In “The Sound of Music,” Maria sings to the children about some of her favorite things that make her feel better when she’s feeling bad. Whether I’m feeling bad or not, these are a few of my favorite things.

It just isn’t breakfast without grapefruit.

Grapefruit––I have a grapefruit half every morning with sugar on it. It’s the only thing I put sugar on or in. I absolutely love eating grapefruit. To me, it’s like a zen experience. I go into a zone when eating it. If the phone rings, I wouldn’t dream of answering until I finished my grapefruit. Whenever I had to take migraine medication, I had to skip grapefruit that day. And when I was on chemotherapy, I had to skip grapefruit for FIVE MONTHS. Grapefruit was one of the things I missed most during chemo. So this is a great way for me to start my day, and I appreciate every single bite.

Cloudy or overcast days––If I’m going to be outdoors, I prefer it to be cloudy or overcast. I’ve had at least 30 skin cancers, including one bad melanoma. And I sunburn easily. Besides, I don’t like hot weather. So for all these reasons, I’m not a fan of sunny days unless I can stay indoors. Then I enjoy the sunny weather.

If I’m going to be outdoors, I’d rather it didn’t rain or have more than a gentle breeze either. So cloudy or overcast days with moderate temps and very little wind fill the bill for me.

Some folks have SAD. They actually get depressed it the weather is rainy or stormy or gray. That’s not me. Some of my favorite days are gray.

I love to sit and read in the daytime.

Reading––I love to sit at my favorite recliner in the living room with my legs up and read chapter after chapter of a good mystery. Most days I have places to be or things to do and don’t simply sit and read. In the evening, I will give it my best shot but often nod off.

The other day, I played hooky from my to-do list and spent all afternoon reading. I loved it, but felt guilty. That dates back to when I was growing up.

I loved to read as soon as I learned how. But if my mom saw me reading during the day, she’d find some chores for me to do. So I learned to hide out if I wanted to read. If it was warm, I’d go climb a favorite tree or sit on the garage roof. That’s where I read some of my favorite books. In high school, I wised up and put a book cover on my reading-for- pleasure books. That way, mom thought I was studying. Do you remember or did you even have book covers for textbooks?

Wearing socks with sandals––I love wearing sandals because my toes don’t bug me. Since undergoing chemo, I have had some residual neuropathy in my toes, especially my big toes, and closed-toe shoes aren’t much fun to wear any more. But sandals don’t keep my feet warm even in the summer here on the coast. So I wear socks with them.

I happen to enjoy socks and have quite a collection. When I travel, I often buy socks as souvenirs. So I enjoy wearing my socks with my sandals.

Having a cat­­––I love having a cat. They don’t need to be walked morning and night, and they generally stay happy if fed and given some attention. Groucho does like me to stick to a routine. He is very vocal, so I usually know what he wants. I love playing with him in the evening, watching him bat at whatever I’m dangling for him to hit. He gets so excited he even snorts and gnashes his teeth.

Groucho enjoys the new tub too.

Wherever I am, he’s nearby. If I’m at the computer, he’s usually in my lap. When I’m in the kitchen, he’s often stretched out in the middle of the kitchen floor. And at night, he’s curled up somewhere on the bed. He makes a great companion.

I could go on, but these are a few of my favorite things.

A few weeks ago, I did a post on “Life’s little frustrations.” Well, now I’ve balanced things out.