Based on the Three Beautiful Things project by Clare Law, I try to write about three pleasant things from my day.
1. The regular swish as the men brush grit.
2. I randomly stumble upon Clare’s “Three Beautiful Biscuits” and think, not for the first time, that Clare and I might actually be the same person.
3. I squee loudly when I find the forgotten-about spare bottle of orange squash. Just what I wanted.
1. We return from the shop but the planned bacon butties are put on hold because, for the first time in days, the cats show an interest in the outside world. We walk down the chilly garden together, the cats sharply contrasted with the white. Boron shakes his cold paws with every step.
2. As beautiful as it is, the white world has made me crave colour. I wear my new-to-me stripey jumper for the first time and when I’m looking for wool at the yarn shop, oranges and purples leap out at me. I buy some and imagine curling up under a giant, bright granny-square blanket.
3. John makes us a curry for tea and it’s his finest yet – spicy and highly flavoured but not oppressively so. The best thing about it though is there are enough leftovers for dinner tomorrow night too.
1) Jeremy returns from the shop with an armful of mini cakes. The sugar high silliness starts before we’d even open the packets.
2) Eyes light up, fingers point, the woman at the fish and chip shop will be delighted – it’s snowing outside. Soon we’ll start talking about the inevitable, unnecessary traffic chaos that will ensue but for the moment, we enjoy the novelty of the sky falling down.
3) We exchange anecdotes and in-jokes over our Christmas meal. The food and the company are both excellent. The whole team together for the first time.
4) When we get home, we peek out onto the world transformed – the first time we’ve seen our garden and the woods filled with snow. The stray light from around and about is reflected back to us, letting us see further in the dark woods than normal. The snow on the balcony – around the cat flap – is undisturbed but with a bit of encouragement, Carbon steps out. He makes it a few steps before turning around and running back inside.
(Oops, forgot this one. It should be 3.5: I discover celery and honey go strangely well together, the second unexpectedly nice combination of the week. The first was strawberry flavoured sugar-free Calpol and toothpaste.)
1) It’s late (past noon) even though I’ve been up for hours but I have a wonderful breakfast. The cold milk, the crunchy cereal, the perfectly brewed tea.
2) The people at the Post Office – Judith & Chris – are lovely. The actual village around here has long since dissipated but the spirit of it still lives on in a small way with them.
3) Bad films are made good by funny friends.
1) The doorbell rings and it’s the smiling postman with a long awaited eBay purchase – a 50 year old big blue enamel bowl. I’d bought it intending for it to be a planter but it’s so pretty in the flesh that I want to use it for something grander. It’s delightfully cool to the touch.
2) The toast atomises with each delicious bite.
3) The Gillroyd Parade hosts another fine evening of entertainment at the Packhorse in Leeds. The crowd is smaller than usual but kind, the music beautifully lilting and the lyrics clever but fun.
© 2025 Louisa Parry
