The best thing that happened today was my manager telling me I could leave the office at half two. So I came home and tried out my new tricycle for the first time by taking my glass to the bottle bank at the end of the next street.
Finishing work early, recycling and tricyles: glee comes in threes this new year's eve!

The best thing that happened today was that after almost giving in to this time of year, and giving in to being a lazy holiday fool, I shook some of it off and ticked one of the big 'to dos' off my whopper of a list.
I seem to have woken a part of my sleepy brain up today. Oh the relief!

The best thing that happened today was my Dad offering to fix the puncture on my bike when he and my Mum visited. I've been really ill the whole of my time off over Christmas, and can't ring in sick tomorrow as there is too much work to be done, and I couldn't find the energy to fix my bike but I need it to get to work tomorrow. And he just worked outside in the cold making the bike better, and making the brakes work properly, and when me and my Mum asked him he was ok when he had finished and he came inside and his hands were really cold, he just said "it's what Dads do", and I was so touched.

The best thing that happened today was remembering that this blog isn't just about sweetness and light. I have had a shocker of a day, but I guess we didn't start this blog to gloat at how our lives are full of amazing things, but rather look for and reflect upon our days with an element of positivity, to try and find some good in even the shittiest of days.
And today I found that by, in amongst an increasingly nosediving mood and state of mind, dressing up in the most ridiculously incongruous outfit I could find - a black party dress - was the best thing I could do to make myself feel better. A posh black frock, knee socks and slippers to mope about in!

The best thing that happened today was getting to sleep in till 5.30pm. Jeez did I need that!

The best thing that happened today was uploading the recording I made of a gig I had organised and attended last week.

Relistening to the Bonfire Madigan gig I heard again her magical words which at the time had made me goosebump, and on reflection today made me beam with the power and potential of inspiration and collective encouragement. Madigan said,

"For me that’s what community does, that’s the reason we come together, to pull our dreams out of each other."

The Best Thing That Happened Today was the two parcels waiting for me at the sorting office this morning. One from America, one from the UK, both exquisite Nikki McClure items to beautify my home and inspire my creative life. Despite the expensive pound/dollar conversion rate at the moment, I splashed out on her 2009 calender, which was worth every cent. But I did then manage to counter this with the thrifty find on amazon marketplace of a book of her artwork, from which I'm gonna frame my favourite pieces as prints and hang them around the house. I'm now wrestling with pliers and a jumbo paperclip to make a hook to hang the calendar from in anticipation of the 1st January...

"Nikki McClure of Olympia, Washington is known for her painstakingly intricate and beautiful paper cuts. Armed with an X-acto knife, she cuts out her images from a single sheet of paper and creates a bold language that translates the complex poetry of motherhood, nature, and activism into a simple and endearing picture."

Nikki McClure Website

The Best Thing That Happened Today was waking up at 4am and drinking several large glasses of water before going back to sleep, so that by the time I got up at 8am and went to work, my hangover was manageable.
This is all because the best thing that happened yesterday was going to see The Seven Inches, Ray Rumours and Bonfire Madigan perform at the Brudenell, where I drank several of my favourite cocktail: The Wicked Lady. Babycham, brandy, cocktail cherries, and a lot to answer for...

The Best Thing That Happened Today was receiving this photo in an email...



TrashTastic!

The Best Thing That Happened Today was receiving an small email from a friend who I am growing to know and love more with each correspondance and communication.

The best thing that happened today was the unexpected surprise of a specially-for-christmas Sunday post arriving! Anybody who knows me knows I love post, and I love comix, so imagine my glee that my special Sunday post was four huge envelopes stuffed with comix zines submitted for the UK Female Comix-Zine Exhibition at January's Zinefest (held at The Women's Library, London).
Seriously, I'm talking about 20 comix, a heap of original artwork, and a bunch of mini-zines created especially for Zinefest, plus lovely letters and postcards.
Today it was my Mum's birthday, but I had more to open than I think she received for her entire birthday!
Today was *perfect post day*!