Tuesday, May 12, 2009

10 Things I Love: Relaxation Edition

10.The way a hardback book feels in your hand.

9. Watching my wife and daughter get ready in our single 10 square foot bathroom. (Oddly it doesn't seem to relax them the same way.)

8. Schmoozing with George. George is the owner of my favorite restaurant, he's 30 years my senior, Italian, and amazing. English is, I believe, his 12th language. There's nothing quite like listening to an Italian yell in German at an American football game that's on a Japanese TV.

7. Earl Grey tea.

6. My pipe. Especially with Sherlock tobacco. An unfinished Savinelli that my wife gave me. Just holding it relaxes me. Much to my youngest daughter's amusement, I have a tendency to carry it wherever I go even though I rarely smoke away from home.

5. The weight of my dog's chin on my knee when she needs her ears scratched. We have 5 dogs... That makes me tired just typing it... But Bella is the queen. Full Blood Boxer goodness and the sweetest dog to ever live.

4. A snifter of after work scotch. Especially Glennfiddich. You remember the old Calgon commercials? That's what my 5:07pm cocktail does for me. I stand in the living room, still in my suit, wafting the bouquet of my ambrosia while 5 dogs explain in full synchronized expressive dance how they missed our family all day, my wife and daughter prepare for whatever their evening's mischief will be, and my wife tells me about her day... not in rapid succession but at the exact same time. A guy with ADD has to have chemical assistance or the scene would make me pass out from sheer number of stimuli.

3. Working in the garden.When you work with technology and people who don't know how to right click all day... Dirt is very calming.

2. Enjoying the dinner my wife prepared with friends. The equation is simple. The event can never be announced before 5:45pm on the same night of the event. I will be sent to the local market for any necessities while C cooks. At least two visitors will arrive. There will be much wine, more talk, and my wife perfecting the whole gala in her amazing grace.

1. The 10 minutes of whispering with my wife in bed before I fall asleep each night.

1 comment:

Deanna said...

I, too, am an Earl Grey addict. And George is also our favorite restaurant owner. My husband and I spend an inordinate amount of time (and money) at the North Lounge. In fact, I started a Facebook group called, "North Lounge, Where Everybody Knows Your Name" (Cheers reference) which now boasts 105 members. You should join. Btw, I have a brother named Michael West, too.