Happy Things. Favorite Things.

Astrology.com says:

You can tell that today's changes are almost all improvements and that you're in for even more in the near future. Things are looking up for you in many different areas of your life!

From their lips to God's ears. I do feel better since I have pulled back from a lot of my former regular Internets Haunts. I'm focusing on the positive and happy things in my life, and there are lots of them. I stole this idea from Debi and Oprah. (I don't think I have to link to Oprah, she is omnipresent.)

A few of my favorite things:

My Chi flatiron. That's not the exact model I own but it's basically the same, and, oh my GAWD how did I live in Florida all these years without this little sucker? (I walked around looking like frizzed-out shit, that's how.) I will not focus on how much it sucks that I lived "the best years of my life" doing battle with my hair, I will focus on how great it is that I can have this sleek trendy hair now. I did tell Girlchild how lucky she is to have all these tools at her disposal during her hottest years, but I don't hate her for it. Much.

Back to the flatiron: A quick and dirty pressing of the bangs and top layers of my hair and I am frizz free for two days, no matter what, even in the wind and rain, and my hair has never been healthier, though I think that a lot of the health probably has to do with my improved diet since rejoining the next thing:

Weight Watchers Online. I really, really like the focus on eating a balanced diet plus portion control, and the tools for tracking servings of fruits and veggies and calcium and taking your vitamins and doing some exercise. So easy, no pressure, and I know I am eating far better than I have in years.

On that note, my favorite grocery item: these frozen fully-cooked grilled chicken and Italian chicken breasts. I tried cooking them per the package directions and wasn't impressed, the easiest way is to throw a chicken breast on a plate and nuke it in the microwave for a minute, check the center temp, and then add 20 seconds or more as needed to get it heated and juicy, without the steam-table effect caused by the package directions. Slice the little sucker and throw it on a salad, or stuff it in a pita pocket with some veggies. Perfect fast dinners for one or two. And the Italian chicken breast is perfect for a quick chicken dish - use a non-stick frying pan, spritz it with olive oil cooking spray, add the necessary number of chicken breasts (one per serving) and heat. When they are thawed and warmed up a bit, add some pasta sauce from a jar, and simmer gently in the sauce, top with a light sprinkle of good quality parmesan. Steamed veggies on the side, and it's dinner.

The grilled chicken breasts are also ideal for owners of picky dogs who won't eat dog food unless it is mixed with chicken. I thought my dog was a freak until my vet's office reassured me that this is not weird at all, and I totally got over it when I learned that my cousins cook chicken for their collie. For a tiny dog, just thaw one in microwave (one minute on high), cut in half or thirds or whatever depending on size of dog, wrap the extra for the next day. A bag of these will feed a small picky dog for weeks (supplemented with high quality dry food, of course). Murphy gives them two paws up, and when dished out in Yorkie portions it's cheaper than a lot of canned foods, and makes the Science Diet mommy insists is his proper food a hell of a lot more palatable.

Another favorite foodie thing: my yogurt maker. It really is so much better than store bought, and idiotically easy to make from scratch.

And I make it with Smart Balance 1% milk. (tried to link, failed) I would have walked past this stuff in the dairy case but for the sweet little supermarket sample lady who encouraged me to try it. Seriously, the 1% looks and tastes like whole milk. It isn't cheap and it probably isn't a choice if you are in the "buying three gallons a week" stage of kids at home, but for adults, damn, it's worth the cost. It has me drinking milk again, at least a cup of warm milk before bedtime, and that is saying something.

Another favorite thing. This cotton yarn: Cotton Tale 8. God, I adore this stuff. I want to make my entire wardrobe with this stuff. It's so soft, and so thin and light it's perfect for crocheted sweaters. I would knit a nightgown and sleep in it. I'd knit a thong, that's how soft it is. Right now I'm just fooling around with it in my impulsively unplanned afghan. I'm thinking that this afghan may be just two colors, cocoa and cream. It may not be "my" definitive afghan, but it will be a lovely guest room throw in the new guest room in my new place. But I will be buying tons more of this stuff. It is the best cotton yarn I've ever used.

And that's today's "Lifestyles of the Middle-Aged, Unemployed, Yet Still Determined to be Fabulous" report. Must go, the dog is demanding his chicken dinner.