As you can see from the picture at the top of this post, “bloom” has taken on a literal meaning here! I have a small bed of gladioli just outside my back door and this is the time of year when I pour my first cup of coffee and go check on their progress. They are a favorite flower of mine – so tall and magnificent – and they bloom over a few weeks, so there’s always something new to notice during this time.
The last six weeks have been a whirlwind – Pyrite U’s ham-fisted missteps at handling a bad situation that made it oh-so-much worse, the elation of finding a new position in a new field, working to wrap up an extremely technical business drafting law class, some family issues, some sizable home projects, and more besides – and I took a hard look at the calendar and decided it was high time to put a fence around a day and spend one day doing exactly as I pleased, with no real plans. I am beyond fortunate that my Beloved understands the need for such time and he cheerfully agreed to take on the responsibilities of cooking dinner that night, so I had nothing to do other than what I wanted to do, when I wanted to do it.
I’ve written about this before – taking a 12-Hour Vacation – and honestly, I heartily recommend you try it, especially if you don’t think there’s any way that you can do it.
Yours will undoubtedly look different from mine (and it should), but for me, the day began by spending extra time drinking very good coffee, accompanied by a plump slice of the cherry-filled French Yogurt Cake from the previous night’s “Wing Off” for breakfast. I dallied with home salon treatments, using “the good stuff” to give myself a mini-facial while my damp hair was soaking up a hair mask. I took time to paint a picture I was pretty sure was beyond me and wound up being quite pleased with the results. I read a completely fluffy cozy mystery involving a blustery castle turret with a too-short protective wall, a madwoman, business rivals, and more! I dozed with cats. I finally left the house to go to the library for a crafting class, where I made a seaglass windchime. (By the way, you need to check out your local library. The number and scope of activities they have there will likely surprise you, and nearly everything is totally free, which is often a consideration for the financially-careful Diva.)
Back home, I hung my windchime out in the front yard and walked into a delicious-smelling kitchen. My Beloved was chopping and slicing – far better than I do. (His years in restaurant kitchens show in his knife skills while I whale away, hoping things are roughly the same size when I finish. We all have different skills.) We ate while watching Sullivan’s Travels, which I heartily recommend. It’s a wonderful send-up of Hollywood and also hits on the importance of comedy in troubled times. Honestly, that movie – it was our first time seeing it – is a complete delight.
Today, I drive up to spend the weekend with my father. Then it’s grading final exams from my law students, and the start of the new position mid-week. The rate of change lately could reasonably be measured at a gallop, so it’s especially nice that I carved out one day to just enjoy.
Truly – you should try this, Divas!
Blooming includes taking time to realize that you’re blooming.
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