Stuff that makes you disproportionately happy

My 15 year old 145k miles van just sailed through its MOT this morning.

Get in!

🙂

Hearing a young baby laugh.

You know it’s a purely instictive reaction and is pure joy.

the smell of my dogs paws.

A thoughtful kindness.

My 20 year old Fiat Panda passed its last three MOTs without advisories. It’s not done high mileage and doesn’t get used much so I’m surprised it hasn’t rotted away.

But to answer the question, cake

Watching my friends dog at play and how excited she gets when she sees me.

Just off the phone with the colorectal cancer nurse and she’s informed me that 3 yrs post radio / chemo and surgery, they are pleased to say I’m in the clear. They’ll maybe give me one more good solid probing in a couple of years time, just to be sure. But I’m all done with the close supervision and going back to the normal poop on a stick every 2 years type of screening.

Really quite pleased about that. I might just go out for lunch and celebrate.

🙂

Painting tiny toy soldiers and having people say nice things about them.

Being outside. Just the fresh air and seeing some green is great but if you’re halfway up somewhere with an amazing view then it’s just an incredible uplifting freeing feeling.

Autumn… A stiff breeze and the rich colours everywhere.

Winter…. Fresh snow, seeing Orion & Sirius come back, hearing the mistle thrush shouting away.

Spring… Birdsong, sprouting plants and the general feeling of happiness and things coming back to life.

Summer… Warmth! Time to travel a bit and get out further than usual, spend more time outside with the kids

Getting “likes” on STW 😀

Cats in general and my cat in particular.

C&H

as @angrycat but dogs.

Finishing a MTB ride you really were not motivated to do because of weather/tiredness/whatever and having a pint in the pub with your riding mates. Double for a filthy winter ride and snatching a seat near the real fire in that pub.

An empty house in an evening.

I love my wife, I love my daughter but an empty house can be bliss! 🙂

Riding my bike in the woods.

Who knew eh?

Also the joy of taking my dog on a ‘choose your own adventure’ walk or just taking him somewhere new and enjoying his sheer wonder at all the new things he can take in. Pure happiness.

Winter…. Fresh snow, seeing Orion & Sirius come back,

Off at Uni are they?

Winter…. Fresh snow, seeing Rudolf & Prancer come back

Ftfy

Seeing photos of Stephen Lennon getting pepper sprayed in the face and being arrested.

And headlines announcing his conviction.

https://x.com/TheSun/status/1729163134592553439

Going for a ride or walk in beautiful Autumnal enjoying the clear blue skies and colours of nature

Followed by tea and cake in a good cafe

Cats in general and my cat in particular

Amen to that. This grumpy old bugger (Che Guevara) spends his day curled up by my feet while I’m working. Here he is now, making use of my laptop bag.

A little toddler comes with his mum to meet his dad off the train at Ilkeston station. You can see him waving at the train as we pull in, he toddles up to meet his dad giggling and laughing and be picked up, then waves goodbye as the train pulls away.

Makes me feel all warm and teary.

That and crushing your enemies and hearing the lamentations of their women, obviously.

Got a hole in one yesterday .

Bees. Fabulous little things, hearing them buzz away in inside of flowers is glorious. @ahsat bought me a beekeeper introduction day and it was so good! Beautiful little things

Spaniels, springer or cocker, not fussed. The way they love life are up for anything and are slightly mad, but there’s no malice to their play or fun, they just love life. My in laws old dog Rita

Donkeys, no idea why just find them sweet

Mrs fazzini.

No idea why she picked me in the first place, or why she has put up with me for the last 30 years, but I’m grateful she did/does.

And also, this:

but an empty house can be bliss!

Cooked breakfast in the local caff, on a day off, with no defnite plans. Who knows what the day may hold, the potential for adventure and excitement makes me feel like a kid (before the crushing inevitabilty of DIY, household chores etc kicks in, obvs).

Sunrises and sunsets.

Drawing on a banana with a biro.

Just off the phone with the colorectal cancer nurse and she’s informed me that 3 yrs post radio / chemo and surgery, they are pleased to say I’m in the clear. They’ll maybe give me one more good solid probing in a couple of years time, just to be sure. But I’m all done with the close supervision and going back to the normal poop on a stick every 2 years type of screening.

Really quite pleased about that. I might just go out for lunch and celebrate.

Without wanting to be overly critical, I don’t think this belongs in this thead – I’d say you’re proportionally happy 🙂

Fair play @verses. Just feel like shouting it from the rooftops. 😉

Freewheeling downhill………. Wheeeeee!

A quiet bike, only really noticed when your bike is less than quiet.

Things like squeaky saddles, or squealy brakes, grinding drivetrain or that cracking noise that you sometimes get that you cannot find the cause of. All these drive me mad!

the smell of my dogs paws.

Popcorn or Doritos?

Riding down steps in public places. I like to think I’m a teenage rebel again and not a fat middle aged dad who should know better.

Sailing in a strong breeze, miles from land with a nice cup of tea and in the company of good friends.

Being outside as others have typed.

Oddly cleaning my house and having it stay clean is a joy

Portrait Artist of the Year on Sky.

@P20

Donkeys are cool AF.

Often ride past the local donkey sanctuary and always stop to see them.

Here’s yesterdays donk.

Also have a donkey sponsorship every year instead of a Christmas present.

That  makes me happy instead of some tat I don’t want.

This thread

P20s animals

@ChrisL what do soldiers do you paint? GW stuff?

Bobbling around town on the cargo bike, especially if I have my daughter on the back chatting away.

We’ve had it over 18 months and the novelty still hasn’t worn off.

My wife’s cackle when something’s really tickled her, it’s just the most lovely joyous sounds.

Went on a ride in the woods yesterday among all the autumn leaf fall. Early on spotted a tiny pink geranium holding on against the odds in the verge. As I continued I kept noticing single flowers still optimistically blooming, made me feel very happy