I love life!!!

Yeah, that's the title of this post.  Pure ridiculousness, but sometimes you've just gotta shout it out, you know?? Do it when you can, man.  I'm making a list.

• I love Brooklyn. I love my street. I love my silly tiny apartment.  The other day I told Sean, "you know, it's the best living in an old crusty apartment because it gets dirty and it doesn't really bother me. If it were nice & new i'd be like, ah dang, that's obvious.. better clean it. But here, it just adds to the ambiance."
• Last night after dinner we drove to Barnes & Noble, aka the happiest place on earth.  I skipped up and down aisles and Sean and Julian read books in the kids corner.  It's a million times better than the library.  Fewer kids, better books, less chaos. It's a win win win.  And after-dinner outings make me happy. 
• Today Julian and I went to the pool and we played 3-2-1 blast off! in the big pool. Squeals of glee and pure joy.  Julian liked it too. 
• I have some funny friends.  I really like surrounding myself with them.  A few weeks ago i went to dinner with a couple of them and it was the most enriching entertaining happy night.  This is chicken soup for my soul.  (it was too lame)  A topic of discussion: The age at which we became who we are.  What do you think? They said about 5.  I said 13.   What about you?
• We went to the beach this past weekend.  Sean dug a hole and Julian nestled himself in it, as should be done with holes in the beach. 
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  • I know several people who have been struck by family tragedy or are currently going through physical yuckiness and I feel very very happy about my body.  Sure it has its chronic aches and my neck half works, but it could be so much worse, you know??? And i'm tall, and that'll most likely never change, so that's something that makes me love life. 
  • I just bought a new website URL.  What is it called? What's it for? When will you get to see it? These are questions I don't quite have the answers to to but I'm VERY excited about its prospects.  I will let you know at the proper moment. 
  • I've brought hemp back into my life, and that's just a box of happiness.  (Whoa! I just looked at that blog page i linked to and realized i've also brought back Corn Chex! What the hey?? What does this mean? Why do those 2 go hand-in-hand? I feel something significant is happening but I don't exactly know what. )
  • I recently dined at a place that nearly brought tears to my eyes.  It was a magical and spiritual dining experience.  I'd almost forgotten what that was like.  And it made my heart leap and do cartwheels down a grassy meadow.  It's called Kaz An Nou. It is French/Caribbean fusion.  The head chef is the only waiter. He's from the Caribbean somewhere, not sure where. His wife is also a cook and works with a couple other cooks in the small kitchen in the back of this ever-so tiny and cozy little nook of a restaurant.  He is so attentive and gives such heartfelt descriptions of food that you will end up ordering whatever he says to because you've been so touched by his warmth and sincerity.  But after all is said and eaten, you will pause, take a deep breath, wipe the tear from your eye, and want to stand and embrace the man because you will now be forever in his debt.  The food is outstanding.  We ordered a stuffed avocado and beet salad for appetizers.  I had the jerk chicken breast with goat cheese, terragon, and honey sauce and Sean had the rabbit stew with wild mushrooms, Caribbean roots and coconut rice.  For dessert we had the avocado popsicle--yes. Believe it. It was divine-- and a coconut flan that will literally make you weep. Sean shook his hand and with a quivering lip, I just shook my head, speechless. I had no words. He said he grew up with it; it was his mother's recipe. GAAH.  I recommended this place to a friend, specifically the flan, and she said she actually did cry. (she's pregnant, but still)  I'm telling you.  I'm telling you.     Experiences like these make me so very happy. 
  
  So i guess you could say that all i need for a happy life is the beach + pool + good food + Brooklyn  + friends + secret projects + books.   Sounds good to me.