(Yes, I’ve made some new art, and done a wee revamp on how my Substack page looks - come and check it out!)
📕 Better Hate Than Never by Chloe Liese. I love love love Chloe Liese’s Bergman Brothers series of romance books, so when I saw that she was launching a new series, based on Shakespeare stories, I was super excited. Better Hate Than Never, based on The Taming of the Shrew (with a couple of big nods to 10 Things I Hate About You), is the 2nd in this new series, and it was fantastic. I especially love Chloe Liese for her books’ representation of neurodiverse characters - and with the Shakespeare series there’s some added fun in noticing supporting characters’ names and guessing if they’ll be next to have a story of their own. (Amazon affiliate links)
🏠 LEGO building. Straightforward, immersive, logical play. I love it. I recently made a huge order which came with this flower shop as a gift with purchase - so I’ve built it and put it next to a similar sized build from last year - watched over by an out-of-scale large penguin.
🎧 Hairspray. In my Musical Theatre dance class on Monday, we did our warm-up to Without Love and then learnt choreography to The Nicest Kids In Town (the song that introduces the Corny Collins show). I had such a huge smile on my face - I’d forgotten how much I love the score to this musical. (“And I’m… Link!”… swoon!)
Perhaps inspired by the disproportionate joy one ray of sunshine brings after an hour of torrential rain and hailstones (we’ve had plenty of both here this week), and more than a little encouraged by Natasha Poliszczuk’s similar post earlier this week, I wanted to talk about small joys.
I’ve done that before here, but I think it’s worth another look, partly because pleasures change (there’s at least one here that I’ve never mentioned on the newsletter, I don’t think), and partly because it’s always worth sharing what makes us smile.
Funny tote bag slogans. There are always more. One of the most generous uses of human ingenuity, truly. This observation brought to you by the bag I saw someone in town carrying yesterday which said I NEED MY SPACE on it, with a giant NASA logo.
Using a filter cone to make coffee. I’ve used my share of electric coffee machines, but on a slow morning I really like to use a pour-over cone with a paper filter in it. It makes the making of the coffee into part of the ritual. (I’ve recently been testing out going decaf, which has meant paying more attention to which parts of the coffee experience I’m actually enjoying).
Sparkling water. It always tastes special, somehow.
Hard boiled eggs. Because of the new meds I’m on to stop me being so tired all of the time, I’ve found my appetite and will to cook (or to think about what I’m going to cook) have shrunk dramatically. Problem is, living entirely on cereal is not ideal. Here to save the day: hard boiled eggs. I use my Egg Perfect gadget, which sits in the saucepan with the eggs and gradually changes colour to show how cooked the eggs are, and they are, indeed, perfect every time. Sometimes I mix them with mayonnaise, Just Spices Egg Topping, and tomatoes, and put them on crackers. Sometimes I stand at the kitchen counter and take a teaspoon to them just as they are. Protein keeps you going. Who knew!?
Chocolate eggs. ‘Coz it’s Easter. Chocolate wrapped in shiny foil wrappers just tastes better. I even won a Twirl egg in my apartment building’s Easter Egg hunt earlier this week.
Hot baths with a beer and a book. One of the most restorative things you can do without leaving home. Run a bath, pop open a can, and open a paperback. In the most ideal version of this, I don’t get out of the bath until I’ve finished both the beer and the book (yes, I specifically choose short and fast-to-read books to make this possible). Friday nights well spent, in my opinion.
A perfect* cup of tea.
Whizzing along a road or cycle path on two wheels. It’s just magical. (Okay, it’s physics, but it feels magical).
A well-tidied bookshelf. Having finally got around to finishing off building the two shelving units in my new kitchen my rainbow-ordered cookbook shelf is reinstated in pretty much the same way as it was in my old flat. I love it.
Having sparkly nails. I’m awful at remembering to paint my fingernails, and even worse at taking off the polish once it starts to chip, but having pretty nails fills me with childlike joy. This week: Essie’s trend & snap.
When you compliment someone and they smile. I’m such a sucker for this. “That jacket is a great colour on you” or “your arms looked so good during that run through of the choreography” or anything. Always saying the nice thing is one of my mottos.
*Everyone’s definition of perfect willl be different, which is fine.
For more of this sort of thing, because it’s the end of the month, I’ll be sending out a summary of fun links, things to listen to, and all the books I’ve read in March next week - do subscribe to get it straight into your inbox.
Speak soon,
Lily
PS: The Amazon affiliate link above only works to give me commission if you click through from the Substack app or website, rather than directly from your email program. Other ways to support this newsletter include liking, commenting, and sharing it with a friend who you think might like it. Thanks in advance!
If you liked this, you might like this full-on essay on joy from 2022:
nearly all those things resonate with me - especially reading in the bath - I don't have a beer with me tho - never quite managed the drinking in the bath thing! Your book shelf is utter joy.