Sleeping in and walking up at leisure. Rainshower sunbursts with the pounding rumble of a sudden downpour. The smell of paint and turpentine, a heady bouquet. Vacuuming the house and folding the clean, soft, fresh-scented laundry. The white globes of the new hanging lamp in the dining room glowing in the light of the full moon as I pad across the house in the darkness. Good news from my sister, chatty telephone conversations with my brother. An evening over at friends, stuffed full of good dinner and great dessert: baked green apple crisp with vanilla bean ice cream. A positive-sounding message for my husband, keep your fingers crossed! A delicious Sunday night dinner: homemade sauté of tender chicken, butter-smooth haricots verts, crispy water chestnuts, meltingly tasty mushrooms over perfectly sticky jasmine rice. A walk in the rain-washed world with a chattering child by my side. A stone wall completely netted in green with tiny tiny violets scattered over it like amethysts. Closing a good book and getting ready to open another one. Fat and frozen plump and juicy blueberries. Finding the perfect present online for my mom, who celebrated a birthday yesterday but isn't home yet from her travels to pick up the message waiting for her.

Soothing, Smooth and Relaxing (one-day-late) Birthday Wishes to the Greatest Lizardmom that Ever Lived!