Blessings and smiles

I have no idea why this popped into my head, but here goes.

After college, I worked in Brooklyn with a woman who had an unusual answer to the everyday "How are you?" greeting. She would ring out, "I'm blessed!" with a toothy smile, a Southern accent, a heavenward glance, and an occasional clasping of hands. (It was from her kitchen that I tried chicken backs, sweet potato pie, and other foods, but that's another story.) She said it every single time, and it always made me smile.

Thinking of this woman, I am smiling again. Since today I feel especially blessed and peaceful, I write this list of other things that made me smile this month. There are lots more, but these stand out.

1. My favorite pants no longer poke me in the crotch. Hallelujah for ouchless walking. And sitting. And standing. And zipping! In addition, they are no longer high-waters.
2. Unlike my pants, my period stayed short.
3. One chin, instead of two.
4. Car mpg is up to 24.3! For a long time I could get no higher than 23.7 on my awesome AWD 2008 Impreza, considering I probably drive too fast on the highway, and much of the rest of the time I'm doing city driving. (I love my Subaru. This baby is so much fun, handles like a dream, and is one of the safest compact cars around; just cute on the outside, but hot stuff underneath. Kind of like me! Heh heh.)
5. Speaking of hot stuff, salsa classes begin soon. I can't wait!
6. Next month's variable mortgage rate is 4.238, down from 4.316%. I'm watching it like a hawk, and when the time is right... bang! I'll lock it in and throw some cash at it so my monthly goes down. It's tricky, though. Come on, 4%! Or lower... my parents' rental property was 3.84% this month. Yeah baby!
7. A haircut is scheduled for tomorrow. Phew! (I'm a little shaggy.)
8. My state tax refund should be arriving in the near future.
9. Normal "April-in-Massachusetts" weather -- daytime 60's, nighttime 50's. Sayonara, sweltering 90's!
10. Doctors, surgeons, stable hands, and successful operations (Vitamin N, I'm talking about you.)
11. Good friends
12. Smiley babies
13. Silly Facebook quizzes
14. Rainbows
15. Compliments

So what brought a smile to your face recently?