Unplanned days.

I live a Conscious life.
I live intentionally.
I live well.
I make a point of living.

I returned home from Europe on the 16th. I was in a funk for the days following my return. It's a hard adjustment between living an adventure in Europe to buying toilet paper at Meijer. In Rome there was an adventure around every corner. I turned left and saw the Colosseum. Left took me to the Pantheon. The Spanish Steps and the Fountain of Trevi were all to my left. Three days later I went to Meijer because I needed toilet paper and soap. They were also off to my left, but not nearly as thrilling. I was in a funk and I didn't know how to shake it. I wanted to be alone but I was with a lot of people. It turned out that being with dear friends was the exact right decision to make because they helped de-funk me.

Don't worry, the good funk is still in me.

Sunday night I stayed up til midnight- thirty while chatting with my new online friend, Joan. She was encouraging me more than she probably even knows. She was telling me to write and offering good advice at the same time. Of course, I went to bed smiling. Monday morning I woke up thinking, "Did I go on a date last night? Do I have a crush on someone? I feel so good." And this, dear friends, is how I feel a lot lately. It feels as though I'm in love, but I'm not. Do you ever feel that way? Life is so good that you feel in love with IT? In love with Life?

It took a moment and then I remembered that I'd stayed up late chatting with Joan. I busied myself making breakfast. Around 11 a.m., while still in my pajamas and drinking my 3rd serving of fruit smoothie, my cousin Leanne knocked on my door. This is a welcome surprise visit! She sits and chats with me for a good hour before her 3 year old just can't take it anymore. Leanne is one of my favorite people. When Leanne left I went to work on my lovely garden. You should come over to see it, it's amazing. Later in the afternoon I met with Katie for coffee. Katie lives in the Netherlands 10 months out of the year and I usually get a chance to meet with her once in the summer. I give her advice on growing plants and she gives me advice on fashion. We both share our knowledge of good food. We could talk for days. After coffee I met Suzanne for Sushi. This was Suzanne's first time out for Sushi! We also talked about gardening, adoption, and living Green.

This day, this particular Monday, was one of those surprise days. I had no idea I was going to have such a good day. I'm so glad I lived it and lived it well.

Today, Sunday, was another surprise day. I came home from three days of camping and was feeling kinda bad that I missed church. I'm not sure why I felt bad either, because last summer I took 3 months off from church just so I could love her again. The sky was cloudy, the wind was chilly, and I had a house full of laundry that smelled like campfire. I also had a Fridge full of food from Farmers Market that I had to clean and process. Bah. And all I wanted to do was sit and reply to all my email and maybe write an article or two.

And that's when the surprises kicked in.

I did actually reply to my emails. I wrote nearly everyone back (which is quite good of me, I must say). I owed Mitch at least 6 emails and then I finally sent him a txt telling him to check his email. This is when I discovered that txting is cheaper for me than a phone call! I don't get charged the daily $2 fee when I'm txting! Woohooo!! Finally, Mitch just called me and we talked for, I dunno, maybe 30 mins? Mitch is a new and dear friend of mine. He lives in California and he thinks I'm amazing and I think he's amazing and we're members of the Mutual Admiration Society. He pushes me in the best way possible to follow my dreams of becoming a writer. He promotes my work. He listens well. And, most importantly, he's patient with me while I sort all this stuff out. Talking on the phone was a first and a dear treat indeed.

I went back to the food prep and was up to my elbows in cherries when I received a very gracious email from Joan, my new friend from earlier in the week. She is encouraging me and helping me to pursue my dreams. I'm very grateful for her support. I mean, it just seems so weird to receive this kind of support from a stranger, ya know? But so very, very good.

I'm back at the sink and this time I'm prepping blueberries. You should see my freezer, it already has frozen peaches, blueberries, cherries, blackberries, and raspberries. I've been busy. The phone rings and it's my neighbor, Andrea. She lives just up the steps from me, literally. She misses me when I go off on adventures. She said, "Hey! I'm at the supermarket and am going to buy Salmon, would you like to eat dinner with me? We'll cook and eat at your house!" She has cats therefore we hang at my house. "Yes, that would be great! It's 2:30 and I've not eaten lunch yet, would 5 work for you?!" She is over and cooking at my house less than 30 mins later. I can hardly handle this kind of love.

A day of love.
An unplanned day.

No more funk.

Andrea stayed until 6. We made roasted asparagus, a rice mix from Trader Joe's, and Teriyaki Salmon. Later, I made Italian espresso and shared my chocolate covered cherries. We hang out like we're in a dorm, just chatting on the patio and listening to music.

Andrea gave me a stern talking-to today. She told me to work less and play more in the Summer. She's been over in the winter and while we watch a movie, I am grading papers. She barely sees me during the school year. Today she heard me say, over and over, "I am so far behind on life. I need to clean the bathrooms, finish the laundry, iron, clean the toilets. I need to...." And finally she said, "diane, you work so hard during the year. You are incredibly responsible. Take time now to just enjoy life. Don't worry about your projects."

I'm hoping for less structure and more surprises. I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings.