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Yes of course when I saw Philippa Moore’s Substack-published A List of Reliable Joys I had to make a list of my own. Anything that harks back to the OG days of blogging will compel me to play along. And thus I shall. Thank you, dear PM! And off we go …

A List of Reliable Joys

+A fresh page of a notebook, ready for new thoughts, ideas, and feelings.

+That sip of tea when it’s at the exact perfect temperature. It’s enough to make you slurp it noisily. Especially if there’s some sort of adjacent cheesy toasty situation/

+The lingering fragrance of garden-fresh herbs on your hands after you’ve snipped a few fronds to toss into something delicious.

+Dew – on petals, on grass, wherever it may be I dew love its enigmatic, roly-poly droplet-ness.

+A jar of treats to dip into when morale is low … or just at anytime really – at the moment it’s Mixed Jewels and Mixed Buddies.

+When you pick up pace in the book you’re reading because it’s SO GOOD, and you need to remind yourself to slow down and avoid the excited skim.

+Seaweed swishing in tidal rockpools as the waves creep in and out.

+Little toddlers arms around your neck, their pudgy little hand pat-pat-patting your back reassuringly.

+Cloggy shoes with nice socks.

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+Blank index cards. I use them daily to make lists and then bulldog clip them to a pocket sized Moleskine for safekeeping. It’s the perfect note-taking, to-doing combo for me. You can even clip a pen on there.

+Flipping through a photo album of printed, stowed-away memories.

+One pot meals. Making a big pot of something that will feed us/others for several days is a comfort and a hack. Maybe it’s Sunday Soup. It might be this delicious Ragu. Or our family favourite Chicken Curry. Maybe a big vat of Pulled Pork. Whatever it is, we feel rich and cosy when we have a Big Pot as the sustaining foundation of our days.

+Rummaging for something unexpected but needed or remembered at the op shop, and taking it home.

+White Chocolate and Macadamia Cookies. Yum. (Even the supermarket ones are nice!) It’s just a perfect combo.

+When the electric blanket-warmed bed and the level of warmth needed are a perfect match.

+The opening titles of a self-chosen Midday Movie – particularly this one.

+Fresh yarn in pretty colours, poised to be knitted or crocheted into something useful and/or cosy.

+Sinking weary bones into a nearly too hot bath and feeling any pain or fatigue melting away.

+A cute everyday basket like Jane Birkin’s (because who can even afford an actual Birkin.)

+Talking with someone and suddenly you’re both repeating the same phrase, having the same ideas/thoughts at the same time. And then laughing about it.

+A pet that really likes you and smiles with all its teeth.

Maybe you want to join in too?

Head over to Philippa’s or add to the comments below. The choice is yours! Thanks fellow Philippa for the inspiration. You’re an absolute brick.

x pip

xx Pip

PS: Sorry for any typos or mistakes! Or forgotten bits. Tell me if I have messed up anything? (In the comments!)

If you fancy, buy me a coffee —>  https://ko-fi.com/piplincolne