five things.

from instagram - 22. making me smile (colorful ruffles on my ella coat and holly #alwaysholly)

...inspired by today's fmsphotoaday prompt, five things that are making me smile. my response to the prompt (above) was really spur-of-the-moment (and likely much influenced by the gray 40 degree drizzle that has been most of our weather of late) but it got me thinking about the bigger picture. and yes, there are many things making me smile. here are my five favorites right now.

Katie's "bach" girls

1. much of my recent absence here is because I spent the long holiday weekend in the North Carolina mountains, tagging along (with a few of my own friends) with Katie's bachelorette party. that's a story I'm still figuring out how to tell. but for now, every time I think of any part of it (except the 2 4+ hours I spent mourning the end of downton abbey season 3)...I smile.  and if I'm being honest with myself, I'm almost able to smile about those 2 4+ hours too.

yesterday's run

2. running with Katie. we've done our last three "long" training runs together at the greenway that's about midway between us. running for me has always been a solitary thing. me and the road. only very recently even me and the road and some music. and only in the last three weeks has it been me and the road and ... another person. she's a pace-master for sure and she has the equipment that makes me believe I really did run 8 miles at a 9:08 pace yesterday. I wish I were a few years younger so I could keep up without all the panting, but then I wouldn't have the absolute joy of sharing it with my daughter. so I smile.  (I'm also smiling this week because we paid attention to the weather forecast and the weather forecast was right and we ran our run yesterday. this morning was cold.wet.rain.with wind.)

3. a new friend (the wife of one of Marc's golfing buddies...I met her just a few months ago) and I started a joint board on Pinterest today. Ireland. I've never been, but it's green. and not hot. and full of history. and books. and knitting. and...golf. it's still early, but I have good feelings that this could be the BIG trip.

4. I spent a few hours online looking at dresses. I know! dresses! mother-of-the-bride dresses no less! but what's making me smile is that I found a LOT I liked (and in multiple email exchanges with Katie she approves) and I have a "date" with Kathie for next week to look in person. Katie has done such a great job with all the wedding stuff - really, it's done except for the little details that are always left for the last 12 weeks - and I hated that she was getting nervous about MY dress. more to come. I hope I'm not being unrealistic to think I can walk into Nordstrom's at 10am and walk out with a few dresses a few hours later!

5. the shop KAL's. not just the knitting time (we regularly meet on Friday afternoons and yes, part of this blog's happy attitude is that I finalized this list of 5 on my way home today), but the quality - and, being honest here, the quantity - of the projects. I was amazed this morning when I figured out we've done TWENTY ONE projects together. it's certainly not all because of me, but I've been the driver to keep it moving and I am.simply.astonished. at the breadth and depth of what we've done. Every single one of those KALs was a project that inspired multiple knitters to buy yarn, cast-on, and - hopefully - create something wonderful. and maybe learn a new skill. and likely make a new friend. I've completed 14 of the 21 and those projects are some of my most-favorite FO's. knitting with others is one of my favorite things about knitting. and being so proud of what we've accomplished makes me smile.

...yep, begging the question! what's making you smile right now? (if nothing else, I hope it's a weekend, looking forward to something FUN!)