In celebration of a crummy day

It didn't start out so bad, but for whatever reason, this particular Wednesday is definitely a day better left only as a postscript in the Book of Life. Countless small details rendered me frustrated, flustered and feeling drained. On top of that, today marks the occassion in which Sara's feet and lower legs are larger than they have ever been, due to mysteriously increased swelling.

In celebration of today's general crumminess, I wanted to make a list of the things I missed, but I'm trying to have a better attitude, so instead, I will muse on favorite things.

Sushi. You think I'm joking. Going to a favorite sushi restaurant with Himself can cure almost any bad day, and is guaranteed to make a good day spectacular - especially if we get to sit at the bar (and especially when I'm not pregnant, so I can eat spicy tuna rolls to my heart's content). I actually get to try the Japanese place near The Factory tomorrow with a vendor - I hope it's decent.

Bookstores. I could spend a good portion of my life in, and my life's savings on, a bookstore. There is something compelling (and slightly overwhelming) standing in a bookstore and realizing how smart you could be about everything if you read everying in sight. For some reason, being smart is appealing to me. Think of the brilliant conversations, the flood of knowledge, the sheer entertainment! Good fiction, non-fiction, coffee table books - I'm a fan of almost anything printed, bound and understood by someone with less than a Genius-level IQ.

Cooking. Well, cooking in a clean, well-stocked kitchen. Cooking for entertaining. Trying a new recipe, and having all day to do it. I love cooking on the weekends. I love the routine, the creation and when it turns out to be even better than you thought. I have not cooked a meal in 7 weeks. I used to love baking, when I was in college. Then I realized I didn't really like eating baked goods - I switched to appetizers and main dishes. I really could have just put "food" here, because I love food in general, but I love it more if it came from a just-discovered fantastic restaurant or a new recipe that I finally got the hang of.

Road Trips Road trips to places I've never been, especially. Seeing new sights, new people, trying new food. If I hadn't been 6 1/2 months pregnant, I wouldn't have even minded the cross-country moving road trip. My all-time favorite road trip was the 10-day road trip Himself and I took to New England for our honeymoon. New England still remains my favorite vacation spot.

Fall. Crisp air, scented lightly with woodsmoke, damp leaves and apples. Chilly evenings and days bathed in golden light. The brilliant landscape of scarlets, golds and vibrant oranges. The anticipation of the holiday season and all of its magic.

Sundays. The greatest invention ever is the Sabbath is a day of rest. I rarely actually nap (I don't like wasting my time napping, even when I need it), but I love to know that on this day, the world can rest outside my mind. I don't think of work. I don't think of how messy my house is. I don't think of what I need to do on Monday. I enjoy the day. I savor it, because it is the only day on which I can pretend that everything settles into a peacable hum, and all is right with the world.

I might just have to do the only thing on the list today that is possible - find a bookstore on my way home.

That might improve things. A little.