A Good Day

The last blog I wrote was about the “oops” kinda day I had recently. Calamity Jane was even referenced. But I figure when I have bad days, I can either laugh about ‘em – and write about ‘em – or I can feel sorry for myself.

 

If I’ve learned anything at my advanced age, I know that the latter doesn’t really help. Oh, sure, sometimes I give myself a few moments to grumble and rant a little or even shed a tear or two in frustration, but then I have to move on and take care of things. It’s not like I have a magical fairy godmother who is following along behind me sweeping up my messes.

 

But, anyway, by the same token, if something good happens to me, then I should write about that, too, shouldn’t I?

 

Well, last Friday I had a really good day. And, by the end of it, I was filled with all sorts of happy vibes and cheerful smiles.

 

The weird thing was, all that happened was I had a great phone conversation in the morning with a cousin of mine – and then a fun lunch followed by a little impromptu shopping with a long-time friend in the afternoon.

 

So it’s not like I won the Publisher’s Clearing House Sweepstakes or anything. But neither did I spill anything that required me to break out the dust buster and the mop.

 

Anyway, I guess it just goes to show that it doesn’t take much to make me smile.  

 

My cousin and I hadn’t caught up with each other in a while, so we scheduled a phone call for Friday morning. We talked about this and that, everything and nothing.

 

I was telling her about how Vince could talk to anyone, strangers or friends and family alike, so it was easy to be in social situations with him by my side. And how that was but one of the things I missed about him.

 

But it’s not so easy for me to talk to new people because of my innate shyness. The operative word in that sentence being “new.” She understood what I was saying. And she said she could picture me as a little girl with my bangs and long blond hair, sitting back quietly and watching the goings on in our family without saying much.

 

Not many of my long-time friends think of me as being shy. Because once I know someone well, it’s hard to shut me up.

 

But she has known me my whole life and “gets” me. There really isn’t anyone else in my life who knows me like that anymore. So it was kind of comforting.

 

We were also talking about how gray and gloomy the weather is in both Ohio and Michigan this time of year and how we were looking forward to the spring. Toward the end of our little gab-fest, she marveled at how the sun had come out for the first time in what seemed like forever. So she planned to spend some time outside soaking up a little Vitamin D.

 

We ended our conversation with the promise that we’d schedule these calls more regularly. When I took Maggie out for a walk a few minutes later, I noticed it was all sunshine-y here, too. Oh, happy day! 

 

After I managed to locate my seldom-used sunglasses, I left for lunch with my friend. We went to a restaurant in German Village that I remember going to as far back as my early 20s. So we reminisced about those fun times and the people we knew back then.

 

And we laughed. About silly things. About…well…I guess I can’t give you examples. Maybe it was one of those “you had to be there” kinds of things. Probably one of us said something lame or obvious. And the other one had to call her out on it. But we laughed a lot. And, no – no adult beverages were involved.

 

But, really. I love those kinds of interactions.

 

We had decided to go across the street to a little shop that has been around forever and we had fun poking in all the drawers and rooms holding all manner of trinkets and treasures.

 

And then, because we didn’t want to end the day, we went to another few shops in German Village, none of which I’d ever been to – and I worked in German Village for over twelve years!

 

Our last stop was at a fudge shop across the street from Schmidt’s Restaurant und Sausage Haus (because we were, after all, in German Village). She and I wandered around the small store and exclaimed about all the candy they still sold that reminded us of our childhoods.

 

Anyone remember candy necklaces? Pop Rocks? Wax bottles with liquid sugar juice inside? Candy cigarettes? (Can you believe they still make that last one?)

 

Sheesh. It’s a wonder we survived our childhoods.

 

But in this last shop, I discovered a tiny artificial white birch tree with glimmer lights hidden away behind some other treasures and I decided I simply had to have it.

 

And when I drove home, I was tired but happy. I reveled in having a simple but a good day.

 

And now I have a cute little tree that I set up on my entryway table and added some pink hearts for Valentine’s Day. I envision little shamrocks for St. Patrick’s Day, pastel eggs for Easter…well, you get the idea. And it’ll make me giddy looking at it all year long.

 

Again, it’s the little things, people!

 

So I wish for you a good day.

 

And, since it’s already the first of February, I wish for you a good month.