Sunday, November 20, 2011

One of those days . . .


 
Every once in a while I have one of those days.   I know what you are thinking . . . one of those days where everything goes wrong.  Sure, I have days like that, as we all do.  On those days I  tell myself tomorrow will be better, and it usually is.  What I am talking about is one of those days where everything seems to go as planned, and everything goes well.  Sometimes even a few little unexpected nice things happen that you didn't plan for.  I would call this a good day.

On a good day, when I leave dreamland (where I am in a quilt shop with an extra hundred dollars and ten pounds thinner) I can slowly open my eyes and not have a million things pop in my head that I need to do today.  Can it be?  Do I really have a day where I can focus on me, myself, and I?  Of course I will have the usual daily duties being a mom and wife and daughter, and some days are more filled than others, but today . . . I think I have nothing urgently calling for my attention.  Yipeee!!! 

On a good day I will hear my son moving around getting ready to go to his classes.  Oddly, I don't actually hear him and wake up.  I just instinctively wake up when I DON'T hear him moving around.  I look at the clock and realize he isn't up and go rouse him from his sweet dreams. Somehow my mom gene takes over and wakes me when it is around the time he should be up and moving. Isn't it amazing how the brain works?  He is not a morning person, and neither am I.  He is in college now, and after finishing off his last year of college he will hopefully get a nice job that pays well and that has a 2nd shift.  I worry that I will have to call him every morning for the rest of my life to wake him up when he moves out.  

On a good day I physically feel well, or at least not too bad.  The usual minor aches and pains don't get me discouraged anymore, just a part of life I guess.  On the rare occasion when I wake up feeling pretty darn good, in combination with a day I might have some free time -  I declare it to be an official "Today Is Whatever The Heck I Want To Do Day".  I try to squeeze these special days in every once in a while, especially after a long string of those other days. You know what I mean - those busy, tiring, stressful days that unfortunately occur quite often. 

I start off with my prayers as I am still in bed, and continue with them as I get up and fill my teapot with water.  I make my bed and put on my oh-so-comfy sweats that my family would love to burn.  I head back into the kitchen to pour the steaming water into my mocha chocolate-french vanilla cappuccino mix and take in the heavenly smell.  Mmmmmm.   So far, so good.

Yes, this day would be a PERFECT  "Today Is Whatever The Heck I Want To Do Day. "   I must decide what I will do.  I am pretty sure it will involve some sewing or at least craft or sewing related activities.  That usually translates into shopping for these activities, like a fabric store or quilt shop.  I will gather my sales ads and coupons as I enjoy my 2nd cup of coffee and put them into the back seat of the car so I won't forget them.  Have you ever been shopping and realized your sales ad was still waiting for you at home, sitting in the mudroom or on the kitchen counter?   Yikes!!!

I plan my little trip out in my mind.  Most of the places are in the next town, all within a couple miles of each other.  I believe I will start off here at the local yarn shop, then go into the next town and visit the quilt shop.  Then I will stop at the antique mall. After that I will visit Michael's and Hobby Lobby. Then Joann Fabrics.  I love looking at all the quilt and crochet books.  I'll probably pick one up too because I have a 50% coupon.   I will eventually  end up at Barnes and Noble.  I will start off by grabbing an armful of the newest magazines, usually a mix of craft and baking and decorating magazines.   I'll get a cup of something yummy, like a hot chocolate with a shot of peppermint. I'll stand before the glass windows peering into the beautiful display of baked goods and select whatever looks best to me - regardless of the calories! I'll choose a nice comfy overstuffed chair or pick a table next to a window with the afternoon sunlight streaming through.   I'll sit for an hour pouring over the magazines.  This sounds like a lovely day to me,  I better get going!

I quickly throw a load in the washer and hop into the shower.  A bowl of cereal, a little makeup, some electric curlers, a big, over-sized comfy sweatshirt and my favorite jeans.  Throw the load into the dryer, run the dishwasher. Gather the eggs and give the chickens fresh food and water.  Food and fresh water for my little dog Sophie.  I'm outta here!

I hop into my car, Diet Coke all ready for me with one of my favorite bendy straws, and a backup can of pop waiting for the ride home.  I turn on the radio and start humming along.  Wait -  am I hearing Christmas music???!!!  Yaaaay!  Woohoo!!! Now don't all of you throw up.  I know some people just hate it, or at least don't like hearing quite so much of it.  I  love it!  I actually have about ten Christmas CDs which I listen to all year long.  Go ahead and laugh, I don't mind.  I just love Christmas music.  It is usually Bing or the Andrews Sisters, or Bing sings Christmas with the Andrews Sisters.  (No, I am not kidding) :)  I even have Burl Ives. . . and the Time Life Christmas Treasury, a two pack!  Woohoo! Yes - I realize I am a dork! But remember . . . He sees you when you sleeping,  he knows when you're awake.  He knows if you've been bad or good so be good for goodness sake!
 As I begin my little journey I will lose myself in the pretty views. I always take the scenic country roads with the farms and open land. I sigh deeply as I tell myself I should be living on a farm. I think the fact that I spent a lot of time on farms as a child visiting southern relatives really influenced me.  I honestly feel my body relax and my mood improve when I am driving down a country road. I take in the beautiful open land dotted with red barns and pristine white farm houses with wrap-around porches. I try to memorize these  wonderful scenes, safely tucking them away to recall at another time.
 I sip my beloved Diet Coke, my only bad habit left next to overspending on fabric, and sing loudly along with the music. I feel the excitement building about all the beautiful things I will see today that I have ALWAYS wanted and just CANNOT live without that I never even knew existed.  Please tell me you know what I mean!! The excitement builds as I wonder what treasures will be waiting for me.  Who knows what wonderful things I will see today?  I will also be thinking that I am really glad there isn't a dashboard camera filming what a nut I must look like singing along to Mr. Grinch and Jingle Bell Rock.   All thoughts of housework, chicken coops and  flower beds not yet cleaned out are long gone. 

As you can imagine I will lose all track of time, and might not even get to all the stops I had planned, but I usually end up at Barnes and Noble.  The ticking clock will remind me that this wonderful adventure must come to an end. I will gather all my magazines and put them back.  I really need to get home.  Well, just one quick peek into the craft department . . . there might be new books.  A half hour later I usually walk out with either a magazine I couldn't part with or a book I just didn't have time to really look through, and head to my car.  Thoughts of home and all the things I need to do or should have done are trying to take over my brain, but I won't let them . . . yet.

One half hour drive home . . . 27 minutes to be exact if the traffic is good . . . and I am smiling and singing along to the Christmas music.  Life is good.  

Tomorrow will be another day, God willing.  I will deal with tomorrow tomorrow. Right now, I will continue to tuck away all the memories of my wonderful little adventure into the back of my mind to bring forth when I need a little boost.  I  look forward to another day like this.
 My wish for you, my dear friends, is that you also have some special days.  We all spend so much time taking care of everyone else that we forget about ourselves.  When is the last time you took a bubble bath?  Or spent hours wandering around in your favorite store or mall?  Or had an free afternoon to spend sewing or knitting or painting or reading or baking?  Do you ever just feel happy and content and find yourself humming and realizing that life is good?   Why is it we put ourselves on the bottom of the list?  Don't we need to take care of ourselves so we can be there to take care of everyone and everything else? 

 I want you to pencil in on the calendar a day or so that says "Today Is Whatever The Heck I Want To Do Day".  Did you realize this is a nationally recognized holiday,  and you need to be politically correct and observe this day? (Well not really but whatever!)  Please observe this day several times a year, maybe monthly.  Your loved ones want you to be happy too.  We don't have to be martyrs.  Take a day whenever you need one, or whenever you can pull it off.   Please enjoy it and let me know how you spent your special day!

P.S.  Many thanks to my friend Meri for all the darling images.  Do stop by and visit her blog, you will love it!   imagimeris.blogspot.com/

32 comments:

  1. Oh Julie I love your post. I so miss your posts. You are right we do need to take more time for our self's. Usually my time is on Friday's. But lately there has just been so much going on with all of my dad's business. I try to take a bubble bath almost every night and read one of my Elm Creek books. Then I am usually off to bed. Hope you are having a WONDERFUL day. A good old movie sounds like it is order too. We will talk soon.
    Hugs
    donna

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  2. Julie, such a sweet post! I enjoyed hearing about your special days. I tend to do a lot more days like this lately, it's not like the housework won't wait until the next day, Hugs, Marilyn

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  3. Julie,
    This post is soooo perfect! I am going to copy and paste it on my inspiration board!!!!! I had one of those days today with my hubbie, we don't get many and we had a really good time starting to Christmas shop for our grown sons....Thank you for this and I miss you as well!!!!! :):) Sandy @ 521 Lake Street

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  4. Lovely post Julie - really thought provoking! I am afraid I am like you and feel guilty if and when I take time for myself. I really thought I was the only one in the world who keeps a back up can of Diet coke in the backseat! A can of pop - you must live up north. I now live in the south and people look at me like I am crazy when I say "can of pop". You are such a "real" person Julie - love your blog.

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  5. Sweetie, I'm glad you had a day for yourself!! This is so important for wives, mothers, everyone!

    I married at 18, raised 4 boys and home schooled them all and now I have 4 grandchildren. I learned early on NOT to put myself at the bottom of the list and I have always made time for me. I believe it's what's kept me going when some people think I should have gone insane! ♥

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  6. Mom is always last and the minute she asks to be anything other....stop the music! I have to put my foot down to show them I am a part of the equation. Happiness is contagious. Thanks for sharing...smiles...Renee

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  7. what a wonderful post my dear friend! i am so happy that you had such a great day -- you surely deserve it! maybe in the near future it is something that i will experience -- i don't want to tell you how long it has been--i think at least a decade! sending you tons of hugs and much love -- oh -- if you need a phone service for an early morning call -- i work for free and am up at 4:30 every morning lol!!! hugs to you and i will call you soon! life has been a bit more crazy then usual and filled with sick pets that are on the mend from my mouth to God's ears! hugs...

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  8. I love your very up beat attitude it make's life so enjoyable with sweet people like you. Thank you for your dear comment's. I love your post, so fun.
    Love,Debbie:)

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  9. Lucy,
    I am so glad you had a day all to yourself!
    Such a great post!
    I need one of those in the worst way, I have a feeling it will be later on when I get it though.
    I LOVE Barnes & Noble, it is my favorite place to go just for me :)
    It is over an hour away from me so it has been a long time since I have been there.
    I am due for a visit.
    I would love to try your coffee blend, what do you use to make it?
    Happy Thanksgiving and Loads of Love to you!
    Love,
    Ethel

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  10. Yes, we all need one of those days. I am glad you had yours. I think it is hard to make time to forget about what you are behind on! Does that makes sense? I know I like to just live in the moment whenever I can, but rarely have an entire day for that. But yes, there are things that can wait and we can take a little vacation for ourselves, even if for only a few hours! Thanks for sharing, it is a very sweet post!

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  11. Hi, was excited to see you started following my blog, thanks, though, I don't see you on my list?
    Blessings,
    Susie

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  12. wishing you and yours all that is good in the world on this wonderful day of thanks! hugs...

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  13. Καλή μου φίλη...ΛΑΤΡΕΥΩ ΤΟ ΡΟΖ ΧΡΩΜΑ!!!

    ΕΥΧΑΡΙΣΤΩ ΠΟΥ ΠΕΡΑΣΕΣ ΑΠΟ ΤΟ BLOG MOY!!!
    ΣΟΥ ΕΥΧΟΜΑΙ ΥΓΕΙΑ ΧΑΡΑ ΚΑΙ ΕΥΤΥΧΙΑ ΓΙΑ ΤΗΝ ΜΕΡΑ
    ΤΩΝ ΕΥΧΑΡΙΣΤΙΏΝ!!!!

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  14. Dear Julie, this is a wonderful post and I´m happy that you had a great day, very lovely!
    enjoy the rest of the week
    hugs
    Astrid

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  15. I love this! I'm pencilling it in now, 13th December! xx

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  16. Hi Julie!

    I'm catching up on blog reading and just loved your post! You described my perfect day too! I just chuckled as I read along. It's like you read my mind. And you're so right. We need to take more time for ourselves. Life is short and we deserve it. Not to mention that it's good for us. I always feel so good when I've spent a day doing the things I love. It brings such peace to my soul.

    I hope you're doing well and enjoying this holiday season. Merry Christmas!

    Betsy

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  17. Hi Julie,
    Those rare days that you can do whatever you want need to be cherished ! I try to find a couple of hours on a Saturday afternoon and I go antique shopping or a coffee with a friend or the craft markets. The peace and quiet and time to unwind is priceless. Merry Christmas to you x

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  18. hello my sweet dear friend!!! how are you : ) we seem to not be able to get in touch at times but come the new year we HAVE to talk in real time -- i am really looking forward to it : ) i want to wish you and yours the most wonderful and fabulous holiday season ever! sending tons of love and hugs to you and yours and know that you are in my thoughts and prayers...

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  19. Julie - hope you are having a wonderful holiday season with your family and loved ones!

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  20. hi julie!

    thanks so much for your sweet comment on my blog.

    wishing you health, happiness and perfect days in 2012!

    xo
    elyse

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  21. I love, whatever I want to do days! I like spontaneous days to, someone said they wanted to be more spontaneous so every Monday at 3pm they scheduled time to be spontaneous LOL! Thank you for stopping by, us polka dots got to stick together!

    Carol

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  22. Hi Julie - Good posting! I miss having fresh chicken eggs and chickens were so fun to have as pets too!

    I had your super-CUTE Blog bookmarked, now I am following. Love the images and total overall look!

    Sometimes, I have retro images on my one blog: {free vintage digi stamps}.

    Have a Happy New Year! xo

    -pamela :)

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  23. Happy New Year, Julie! Miss you - come back soon!

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  24. Hi Julie, wow I can't believe I missed this post, I am always looking out to see if you have been blogging. I am glad you had such a wonderful day, as I was reading I was hoping it was for real and was worried that you was going to say it was all in your imagination. I hope you get some time to write again soon...there seems to be a lot of people who love your writing as much as I do.

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  25. This sounds like my kind of day off. Can I go with you! Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving a comment.

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  26. What a fun post, Julie! I' too get excited over the little daily things in life, like trips to Michael's and an icy cold Diet Coke:)! And I would love to have a clothes line, I did many years ago! Oh, and I grew up on a farm, nothing like fresh eggs. Love the adorable graphics, so glad that I met you!

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  27. Hi thankyou so much for your lovely comments on my blog ,we do have a lot in common,your blog is lovely your likes and words are so true and i can relate to everything you say and thinkxx

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  28. What a seriously fantastic sounding day! I've been blessed to have a few days that went better than expected recently too, and can't believe what a better over all mood they've helped put me. I hope this means that the New Year has oodles of great things in store for both of us.

    Tons of hugs & joyful wishes for 2012,
    Jessica

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  29. You have a lovely blog.

    I'm another who could listen to Christmas music all year. I have a lot of Christmas CDs and listen to aol radio a lot. I love big band, swing music and winter solstice.

    Love all the vintage pictures.

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  30. Hello Julie!...Thank you for visiting my blog today and your lovely comments.....I have so enjoyed reading your post....Isn't it liberating when you do get one of those days where you have no other concerns but yourself?....Very rare so we have to make the most of it!
    Wishing you a wonderful 2012 with a few days especially for you thrown in too of course!
    Susan x

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  31. I love this! I like those days too. But I like to sleep and my lovely plans to get around town can get put off. BUT you had me at Barnes & Noble. You are my kind of girl! I found you through Holly's blog. I have been blogging for 3 years but been a really bad blogger the last year. I started a new blog for the new year and will back here to visit more!
    Hugs, Lisa

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  32. I love aqua and red so your blog makes me very happy, I loved visiting and I am now a follower. Thanks so much for sharing, Maureen.

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