53 things I love.
Happy (almost) Birthday to me.
Hi! I’m Keris. I’m an author writing about writing and books and music and life, and the last song I played was God Gave Rock ‘N’ Roll To You by Kiss, because I’m still listening to my Soundtrack of my Life playlist and this represents my first published piece of writing. Voila:
It’s my birthday this week and to celebrate, I am shamelessly stealing Emma Straub’s idea to list 53 things I love. (Because I’m going to be 53.)
Coffee in bed. (Sometimes I go to bed a little earlier, because the sooner I sleep, the sooner I wake up and have coffee.)
Opening all the blinds (and sometimes also the windows) in the new flat. Especially if it’s sunny, but even if it’s not.
Taskmaster (seasons 7 and 9 are my faves).
Seagulls.
Spelt and honey bread from a local bakery. Only available on Thursdays.
Yellow.
Coffee outside.
Fortune cookies.
Blossom. And peonies. And magnolia. And camellias.
Red wine and paella and people-watching in Puerto Pollensa.
Ensaïmadas. (And singing the word “ensaïmada” to the tune of Mas Que Nada.)
Spotify’s daylists. (At the time of writing: acceptance lyrical morning.)
The Off Menu podcast. (Favourite episodes: Adam Buxton, Ania Magliano, Amy Gledhill.)
Share Your Address by Ben Platt.
Harry Styles. (Can you believe it took me this long to mention him?)
My boys. (And them.)
Sunsets. Sunrises. Especially at the beach.
The Kindle app on my phone.
Wordle.
Group chats.
Going to the cinema with my 19yo.
Fish and chips. Preferably at the beach.
Scented candles.
Crushed Maltesers with vanilla ice cream.
My sunglasses.
My Iris Apfel necklace.
The scent of cut grass.
The scent of a bonfire.
Bookshops. And Receipt From the Bookshop. And It’ll Be Fun, They Said.
The Liverpool skyline.
This photo of my parents.
Massages.
Weekends when I have nothing to do.
Swimming in Hampstead Ladies Pond. (I’ve only done it once so far, but there were DUCKLINGS.)
Sitting on the front seat on the top deck of the bus.
When I read the first page of a book and feel like it was written just for me.
Iced brown sugar oat shaken espresso.
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett.
The Elton John episode of George Ezra’s podcast.
Stacey Solomon’s Instagram.
Chilli crisp.
Yoga with Adriene.
Voice notes from friends.
Sitting outside cafes in the sun and saying “This is like being on holiday.”
Sitting outside cafes in the sun on holiday and saying “Should we just move here?”
Jurgen Klopp.
SuperLambananas.
The video for Forget Me by Lewis Capaldi.
Rose Matafeo.
Roy Kent and also Brett Goldstein.
This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub.
Paid subscriptions help support me and my writing, plus you get to read extracts from my various works-in-progress. Currently: Dead Frog Lane.
To celebrate my birthday, all subscriptions are 53% off (forever!) for the rest of May.
(If you’d like to upgrade, but can’t pay right now, email me and I will add you, no questions asked.)
If you’d prefer not to commit to a regular payment, you can buy me a coffee. Thanks!
Definitely going to steal this for my birthday next month. I lone yellow too btw. The colour of sunshine - makes everything better. Belated Hapoy Birthday. Catching up on several weeks of posts because I got behind with Covid and the election.
Happy birthday! x