If I must say, and I must, the day has started rather pleasantly.

I know it may not mean much to you, but for me...heaven!

You see, I had my first shower in my newly renovated (yet not totally cleaned up) bathroom! Imagine! Elbow room and bending over room to shave the legs! No more standing on the shower drain to keep it in place! Little built in shelves for soap and such! Wuhoo! (Okay, the toilet still rocks and rolls a little, but no worries, Cookie the plumber - yes his name is Cookie -- will be back to fix that next week!) Simple pleasures, my friends, on this 18th day of May.

I was treated to another simple pleasure too.

The crocus (croci?) and daffodils have already given me some colourful joy after a long winter. But what about the tulips?

The bulbs I planted last fall all somehow survived the squirrels which is reason to celebrate...although I think some of them ended up in different locations, being discovered, dug up, and re-"planted" by my furry friends. Most of them started to bloom too...but then I'd look the next day and, "CHOMP!" Some deer or something bit the head of them. Except for this one, all ready to burst open for me on this 18th day of May.

When I woke up this morning, for the first time as a 49-year-old, I saw that Mother Nature gave me a little treat too:

Not bad, eh?

So as I turn 49, heading towards the big five-oh, I will enjoy all the little treats along the way. And then I'll be grumpy-pants. Or not. Stay tuned!

Happy birthday to me!

Thanks and good luck.