Bits of Happy For Under $10

I'm feeling kind of blah today. Mirroring the weather, I suppose.

I spent two very beautiful days (Friday and Saturday) inside, working at an Expo for people over the age of 50. It's the 5th time I've worked at this annual event and I've gotten to know some of the people who work at the booths nearby - especially the ones with the seniors groups. It's good to see them every year and to hear how they passed the winter. I hold my breath every year, though and worry about the sweet little old guy from Cumberland county or the two guys from Antigonish that I played crib with last year.

That's a funny story: These two guys had the crib board out last year and I went over to see if I could get in on a game during a slow time at the Expo. So I said, "Who's winning? Oh, okay, well, when you're done, I'll beat the winner." So first I played Michael... and I kicked his arse... then I played Charlie... and I skunked him (that means I beat him, and I more than kicked his arse). Heh heh... They were sorely disappointed when they realized I was back this year and they didn't have any cards. I think they left the game at home because they didn't want me to humiliate them again this year. They said that they had been practising all winter. Heh heh...

Anyhoooooo... Let's examine our Bits of Happy for under $10.

1. "Membership" in the quasi-official HRM Stitch and Bitch.
That's right. I said it OUT LOUD - HRM SnB is happening and it costs less than $10 to join... Actually, it doesn't cost anything to join... it's totally free. But bring a copy of Sir John A MacDonald's portrait to the meeting so you can buy yourself a great cup of coffee and maybe something to nibble on.

We're meeting at 7pm on Wednesday nights at the Uncommon Grounds coffeehouse on South Park Street. So far it's just me, Morgan, and Moe, but if you're a knitter in HRM, you're welcome to join. We aren't able to meet on June 15th, but the next date will be posted on someone's blog.

If you would like to come but you're worried that we are a bunch of scary freaks... well, we are, but we bring yarn and there is always lots of caffeine-enhanced conversation. I didn't know Morgan and Moe at all when we started this thing... so if we can do it... you can too!!!!!!!!! Please leave a comment if you're considering attending. No one bites. Yet.

2. A can of pineapple, a bag of sugar and a box of strawberry Jell-O. Price: Less than $10.
What the heck are you going to do with those things? I'll tell you what you do. You sneak over into the neighbour's yard and gather up an armload of their RHUBARB and then you take those ingredients and make some deadly good rhubarb jam. If anyone wants the recipe, let me know.

I told my co-worker that I was up making jam and rhubarb crisp last Monday night and she said, "Are you like, channelling someone's 80-year-old grandma?" Harumph. See if she gets any jam. She'll be drooling in jealousy while my other co-worker, who is supportive of my inner-80-year-old, slathers jam on her toast.

3. A ruby-red grapefruit. Price: Less than $2.00
Why is this a little bit of happy? Well, this is a two-fold bit of happiness
a. I love grapefruit. Love, love, love it. So much so, that I used to call them greatfruit when I was a kid. I ate the grapefruit in question about 2 months ago. I still remember how good it was. I don't put sugar on grapefruit. Geez, Louise, what do you need sugar for? It's waaaaaay sweeter than it was when I was a kid and I wasn't allowed sugar then. Unpucker those lips, baby, it's sweet.
b. I planted some of the seeds and although I had some doubting Thomases, I checked the pot a couple days ago and beheld three perfect little green seedlings!!!! HA!

4. A box of fudgesicles. Price: I dunno, Andrew picked them up.
When shared with three children, aged 6, 8 and 10, you definitely get your share of happiness. Plus, the 8-year-old ended up with a chocolate goatee. Very entertaining.

5. Bus Fare. Price: $2.00
For a twoonie, you can catch the bus and enjoy the soap-opera that is bus-riding in a moderately large city. The goth-kids with their little Winnie The P00h clad baby. The guys who look like geeky D&D players from the 80s (read: longish hair and fingernails, white socks with their sneakers) who turn out to be a couple. The guy who smells like liquor and looks like he just got off work. The kid who stares at you out of the corner of his half-closed eyes because you're the only one on the bus who is knitting. The little old ladies who catch your eye and smile knowingly as you knit. The call centre girl who puts on her headphones and pulls out her book so she can get home without talking to another soul...

6. The new Belle and Sebastian compilation. Price: ummmmm
Oh, ok, you got me. That was well over $10. But each song costs less than $10. And they're all good songs and they are making me happy right now.

7. A bag of "Just Us" Coffee. Price: $6.99.
It's fair trade coffee and it's roasted just outside Wolfville, NS. I hadn't bought any in ages, but I just had to when I read the name of this particular blend: "Rise Again" I think I know where the name came from (it's a song by an East Coast family band called "The Rankins") but it sure did make me giggle when I bought it. "Rise Again Blend: Coffee to resurrect those who feel like the walking dead in the morning." "Rise Again Blend: Coffee for... wait, what's that noise? Is that laughter? Les, stop that snickering. For heaven's sake, get your mind out of the Beneyville ditch. You're going to be gulping this stuff down after that third baby arrives. hee... Beneyville. (sorry gang, that's a hometown joke for my peeps).

8. Cocoa lip balm from the Body shop. Price: Ummmm... $6.00????
I'm addicted to this stuff. IT SMELLS LIKE CHOCOLATE. Thanks alot, Becca, you Body Shop pusher. I can't stop myself. I've developed a nervous lip balm application habit because of it. I can't leave my office without reapplying and then puckering my lips up so I can smell it. I look like my mentally-unstable grandma. When I was a kid she used to occasionally pucker her lips up like she was scratching the bottom of her nose with her lip or something. My cousins and I would do imitations of her in our very mature ways (we were 9, 10 and 11) - "Hey, hey Jon... who's this?" squinching up our lips.... "Ha ha ha ha ha ha... it's Grammy." Nice kids. We didn't know she was a bit kookie when we were doing this. We just thought she was weird. Isn't it nice that I have this memory? My cousins and I are all going to Hell. If you're looking for us, we'll be the ones puckering our lips and laughing sad, ironic laughs. I think I'll need the cocoa lip balm there. Eternal Hellfire and damnation has got to be a bitch for chapped lips, eh?

9. A packet of seeds. Price: varies. Morning glories are less than $2.00
Morning glories. Love 'em. They grow on my ugly fence and they smile at me every morning when I come out the back door.

10. I'm out. I've got nothin'. I need to go reapply.

Have a great afternoon. I'm going to knit now. Someday soon, I'll have photos.