A lovely blogger friend has given me a prize! It just made my day. She is the Inveterate Optimist at http://inveterateoptimist.blogspot.com/ and her posts always make me smile. And how can you not like the idea of sending people an award with cupcakes on it?
When receiving an award, one is instructed to do the following:
1. Post-back to thank the person who recognized you. Naturally, etiquette is observed.
2. Offer 10 things that make you happy. Though I’ve noticed straying from that number is acceptable.
and 3. Pass along the award to 10 bloggers who make you happy.
So, in the things that make me happy department:
1. Bulbs coming up in my yard – mini-daffodils: yayy!
2. The fact that the giant thump that scared the heck out of me this morning was caused by a pair of dare-devil squirrels and not by the tree in my backyard falling onto the house.
3. Ian Drury and the Blockheads. Seriously. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoOjtNs9EOk&feature=related Nope, no idea why there’s a sea turtle involved. He’s cute, though.
5. My amazing friends and coworkers. You make my heart sing. And save my butt.
6. The 12 year old friend of the the bookshop who exclaimed last week, “Mom, look! They have the Iliad AND the Odyssey!” I love my job.
7. Our local humane society moving to a brand new, extra-nice building.
8. A sweet thank you note from a wonderful new author. This is her book: http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780670021895 I think it’s quite a big deal. Sure to give readers many happy hours.
9. Green marshmallow peeps. I only wish I had found them in time to send to my dad for St. Patrick’s Day… Oh, well, I’ve got more time to pre-stale them for him now! Did you know you can make peeps joust in the microwave? Yes, yes you can. http://cookingwithanne.blogspot.com/2009/03/peep-jousting.html
10. Nerdy comics. http://xkcd.com/614/
Oh, and? Owlcam. http://www.sportsmansparadiseonline.com/Live_Owl_Nest_Box_Cam.html
My Ten Favorite Blogs (not counting The Inveterate Optimist above):
www.jennsylvania.com Author Jen Lancaster’s funny, funny blog.
www.mimismartypants.com Author Mimi Smartypants’ (hey, it’s her pen name – I can’t help it) funny, funny blog.
http://packrescue.blogspot.com/ Our Pack Inc. pit bull rescue’s informative & heartwarming blog about all things dog.
http://news.bestfriends.org/index.cfm?page=news&mode=entry&entry=95BABAA8-D730-C20A-804DFAB21DA52E8D Best Friends Animal Sanctuary’s stories about happy endings for animals in need.
http://cherrytart.wordpress.com/ Tartitude: smart, funny commentary on just about everything. For immense fun, scroll down to her British Humor post.
http://www.knitgrrl.com/ Knitgrrl, AKA Shannon Okey knows everything about yarn, as far ask I am concerned, and can tell you how to do just about anything. She writes books & patterns too. 
This is her cat, Spike, who is preternaturally patient.
For horsey types, Janie Rentz always has some neat ideas for stuff to do with your equine friend, from coping with exercising in deep snow, to nifty how-to dressage videos. http://janierentz.blogs.equisearch.com/
http://www.sheldoncomics.com/ I’m mainly in this for the comics, but he does do a blog too.
http://www.unshelved.com/ makes me laugh & counts because there are book reviews.
And last, but certainly not least: http://www.thedebutanteball.com/ a group blog for new authors, featuring the incomparable Emily Winslow, author of “The Whole World” (a literary mystery coming in May) 
http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780385342889
Thanks to all you guys – you make my world a happier place.
Marymcdonald's Blog 
