a good day

I realize that this blog sort of directly went from Thailand to... nothing. I left it up to your attentively detective minds to figure out where i was and what i was doing. So, this is my remedial post (i know that i have three avid readers, and you all know my where- and whatabouts, so this is mostly for the non-avid section of blog traffic). A description of my day today--a pretty nice one--will do the job credibly, i think.

It was an unusual day in that Mother is on a retreat this weekend, so it's just my sister and me with our father. We manage nicely, i think, but it was strange to wake up and not smell her coffee. Culinarily, the day started off delightfully with a batch of dad-made pancakes--a Saturday morning tradition that makes itself far too scarce these days. Nothing beats the whole-wheat-and-buttermilk heartiness of that breakfast. We lingered over breakfast for a while in discussion, and then went about our business for the day.

Though the shift was rather longer than usual at work today (Lewis and Clark Outfitters), it was a pleasant one. I greeted folks, directed them to the disc golf discs, informed them of the features of various waterproof/breathable jackets, offered them bottles of water, put clothes in fitting rooms for them, and took their money before they left (though many times all there is to do is walk about, straighten the occasional clothes rack, and muse with my cohorts). It was busy here and there, and many of the customers were cheerful and appreciative, which is SUCH a wonderful environment to work in. There are days when most people who come in are grumpy or generally unpleasant, and that makes the day much more difficult. For lunch i brought a mozarella/alfalfa sprout sandwich with hummus on whole wheat, along with some strawberries--delightful. My friend Rebekah came in towards the end of the afternoon, which was a very pleasant surprise. I love visitors!

A change of plan saw me home tonight for dinner. Lindsey and i ran (and biked, respectively) to the grocery store, didn't find what we needed, but DID find a can of gooseberries. Must make a pie, we says. And so, after throwing together a casserole and salad for dinner, i set off to make my First Gooseberry Pie Ever. I had half the filling for the regular amount of crust, so it was a little thin, but it tasted great! It was, in all, a satisfying meal.

So, there you have it! I work, cook (not as often when Mom's around), and do whatever strikes my fancy--which is usually much more pleasant if it is done with friends or family, or outdoors. Hurrah!