Little joys for you today

Morning darklings,

It’s been a while since I’ve taken a pause, scrolled through my phone, texts, recent history, emails, and the like, to see things that have brought me joy. We all need to do that from time to time.

So today, I’ll share with you some things that have made my days brighter.

Directly across the street from my duplex, there is a large cherry blossom tree. I watched it blossom, documented it every few days. It was just for me, really. I love the scent of the cherry blossoms. There is nothing like them, truly. The shades of pinks and white that each flower boasts when they open and yawn to the world is unreal, a surprise with every passing moment. It was a joy to have one so close. I felt like a botanist at the Japanese Garden on cherry blossom tree watch. I kept an eye on her as she swayed in the wind and rain, her petals sogging and falling to the ground. I witnessed her flowers begin to wilt and fall to the sidewalk with a whirl of emotions. It was both a loss and the start of something new.

Splitflask (not an affiliate link) is the new way I carry around my blendies. It’s brilliant, no? One side has my water, the other my food. Both sides can stay cold or hot or one of each! No more comments about me carrying too many things. Also, I don’t have to talk about my food journey. Outward appearances say I have an emotional support water bottle. (But honestly, who doesn’t?) The reality is more that I’m carrying my lifeline and what’s seen me go from discussions of a feeding tube to having real food on occasion.

Still haven’t gone of an official anniversary thing, but this is from the lovely walk the hubs and I took on the actual day of our anniversary. We won’t wait for life to calm down, because that ish is a fallacy. Instead, I think we’ll just wait until we find something that sounds delightful for us both and call it an anniversary celebration.

The hubs finally got his garden! He’s been the most patient, waiting for a place that works. And now, we have it! There is the Before and After picture—from the day we got home from shopping at but two stores. And then one from many, many stores, and also an estate sale later, and OfferUp free stops later, and online seed sprees later. We have shopped a lot.

One excited chihuahua.

Flowers gifted to me by my lovely friend Erin on a day that was really tough. We went to tea and celebrated being alive and able to do our makeup. It was so sweet and meaningful to have someone show up for me like that. I hope that you all have one person in your life that cares for you like that—even if it’s your landlord. Just one person who occasionally says, “You don’t deserve the bad shit that’s happening. Have a hug or flowers or candy or a bottle of water.”

Waiting at my naturopath’s office with a cuppa and a sensory sand plate. It was a rough drive, but what a difference the Little things can do. Would recommend 10/10: both a naturopath and a sensory sand plate. Also tea. Always tea.

Every Tuesday, I write alone at a diner. The drive is horrible, as all drives are. But I’m there for 2 hours, alone, with my thoughts, one pot of tea, and servers who know me enough by now that they just refill the water once and let me write in peace.

I arrived to a play early. Not a bad problem, unless you’re alone, have no headphones, forgot your laptop, and are having an extreme pain day. I saw on Maps that across the street there was a wine bar. That wouldn’t have interested me until I saw they had charcuterie plates with crackers. And lo, the crackers were the only brand I can reliably eat. I went in and explained how I can’t eat solid food beside crackers, nor can I drink. I asked if I could have a handful of crackers and get charged for a wine. They said they appreciated my honesty and brought me that cute set up. I ate a few crackers, felt like a completely normal human in a completely normal venue, then went on my way to see a read of a very fun play-in-progress. It’s the kind of lowkey evening that fits with my desire to winter.

LINKS

• I may not be on Substack, but that doesn’t mean everyone else has left. I still get a few people’s newsletters. They are brilliant women who wow me with their goodness, their community, their stances, their pushing back against the norms. If anyone can feel good about staying on Substack, it’s them. Today, I share a link to a wonderful little piece about expectations and living the so-called “dream life.”

• A lovely article about the beginning of teahouses from Harney & Sons blog. Not for nothing, their tea is splendid!

question of the week

What’s one thing that made you smile this week?

Until next time, harness the Little darknesses and embrace the Little things.

A graphic for you to save, keep on your desktop, use as a reminder, whathaveyou. More info on littlekeypress.com.