Hundred Days of Happiness - Week Two

subversively focusing on joy

Another week of photos and savoring the good things in life. It seems sort of subversive to be focusing on joy and gratitude these days and while I don’t like that way of thinking, I do like focusing on the small things that I can do to create and foster community and joy. Again, I have more essays in my drafts folder, but life has been wonderfully hectically busy - more on that later - and I don’t want to shortchange them by rushing. Hopefully I will have more time soon. Please enjoy this slice of our immigrant lives here in the Netherlands.

DH rolling out pasta dough on our dining room table

#latergram #homemadepasta #pastacasera #foodislove #day08 #100happydays

Our son had a friend spend the night and we all made pasta together for lunch on Sunday.

The idea of cooking together is sweet and romantic, however in our household the reality is usually much less so and a lot more bickering. This endeavor however worked out really well as they made the pasta on the table and I used the island to make the sauce. I was filled with love by this activity. Every once in a while I just get bombed with oxytocin and I just melt inside. It’s just the best feeling. Totally normal family life that just bubbles over into me falling in love with my husband and family once more. 🥰🥰🥰

Me and a friend before the Hannah Gadsby Show. These smiles never really left our faces over the next two hours - our cheeks hurt by the end.

#latergram #concerthall #amsterdam #comedyshow #hannahgadsby #day09 #100happydays

In July I saw an ad for Hannah Gadsby comedy show in Amsterdam in November. I signed up for the mailing list to get on the presale list. I organized some friends to go with me and I bought tickets as soon as I could. I am not usually this organized. I usually think “oh that’s a good idea, I should do that” and then by the time I take action it’s too late. Shows sell out incredibly fast these days, you really have to strike while the iron is red-hot. I am not used to planning months out in the future. Things were always so unstable schedule-wise as a child that things were organized very much last minute and even then plans would get upended. So it still strikes me as really weird to make plans months in advance. All of this to say, I am super proud of myself when I can overcome my own programming and make plans months in advance and then actually execute them once they come to fruition. There was the added wrinkle this fall with me getting COVID in October and basically spending six weeks in bed doing my best to avoid getting Long Covid. I cancelled a lot of plans which was really emotionally hard to do. I did not like being a “sensible adult” and canceling my social plans, but doing so helped me get enough rest to mostly recover.

All this to say - I made it to see Hannah Gadsby in Amsterdam. OMG! 😱 So good to see her in person. The concert hall is beautiful and no phones or watches were allowed to be on during the show as to keep distractions down. Hannah talked about trying to process their father’s death, trying to process fame, how to deal with literal crap and many other things. They mostly steered clear of Current Affairs but would add in a touch here and there about the worldwide rise of fascism. My cheeks hurt from laughing so much and I felt so happy to be amongst a crowd of people I felt immediately comfortable in - somehow queer and somewhere on the spectrum. Made me miss my Bay Area friends something fierce.

One slice left of Pumpkin Pie - even before Thanksgiving started

#latergram #pie #pumpkinpie #friendship #foodislove #day10 #100happydays

Another local friend dropped by with half a homemade pumpkin pie! It was delicious and our family pretty much devoured it on day one. This is what was left on day two.

We recently met, connected quickly and have hung out a couple of times. We bonded over the before-and-aftermath of the election as she is also a half-American like me and very concerned about the direction the country is headed. Trying not to eat our feelings, but sharing in immigrant traditions through food. 🥰🥰

The warm glow of the fire in the fire-pit inside the bouldering hall.

#latergram #cold #warm #winter #fire #hail #day11 #100happydays

It hailed on Wednesday and “present me” was super glad that “past me” bought an ice scraper for the window. In the afternoon I took two boys to bouldering class and there was a lovely fire going in the waiting area so I got to get a bit toasty warm and do some remote computer work while waiting for class to finish.

A light-dusting of snow in the morning over our garden shed

#latergram #cold #winter #snow #day12 #100happydays

Woke up to a light dusting of snow last week! Made me very happy as it wasn’t too much to actually make life difficult, but also enough to feel like it’s getting into the holidays spirit. I put up lights around the shed to make it cozy or “gezellig” as they say here. It really does help to stave off the darkness which comes on so fast and lasts so long here in the Netherlands.

Surprise fruit in the late fall - one last raspberry before the garden shuts down.

#latergram #fruit #garden #fall #day13 #100happydays

A surprise in the garden! One last burst of flavor before the garden shuts down. This raspberry was hidden under a leaf and my son discovered it because he’s just the perfect height.

Christmas Cactus spreading her blossoms and cheer in our house.

#latergram #christmascactus #winter #flowers #day14 #100happydays

‘Benign neglect’ is the best way to describe my gardening. I wish I was “better” as it, but despite my lack of attention, plants seem to do well in our house. I have never had a Christmas Cactus before and she seems pretty darned happy! As does the orchid behind her which is growing yet another stem of blossoms.