Sometimes it's the simple things...

....that bring a smile to your face and make you realize it doesn't really take much to make your day. Well, my ice maker lately has been making me smile as it's the first time in my life I could just reach into the freezer and grab a bunch of ice and put it in a cup....I know, it's not like having it right in the door of your refrigerator like most of you have but for me, it's the luxury of luxuries as it's what I've always wanted....but could never have because 30 years ago we didn't plumb for it...or that was the story I've been given all my life so in the beginning, I just used ice trays....lately, I've been driving to Sonic to get a bag of their "poop ice" which I do love but for right now, it's here, in abundance and I'm grateful and lovin' it......

....and apartment life is a simple thing as well, actually, it's simply great. When the ice maker doesn't work, I just call the maintenance man and he's right on it (it wasn't actually the ice maker but the refrigerator and actually he wasn't right on it, a few days later but he was on it and we didn't have to do it).

....and speaking of apartment life, Randy created me the patio (or porch)  to die for while I was gone complete with solar ceiling lantern lighting and surrounding rope lights, Adirondack chairs, three exotic flowering plants, blue carpet and a banana plant.....and it's sprouting a new leaf. So many firsts in my life....my first automatic ice maker and my first plant that is actually flourishing....am I lucky or what!!!!!!

And to top it all off, we had our "first" company over for dinner tonight....Ambyr, Jacob, Spencer and Tiare just got back from Tahiti so we treated them to none other than Hawaiian Haystacks straight from Lauri's Kitchen Cabinet blog (Click  HERE)....her picture is better than mine. Also, Grape Salad  (Click HERE). Ambyr and Jacob brought over some official Tahitian Fish Salad which was really good......raw fish and all. It certainly was a festive evening.....and "simply" delightful.