Count your blessings - August 2021

• A late paella evening in our friend's garden in candlelight
• Pulling of soaked clothes and getting into soft warm home wear when arriving home totally rained out
• The sound of crickets buzzing and the sight of a dragonfly flying by
• New cushions on my very worn out Beats headset. And now he looks new again.
• Catching up in my feedreader
• A solo walk among the fields where I spotted a deer
• A culinary dinner out when I didn't expect it
• Jan, who is just as shocked by the unethical quotes by Eddy Demarez, and I am grateful that we share the same values and view on society.
• Buying some promising new books
• Brainstorming on our #wedraaiendoor series and running ridiculously ahead of our planning
• Sunsets at the beach
• Sea food dishes
• The sound of waves crashing at the beach...and the sound of my children screaming when jumping them
• Fighting the rolling waves with our decorated sand castles in vain
• Reading 4,5 books in vacation
• Some days of sunshine and blue sky...at least some this summer. Finally.
• Time...and empty agenda, no obligations...the days that are free
• Swimming in the pool
• Abundant flowers in French towns
• Smooth drives on the French highways. Phew 
• Meeting some of Jan's distant French relatives and being welcomed warmly
• The opening of new renovated offices with a party that included our retired colleagues and the recently fired colleagues due to restructuring...because we remain one big family.
• Meeting my Danish boss and Dutch HR colleagues for the first time in person after many months
• Observing my team physically together, full of new hires mingling with the other colleagues in laughter and chat and trusting we'll meet our future challenges together

This is a monthly list of simple things in my life that make me happy or that make me smile.  

As the world often seems full of negativity and disaster, I want to pay attention to these small things that make me happy in my daily life and be grateful for them. You can find all of them via this link