave it up for a week and was as miserable as the most miserable thing you can imagine. Twitter is still my love despite all its changes (many of which I dislike). Twitter is a sounding board, a place to whine and whinge, a place to show off, to just spout rubbish, to 'let my brain leak' as many people have said. But mainly Twitter is a link, a link to other people all over the world. Friends that I have never, and probably will never meet, but who I can talk to about anything. I have met people in real life that I know on twitter but friends are friends whether you've met them in the flesh or not. Twitter is a place where someone is always awake, someone is always there to be silly, to be serious, to console or to cajole. Twitter is a place where people will send you a recipe, a beard picture or a kitten as necessary, a place to make you care about others, a place to move you to tears both of sadness and joy.  And so Twitter, my very happy place, filled with my friends, that is a happy.

And so there is my list. What would yours be? Come over to Facebook or twitter and let me know. And in the meantime I tag MamaCrow over at Views From The Crows Nest to tell us her happy non-negotiables. I'm also tagging Siren of Brixton and NotReallyALlama. And if you would like to be tagged let me know and I'll add you here.