Five Things that Don't Suck, Beautiful Morning Edition

1. not writing any of the lyrics to "O! What a Beautiful Morning" here because just thinking about them is enough to get the song stuck in my head
2. opening the windows wide to let in cool post-rain air
3. sunshine
4. the way Gracie will alter her path--much like a little kid--in order to walk through puddles
5. scheduling a visit to the bees this afternoon

Five Things that Don't Suck, Independence Edition

1. the founding fathers
2. the founding mothers, who don't really get any credit but who certainly got shit done because they were women and that's what we do
3. this video, the song from which is guaranteed to get stuck in your head
4. not being at all sorry about #3, because if I've gotta live with it, so can you
5. fireworks shows

Five Things that Don't Suck, Never Complain About the Heat Edition

1. it's not bone-shattering cold out there
2. warm is good
3. ice water is delicious and good for you
4. warm weather is way easier on the bees
5. how sarcastic this sounds, even though I mean every word

Five Things that Don't Suck, Suddenly Feels Like Vacation Edition

1. going to breakfast on a week day for the second time this week
2. so many books. So very many
3. staying up too late with one of those books, then getting up (also late) to go out for the aforementioned breakfast
4. having the head space to think about big writing projects
5. fruit salad

Five Things that Don't Suck, Totally Random, Totally Not Sending Secret Messages Edition

1. being able to tell when people are secretly goth
2. mastodons
3. bunnies*
4. Edward Gorey
5. wearing just enough eyeliner

*taste like chicken

Five Things that Don't Suck, Sniff Sniff Edition

1. making lemon cookies for them to take on the road
2. how much shorter "the road" is now than it was just a couple of weeks ago
3. a farewell shindig
4. knowing we'll see everyone again in just a couple of months
5. finally having convinced a distant niece to go to college in MA

Five Things that Don't Suck, Post-Graduation Party Edition

1. dogs who actually didn't jump into the fish pond
2. dogs who are so tired that they crawl into bed at 11 and don't move again until I wake them up at 8*
3. people who are so tired that they crawl into bed at 11 and don't move again until I wake up at 8**
4. seriously, how funny the Foley clan is (I mean it)
5. coffee. Lots and lots of coffee

*evidence: completely flat, undisturbed dog blankets
**okay, it's possible I moved a couple of times, and that I woke up at 5 convinced that it was about 9. But then I went back to sleep. It's comedy, people, not science