A Beautiful World

Day 81: I was on the school run earlier in the week and found myself annoyed with a number of things. Parents parking on the patrol crossing area at the school instead of the huge car park opposite. The amount of parents who smoke near the school gates. The amount of parents not wearing face masks in the school yard. I was tempted to post on this blog all the things that annoy me.

But no. What will we gain from moaning, being negative and having a pessimistic outlook? It’s one of the reasons I stopped using Facebook. I appreciate it is easier to say than to practice optimism and positivity though.

So here are 50 Things that make me happy. Booze doesn’t make the list anymore….

1. Cuddles off my daughters 👧🏼🧒🏼

2. Watching Parks & Recreation. Such a happy and non-offensive sitcom 🇺🇸

3. Asking Alexa for Question of the Day 🧠

4. That first coffee in the morning ☕️

5. Finishing a book and closing it for the last time 📖

6. A takeaway – Chinese, Indians, Pizza, Kebab… 🥟🌶🍕🥙

7. Watching a horse I backed win a race. Preferably on course but also on the TV 🏇🏻

8. Reading with my daughters 🧒🏼👧🏼

9. Listening to a podcast 🎧

10. Family days out with my wife and daughters. Farms, parks, the coast, etc. 👨‍👩‍👧‍👧

11. Watching a film from my 100 Films Bucket List Poster 🎬

12. Watching my Chillis growing in their pots on the window 🌶

13. A morning run 🏃‍♂️

14. A morning walk 🚶‍♂️

15. A coffee from a Barista ☕️

16. Shaving my head 💈

17. Finishing a box set or series on Netflix 📺

18. When the latest Runners World magazine arrives in the post 🗞

19. A trip to the Butchers for some British meat 🥩

20. Cleaning the washing machine filter. I always find a hair clip in there (living with three ladies naturally) 🧺

21. Getting my car valeted 🧽

22. Listening to Country Hits Radio 🤠

23. Watching my football team Sunderland at the actual stadium! (It’s been a while) ⚽️

24. The self serve checkout at the supermarket working perfectly with no assistance required ⚖️

25. A day at the cricket with my mates 🏏

26. A picnic with my family 🥪

27. No substituted items on my Grocery Click & Collect 🛒

28. A hot, long bath listening to Hans Zimmer scores 🎬🎹

29. A double yoker 🍳

30. Completing a crossword in the Sunday paper ✏️

31. A sunset which shows the multitude of colour in our sky 🌄

32. Taking a bike ride on my own and stopping half way to enjoy the scenery 🚴‍♂️

33. Having a decaf coffee and chocolate biscuit on an evening once the kids are in bed ☕️🍪

34. When your football team scores a winning goal in the last minute of a match ⚽️

35. Getting a question correct in a Quiz 🧠

36. Cooking a steak perfectly how I like it (medium rare) 🥩

37. Managing to put a shelf up that is both level and stable 🪛

38. Listening to an album I haven’t heard in years but loved when I was younger 🎼

39. Hearing my Wedding dance song on the radio (One day like this – Elbow) 👰🏼‍♀️🤵🏼

40. Buying prints off Etsy to frame for our home 🖼

41. Seeing a new photo of my racehorse CHESTER LE STREAK 🐴

42. Enjoying a Lamb Madras and not having the squits after it 🐑

43. When the banter gets ‘on point’ and vicious in the lad’s WhatsApp group 😬

44. When my Garmin Forerunner watch vibrates and says I’ve hit 10,000 daily steps ⌚️

45. My wife telling me she loves me 😘

46. My wife telling me she is proud of me 🥰

47. Seeing my wife smile 😇

48. Watching my wife develop, achieve and excel in her new chosen career after having babies 👏

49. Christmas morning with my little family 🎄

50. Waking up and reminding myself that yesterday was another day sober and safe. Let’s do it again today 💪