A Good Day

This may come as a surprise to someone who hasn’t read my last 15 posts, but I’ve been a bit crabby lately. Yesterday I finally got a clue that perhaps it’s due to lack of nutrients (the gall bladder diet is great for the thighs but not so good for the brain cells), a kid who was sick for well over a month, and raging lady hormones. It’s a dangerous mix, my friends, and I have somehow been loath to own the grouchiness that is me recently.

But last night SRH and I went out on a date (dinner followed by trip to Target, a perfect evening!), and I decided to give voice to the ill-temper.

Me: I’m just crabby right now. I have been for the past few days. I kept thinking that it’s going to getter better, but it’s not. And I’m beginning to think it’s me. I mean, for a minute I thought it was you, or the stupid occupational therapist that Zane saw this week, or that woman who made me ingest a barium solution AND gave me an IV today. But it isn’t. It’s me. I’m crabby just because, and it’s probably not going to change until…heck…I don’t know. It MAY NEVER change, SRH. It may never change.

SRH (pauses before speaking because you can’t just respond any old way to the previous): I think you should go to yoga tomorrow.

Me: Yeah. But I don’t think it will help.

But somehow just speaking the words that identified my acrimonious attitude made it a little bit better.

And then today I had a really good day. No, really. I did. It was quite nice actually.

And since I have been sharing my many bad days recently, I thought I’d share some of the good stuff that happened.

Yoga Class – I went to a yoga class first thing this morning. It was taught by my favorite teacher, and it completely kicked my butt. Like I’m-too-sweaty-to-be-crabby kind of kicked my butt.

Bath and Kitchen Emporium – SRH and I are going to re-do the bathroom this spring because we seriously have one of the ugliest bathrooms this side of the Mason-Dixon. Truly, people cringe when we show it to them.

So SRH and I visited a local kitchen and bath showroom to look at bathtubs. Turns out that we’re not going to buy a new bathtub this year because the only thing we would gain would be, um, a deeper tub. And that really doesn’t justify the cost. And no new tub = no new flooring = easier renovation = fewer headaches AND less ducats out of our pocket.

Cool.

Lunch – I had lunch today with an old friend with whom I had lost touch. (Look at that grammar. Eh, eh? Seems that crabbiness doesn’t affect the entire noggin. I can still rock the correct object of a preposition.) Anyway, she’s the kind of friend that reminds you that you are a good mother, a good partner, and a fairly decent human being. And it’s not because she stinks at those things so you feel better by comparison. It’s because she makes you believe that your best is good enough.

Must make sure to hang out with her more often.

Scrubbed floor – When I got home from lunch, SRH was on his hands and knees scrubbing our kitchen floor - just because he felt like it needed it.

He almost got lucky then and there.

Dinner – After scrubbing my disgusting kitchen floor, SRH proceeded to make one of my favorite dinners while I sat on the couch cuddling with Zane.

And I didn’t feel guilty about it for one moment.

Hot Tub – After dinner, I was feeling a little chilled so I decided to spend some time in the hot tub. Which you might think I’d do all the time since it’s 5 feet from my back door, but I don’t really. SRH doesn’t like the hot tub, and I don’t care to do it alone.

But today was different. It was perfect being out there alone. In fact, I had a moment of panic when Zane appeared at the back door.

Zane: What you doing?

Me: I’m in the hot tub, baby. It’s like a big bath tub. Do you want to come in with me? Please, please, say no, kid. I’m having such a good time out here alone.

Zane: Nope. I don’t like it.

Me: Oh, okay. Next time then, buddy. Whew!

It’s now 8:30pm. Zane’s in bed. SRH is talking about cleaning the bathroom – because he just can’t stand it anymore! - And I’m on the couch watching TV and contemplating making myself a smoothie.

Oh yes, it’s been a very good day.

I think the lesson for me here is to own my crabbiness. Apparently, it makes good things happen.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, my fellow Irish people!