Every once in awhile, a list of the good things in life is useful. Your blessings, one two three four.

Getting up early, even when it hurts at first. There is a whole day, right there in front of me, and it can be filled with just about anything, and there's time enough for everything. It feels luxurious.

Cereal with marshmallows. Seriously, I haven't had a fake cereal marshmallow in 20 years. What was I thinking? They are pink and purple and a little disgusting, and exactly right.

Being covered in puppies. There is nothing like it, when a dog approves of you. Sure, they give their general approval pretty easily to just about anything with legs and an arm to provide peanut butter. But specific dog approval is difficult to come by, and feels very fine.

Dress shopping. I have got a wedding to go to, at the end of May, for two of my favorite people who are very wonderful. I love them, I love weddings, and I love the fact that I am obliged to look turned out for a celebration of love. Also, shoes to match.

Doing laundry. The easiest way to feel wildly productive, and yet spend many hours sitting down and doing something else. I washed everything I own, more or less, and now I feel that I am Wonder Woman.

Running. It is hard. It sucks. It makes me tired. My legs hurt. My lungs hurt. My lips are chapped. I am tired. And I can take on communism and terrorism and world hunger and artificial sweeteners and cheese food. I am invincible. Ow.

Bubble baths. I don't even remember the last time I took a bubble bath. It can't be that long ago, because I love them very much, but it feels like forever. It was short and sweet, because there is so much to do, but a couple of chapters of my book and very soft skin and I feel like I have napped for days and could totally run a marathon. Or maybe just around the block again.

Spring. It snowed, yesterday, and it's freezing, today. But over the weekend and Monday, there was a string of days that might have been the most perfect ever created. A team will have to be assembled to test this assertion. I am the person to lead that team. I will selflessly take stroll after stroll during my lunch break through perfect weather, down historic Main Street and to the coffee shop and sit outside with my latte and my book and think nice thoughts about happy things. I will give my life for science.

These people I'm related to. Who pick me up from the airport, and let me stay at their house and love me and who take me to the airport when I have to leave and my heart is breaking because I don't know when I will see them next. But I have got a whole weekend, first, before I go away.

A whole weekend, with people I love.