Sunshine on my shoulders

Don't you love it when a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day is followed by a Terrific, Fabulous, So Great, Very Awesome one? Judith Viorst should have totally written a follow-up to her classic book that no home is complete without! Here are some of the good things that happened today:
-Conflict with co-worker peacefully resolved, nothing was thrown and no one was punched. Very civil and mature resolution, school day ended on a great note!
-Parent who was rude to me the other day told me I'm great teacher because I was able to convince her daughter to eat. Who doesn't like to eat?
-Good samaritan in the form of 12-year-old boy noticed I was struggling with all of my grocery items and offered to help me carry something to the check-out counter, so I let him. He left before I could give him any kind of thank-you payment. There are angels among us, people!
-Heard Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA" and John Denver's "Rocky Mountain High on the radio within 30 minutes of each other.
-Talked to my friend, JenyB, for the first time in what seems like forever. She seems very happy with her new school/job, which is great to hear. She also gave me another boost of positive energy. Thanks, Jeny! And I know she'll read this because she's the only one who comments on my blog. Come on, people! Let me know you're out there!

Okay, a couple of good things happened yesterday, albeit they were WAY over-shadowed by the bad stuff. Here are the handful of good things from yesterday:
-Went to the doctor and learned that I don't have strep throat, just bad allergies. Doc loaded me up on free samples instead of expensive scrips. Yay, Dr. A!
-Grabbed lunch at the Earl of Sandwich on the way back to school from Doctor. Mmmmm, Caprese sandwich, tomato basil soup with croutons, and a big chocolate chip cookie for dessert.
-Received my Starter Kit from Southern Living at Home. Yowza, Christmas in September, people! For $200 + tax, I got more than $700 worth of Southern Living products! And I got some GOOD stuff, I am telling you! Iron tray with glass insert, glass cruet, cookbook holder, 2 cookbooks, just to name a few! Be sure to come to my kickoff party on October 20th!
-Met one of our neighbors and made a new friend. Her name is Susan C. and she lives two doors down in the house on our corner. She is a 6th grade teacher in Alvin, so we naturally had a lot to talk about! So nice to finally have a friendly and familiar face on the street.

Okay, there's my lemonade created from the lemons of yesterday. It must be said, especially since Monday marked the annivesary of 9/11, that I know my problems are tiny lentils compared to those who are still dealing with the tragic loss of their loved ones in the five years since that horrific day. When I think about what an awesome and supportive husband I have, it makes me shudder to think how someone just like me with a husband just like D was affected on that day. I am more than extremely blessed if my worst days are only like the one I had yesterday. See what I mean? I told you that book changed my life.

One more thing before I go, I forgot to give you the weekend update in my last post. Friday night at the San Luis was tres fab, and D said I was a big hit with his fence co-horts. After dinner and one of the world's most boring presentations, D went to the schmooze & booze and I went up to the room. I wrapped myself in the terry cloth bathrobe because the a/c was set to sub-zero, got in bed and was out like a light before the end of the news. Next morning we were up at 8 for breakfast in the cafe. D had the buffet and I had the best pancakes I've ever had in my life- almond chocolate chip. People, do not walk-- RUN to that cafe in the San Luis Hotel in Galveston and try those things. Seriously, they were A-MAY-ZING. Fluffy, full of those little air pocket things, and some of the most delicious chocolate morsels ever to dance upon my tastebuds. Oh, and don't you DARE drown them in syrup. Your bites are to be cut and dipped, Private. That's an order!

Back to the room, D off to a meeting while I watched A Simple Twist of Fate on the Hallmark Channel. If you haven't seen that movie, you should. It's got Steve Martin and Gabriel Byrne and Laura Linney, very feel-good and sweet without being too cheesy, no bad words. It's based on the book Silas Marner, too, so you can sort of check that one off the must-read list. Left hotel at 11 with me in the driver's seat because D says I complain about his driving too much. Picked up Otis at the 'dena grandparents' house and had a lovely chat with the Double D. He he! Return to P'land and into bed for a lovely little mid-afternoon nap.

Woke from nap, off to grocery store to prep for dinner party with K & C. I was responsible for the beef stroganoff and peach cobbler. Had to send D back to the store for pie crust, he came back with the wrong kind, so it became a Peach Crumble, instead. After a minor tiff due to my territorialness in the kitchen, we came together and D was a HUGE help, as he single-handedly got the salad fixings ready and snapped all the green beans. K & C arrived a few minutes early with the wine and bread, we all got happy and very full of food and excellent conversation. Cheers to a successful inaugural "dinner with friends" evening in the House of Rut!

Sunday was good, church and new member class. Reading paper, napping, and cutting coupons while D put in a few hours at the office.

Hope everyone's having a good week. Raise a glass and Thank GOD tomorrow is Friday!