By Wendy Pierman Mitzel ~~ Remember when Saturday mornings broke with the promise of a television full of cartoons to be watched from under a warm blanket in pajamas til noon? As an adult, I don’t run out of bed for Looney Toons anymore, but this Saturday morning I felt a similar feeling of possibility. The sun is shining hard through my kitchen window, the coffee is made and there is nowhere to go just yet. So I have a few clear moments to simply look around, inside and outside of myself, and appreciate what brings peace and a smile to my face at any given moment.
First, bunny tracks. Yup. It’s been a beautiful few days of snow and each morning I peer out the window for fresh bunny tracks coming from under my shed and from the field behind it. It’s like a map to their world, these fuzzy wuzzy bunnies who eat my raspberries in the summer and give my dog chase when he spots them. In the snow I can see where they come from and where they go. (Under my deck apparently.) It’s like Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny are telling me a story.
Second, yesterday I made a discovery at Starbucks: The Flat White. According to SBux it’s: “A product of simplicity, crafted into artistry. An extra ristretto shot ensures that it’s bolder than a latte, yet steamed milk keeps it smoother than a cappuccino. But perfection doesn’t end there—the technique for steaming and pouring the milk requires close attention as well. Steamed milk is folded into itself creating a velvety microfoam that gives the Flat White its silky texture and signature white dot.” I don’t really know what all of that means but if you can imagine drinking butter but it’s actually coffee – there ya go.
Let’s talk about how excited I get when I see someone has tagged me on Facebook. So juvenile, I know, but it’s like Sally Field at the awards: “You like me, you really like me!”
Happiness is hearing my kids laugh. It was awesome when they were babies playing peekaboo. It’s still wonderful as teenagers. My 6-foot son giggles like a fool at Reddit. Another, whose voice is changing, emits this deep yet crackly sound from the basement where he’s playing virtual something with real friends across the XBox universe. Another has this cackle that hits me right in the gut. And my daughter, well, she is just plain silliness, which I hope she retains even through the high school years.I always tell them their laughter fills me up. It really does. On the occasion they are not around and my meter is running low, I have my boyfriend who knows just how to crack me up. Then, too, there is stand-up comedy on Netflix or at FunnyBone. Laughter is my medicine for sure. It’s also my breakfast, lunch and dinner if I can make it so.
Waking up to my dog laying on my chest like a toddler, ‘Nuff said.
Last minute plans to hang out with friends at a local bar. Or in my living room. Or in their living room. Or at Starbucks. (Have I mentioned the Flat White?)
There’s more for sure. But Saturday morning is morphing into Saturday afternoon and the magic is waning like the morning sun. It’s time to get on with the day.