This blogging world is pretty darn small sometimes… The other day, Amy over at the Bumble Files posted her love/hate list, and though she didn’t tag anyone, I was thinking that maybe I’d play along.  Well!  Sammy over at Bemuzin took it a step further and DID tag me!  What’s a girl to do when the Universe conspires?  Play along, that’s what!!  Before I get started, please note I hate the word hate and have been trying to remove it from my vocabulary.  It’s so huge.  And though my list will contain things I hate for realz, it will also contain some things I really, really, really dislike… 😉  OK, maybe I do hate them!

Yes I do love my family and my extended family; that goes without saying

The rules are simple:  list 10 things I love, 10 things I hate and enlist 10 others to do the same…

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My Loves

1. Gatherings: small or large; with friends or family or both; preferably with good food and wine.
2. Entertaining.  Feeding my guests with food I’ve created (and getting the oohs and aahs too!)
3. A clean house.  One that smells like it’s been cleaned and sparkles and shines.  See H2 below.
4. The smell of freshly mown lawn.  I took a walk today and every second house seemed to have the lawnmower going!
5. Sitting in dappled sunlight, feeling the faintest of breezes, with no sounds other than the leaves rustling.
6. Listening to my boys razz each other, laughing all the long.
7. Getting caught in a summer rain, splashing in the warm puddles.
8. Summer thunderstorms, when I am safe inside the house.
9. Walking my dog, camera in hand, snapping whatever catches my eye.
10. Sitting in a comfy chair on a covered porch, book in one hand, wine glass in the other, while the rain beats a soft tattoo.

My hates

1. My backyard neighbours: the adults, the kids, the yapping dog ~ all of them ~ wish they were GONE.
2. House cleaning.  There is nothing remotely enjoyable about passing a vacuum, mopping the floor, waxing furniture… no matter how nice it looks.  See L3 above.
3. Being “flushed”.  We set a date, we marked our calendars.  That said, I know things happen and schedules can change.  By the way, I hate flushing as much as I hate being flushed.  I will be gracious about it, most times.  Some are unfortunately repeat offenders.
4. Being pranked.  I have a sense of humour for many things ~ definitely not this one.  Mick is lucky he survived the one and only time he pulled one on me.  Not funny.
5. Being ridiculed or laughed at.  I know it’s important to learn to let things slide off my back but I have a really hard time with this one.  I envy those who can laugh it off.
6. Being ignored.
7. When you step into a store and like vultures, all the sales people pounce on you.  It’s enough for me to hightail it and run!
8. When you actually need help in a store and not a salesperson can be found!
9. Lack of table manners:  chewing with an open mouth, biting the utensil (major shudder on this one), talking with the mouth full, elbows on the table…
10. Always negative people; the ones who bitch and complain about everything.  I call these energy vampires and I release them from my presence!

It took me a few days to come up with this list, having so recently done the 50 things that make me happy.  I had an evening where everyone was breathing my air so I could not think of 10 Loves!  They would have been coloured by my bad mood (yes, occasionally, I do indulge!)  As I didn’t want that colouring my list, I abstained.  All is good now!

So, here’s the part where I should tag 10 people to do this but I won’t.  If you do want to play along, please do!  I look forward to getting to know you a little more.