Tonight I am grateful that today was Saturday and I didn’t really have to do anything pressing. I woke this morning having slept poorly due to the cold symptoms that initially plagued me about a week ago. They started up last Sunday and quickly went away so I was able to get through the work week unscathed. But on Friday they came roaring back and had me laid low pretty much all day today. I apologize if yesterday’s gratitude entry was incoherent and apologize in advance if this one is as well. I started to take the day off, but decided that I am still grateful even if I feel awful physically. My spirits have been pretty good all day.
I am also grateful for the pleasant surprise of my daughter showing up to surprise me for my upcoming birthday. I was sitting on my bed, computer on lap, in a half-dazed, watery-eyed stupor when I heard the sound of a whistle coming from remarkably close, like inside the house. Good thing I recognized the whistle in time to get up and look out the window where I saw Michal’s car. When I came out of my room, she was standing at the foot of the stairs, grocery bag in hand. “It’s a good thing you whistled,” I said, hugging her, “because if you had walked into my room you would have frightened me into the afterlife.” The grocery bag contained a frozen cherry pie and some vanilla ice cream, my favorite birthday confectionaries. We will have that tonight in lieu of waiting until my actual birthday. I mean, the day itself is a technicality; one can basically begin celebrating whenever one chooses.
If only I felt physically better, this would be totally wonderful. As it stands now, I am merely hoping I can taste the pie and ice cream. I am grateful for Michal’s company. It can be a real bummer to be sick by oneself. I’ve done it before many times, of course, but it’s nice when someone can feel sorry for you and bring you what you need without you have to do it for yourself. Of course I haven’t been bedridden or otherwise incapacitated, but if I were I’d have someone here to take care of me, even if just for a day. And, given that my “baby girl” is graduating from college and moving away for graduate school, I plan on savoring these days when she can still just drop in on me. I will likely dedicate at least one of these blogs musing about what that means to me, being at a longer distance away from my daughter than I’ve ever lived. But not today.
Today has been a good day, a beautiful one weather-wise too. Tomorrow is also supposed to be nice. I hope to be able to get out and enjoy the warm summer-like weather before it turns back to seasonable spring time on Monday. I am looking forward to healing and rest this evening and strength going into the week ahead. May it be so for all of us!
