Boursin and Puff Pastry

"Happy Hour at Home" tonight provided interesting fodder for my imagination-- oddly enough, developing happy hour at home was its central piece. How delightful to spend a few hours with friends, at home, low pressure, enjoying food and drink in a leisurely environ. Leaving Kathy's home, after a couple hours of refreshment, I felt invigorated and ready for the evening. 

As the night heat settles down between the leaves of my plants and flowers, and the slightest cool eases down from the clouds, I rest inside my home of AC, dark wood and large pillows and look out at the clarified mist on the local street lamps. Which hour of this day will be my happy hour? The last several have been lovely, but could I have one here in my home? A happy hour at home? 

I think an essential part of living honestly is the ability to identify a time during each day when one is happy. Of course, few of these hours, for the vast majority of the population, come at work or running errands. Instead, it seems that the freedom of happiness most effectively arrives in the moments at home, where comfort reigns (or should), where the dog snuggles and where loved ones come together. After all, if happiness is not at home, where might we find it? 

Of course, there are places all over the world that provide happy strains- for me it is mountains and oceans (noisy oceans, especially), though there are many - but the home front offers the complete happiness that can actually assuage angst, worry and sadness. To me, the distinction of home is so clear. Even so, I do not feel at home everywhere in my home. At my dining room table, I feel trapped and stagnant. In my kitchen, I feel anxious, busy and creative and in my living room I feel bored and lame. In my office I feel inadequate and disorganized, and in my spare bedroom, I feel lost and alone. On my patio, however, I feel lovely. Lovely and amazing and free and powerful. And when I slip (not very gracefully) into bed each night, I feel all the weight of living rise and float toward the open window as the easy evening breeze floats through my dark, screened window and lulls me to rest. 

So my new inspiration for a better life is to create a patio bed where I will spend one happy hour each day, resting in comfort and power, and knowing that my life is more steady because of it. Let other hours of the day hold what they will...I shall have happy hour with my flowers in bed.