1) The view out my my back door. The ability to live out-of-town away from the noise and traffic.
2) Animals and all of the things they give us. I am happy not to live in Ingrid Newkirk's ideal world.
3) Julie, the first Cardigan. Who says "I'm still here!" each morning.
4) Healthy, well-fed puppies. In fact, puppies!
5) The good friends that the dogs have connected me with.
6) Computers, which allow us to be able to afford to live out of town, have puppies, and to communicate with our friends.
7) Google, which puts all of the world's knowledge at my fingertips.
8- My fingertips. Having one which doesn't work perfectly anymore - no thanks to dogs - makes you appreciate the others.
9) My eyes. Some people are aural in nature, others are visual. I have learned over the years that my brain is wired such that I am a visual person. The spoken word can go right past me (ask Tom).
10) My day-job. Sometimes. Or at least for my 401(k) may it live long and prosper, and the generous boss to help it do so.
11) Digital cameras, for making it easier to preserve and share memories.
12) For Oregon and for living here. I love living in a state and region with both some of the most spectacular and unspoiled coastline in the world . . .
and for equally spectacular mountains and desert.
