Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Vacation - Day 1

Today feels like a vacation day...
I'm sorry for those of you who are not on a school schedule and don't get two weeks off...
It is one of the BEST perks of my job!

While it is Wed and we are several days in today feels like vacation - and here's why...

1.  Received my final grade for my Masters class 94% - huge relief!
2.  No real agenda this morning
3.  Ran 2 miles and felt strong :)
4.  Went shopping with the boys and bought a few things just for me :)
5.  Ate Christmas cookies for lunch :)
6.  Bought two new books just because they looked interesting...Eight Girls Taking Pictures and A House in Fez - The first appealed to the photographer in me, the second the traveler and the fact that I will be in Fez, Morocco in just over 6 weeks!
7.  While I LOVE having Christmas at my house today all is quite and there is nothing to prep for...
8.  Tonight I don't have to cook dinner because we are going out to eat :)
9. After we go out to eat we are going to a Blazer game -
10.  Because for the first time in a long time I am setting the agenda and the agenda isn't setting me :)

I hope you have time for a deep breath!

Frychik

Monday, December 10, 2012

Happy feels good!

I'm happy...
The ball of stress that has been living in my gut since September has dissolved...
Today was a good day I had time to teach my one class, grade some papers, prep for tomorrow AND run some errands :)
No my current Master's class isn't over yet...but its very close and I have my paper written (rough draft) So I'm relaxing and I don't have that stupid voice constantly screaming in my head "you don' have time for this you need to be writing your research paper!" - Man am I sick of that voice!
And while we did accomplish getting a Christmas tree, it sits naked in my living room...no time to decorate it - hopefully tonight.

As I ran errands I made a last minuet unexpected stop at Trader Joe's - I never go there anymore it just isn't on the way to/from anywhere for me and the traffic in that area is a pain! But I was in the area and I decided I would stop.

There I met the loveliest woman!
Before we spoke I noticed her - full length tan coat with a belt cinch around her slender frame...
Beautiful blue eyes and snow white hair - on the top of her head at a jaunty angle a matching beret
I guessed her to be in her 80s - beautiful lines on her face but not many around her eyes which were sharp, focused...
I thought to myself "I hope I age as well"


We were in the coffee/tea section.  I was looking for Chai and anything else that caught my fancy
I twisted a can, noticed it was coffee and looked away...
She said Oh thank you! That is what I was looking for its my favorite!
She then proceeded to tell me how cute my outfit was...
I told her I was thinking the same of her!

She thanked me and told me her husband had bought her the coat in 1979 and opened it to show me it was lined with shearling and I could see how the sheep's wool had aged over the years around the collar - it was a beautiful coat! She could have been a movie start from the 40s.

We chatted for awhile - she's excited about spending time with her family who lives in Battle Ground...
She is a great-grandmother - which surprised me - she was so spry I didn't think she was that old and I'm still wondering at her actual age.

She said she has a bossy daughter-in-law so she doesn't see them too much.  She then explained that the bossy daughter-in-law trys to make her sit in the front seat of the car but she told me she has not intentions of sitting in the front seat she can sit in the back just fine!

I had to laugh at that! I have done the same thing to Jeff's grandparents...I told her so and mentioned that I think us daughter-in-laws were just trying to be respectful...to which she just scoffed!

She wished me a merry Christmas, told me she loved my outfit again and headed off...

I sincerely hope our paths cross again!

I hope your heart has some happiness in it today!

Frychik