Reasons to be Cheerful in May

I'm joining Ella again to look back through May to remember the highlights and the little things that brightened the month.

• It's been a different sort of month, mostly tied up with the home improvements. The first stage is complete (kitchen, music room, cloakroom and new flooring) and I'm over the moon with the changes so far. If I had to single out one thing it'd have to be the new bookcases in the music room and finally being able to sort all my stuff out.  It suits my personality to have everything ordered and to know where to find things.
• I haven't been out much this month but a couple of things stand out; I finally went to see the swing band I've been promising to see for I don't know how long, and am kicking myself for not going sooner. It was a fantastic evening and will now be in the calendar every month. Also a couple of meals out and chats with friends - the little things in life that add joy without me really realising it until I look back.
• Celebrating major life events with Julie's family - her fourth daughter's 19th birthday, and her 3rd daughter being accepted on a PhD course, starting in September. I'm so proud of all four girls and I love them to bits.
• Receiving, out of the blue, a snail mail letter from old friends and realising they are still in my life and thinking of me, even though we now live too far apart to see each other regularly.
• Completing three more online courses and learning something about myself in the process; accepting that I need to use my brain in this way and that I feel better, emotionally  and physically, when I do challenge myself like this.
• Enjoying the changing light as we move towards summer.  We've had some glorious sunsets lately - nature is magical.
• Feeling different about life in general, in a good way.  Having a sense of satisfaction and well being as my day to day life develops its own simple rhythm.  Very little is written in stone, but daily/weekly patterns and routines are developing and that repetition suits me. 
• Finding out the the Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt is on again this year.  I was beginning to think that it wasn't happening as there hadn't been the usual countdown to it, but thankfully it is - one of the highlights of my summer.