It has been a fine week, with lots of good things, and nonetheless I have been alternately crabby and weepy all week. Thank goodness for Elisabeth, who, through her F.I.G. Collective, is encouraging us to find joy in gratitude, every single day, all month long.
Saturday, February 1:
- I spotted tulips for the first time this year in the grocery store and bought a bunch. Not only do they brighten up my kitchen, they remind me that spring is on its way and soon my yard will be full of blooms.
- My parents came over so my dad could work on a school project with Carla, and my mom and I got to go for a long early evening walk. This is one of the unexpected joys of having them nearby – they can just pop over for a couple of hours! We can simply go for a walk together! We had a nice talk and moved our bodies and enjoyed the crisp February air.
- When we returned, Carla was hanging out with my dad while he told her stories about his childhood. Oh, my heart!
Sunday, February 2:
- We got caught in a snowstorm on our way home from an epic back-to-back Costco/Target spending spree, and the whole world was magical again for a few hours. I don’t love driving in inclement weather, but I love it when everything is coated in white.
- My dad came BACK to our house for the second half of the school project. He and Carla were making chocolates as part of a request to showcase a family tradition. My dad has been making chocolates for decades, and when I was a kid, I would make them with him at Christmastime to hand out to friends. We started with rolled truffles, like the ones he and Carla made, and eventually branched out into dipped and filled truffles. It was a tradition I loved and have managed to execute once or twice with Carla. (I found a photo of the three of us dipping truffles back in 2015! Carla was so small!!!!) I love that she remembers making truffles with her grandfather and that this was the tradition she wanted to share with her classmates.
- Carla, her dad, and I snuggled up together to watch Groundhog Day, which was more poignant than I remember. My goodness do I love Andie MacDowell’s hair in that movie. Between Andie and Julia Roberts and Keri Russell, the 1990s were full of such amazing hair.
Monday, February 3:
- After the grocery store (yes, if you’re keeping count this is three days of shopping in a row), I got in a good strength training workout, which always makes me feel strong and healthy.
- I had an online writing session with a friend! This is so inspirational and motivational to me – to set aside time with a friend explicitly for writing, to discuss our concerns and writing triumphs. I also love it because we set aside a few minutes before and after we write to gab about other things and THAT is delightful in a totally different way.
- I had a hankering for pasta primavera, which I’ve made before with limited success. But I tried this recipe and it turned out great! I also tried a new type of pasta (I am such a sucker for variations on regular old Barilla) (which I love, don’t get me wrong) and it was just as good as “normal” pasta.
Tuesday, February 4:
- Even though it was quite slippery outside, I met up with a local friend for a walk. Neither of us fell, for which I am very grateful.
- After our writing session, I was still in a creative groove. Then, my husband texted to say he would be done with work early and offered to pick up Carla from school, which was on his way home. Yes please! That saved me a whole hour of driving and allowed me to keep writing and writing.
- My husband and I started watching a new show, which is extremely well done.
Wednesday, February 5:
- My husband took Carla to school AND picked her up from school! That is TWO HOURS of extra time, right off the bat. I was able to get a sweaty HIIT workout in before eight…
- …and then my local writing friend came over for our second writing session of the week.
- Since I didn’t have to drive Carla to and from school, I had two extra hours in my day and ended up doing tons of laundry, vacuuming the house, going for a quick walk, AND getting a ton of writing done. Such a productive day! Then, to make up for not getting much time with my kiddo, we spent extra time reading our book before bed. We are getting so close to the end, so pretty much every page is exciting.
Thursday, February 6:
- This morning, I met up with a friend for tea. Due to kid illnesses, call schedules, and various other obstacles, we hadn’t seen each other for a very long time and had a LOT to catch up on. We talked and talked until she accidentally looked at her watch and we realized we’d been chatting for two hours. Whoops!
- Today was my scheduled call with another long distance writing friend. I am so lucky to have THREE people with whom I can share ideas, complain, brainstorm, and discuss the ups and downs of trying to put your story into words.
- My husband and I met with our new accountants, and they are so awesome I kind of want to be an accountant now??? and then we picked up Carla together and spent a pleasant hour at the mall, smelling perfumes.
Friday, February 7:
- My parents are coming over for the Super Bowl on Sunday, and I stopped in at a local gourmet food shop to pick up some snacky treats. I am VERY excited about trying them.
- The sun was shining, so I got in a nice long walk in the bracing cold.
- The tulips I bought last Saturday still look gorgeous!
If I were to summarize what I’m grateful for – at least this week – it would be creative time, time moving my body (especially outdoors), and time with the people I love. When I look at the abundance of those things in my life, it makes a lot of the bad feelings seem very small.
Thank you, Elisabeth, for helping me find joy and gratitude during a week that felt unaccountably bleak.
The secret is out! When accounting is done right it is a fun job.
February is such a meh month, and I’ve been surprised at how effective it is to write down the joyful moments. Now mind you, right at the moment it’s a pretty easy task since I’m in FL and I’ve met four of our mutual friends. The fig action is high right now.
I think it helps that now I know THREE kick-ass female accountants. (Both the accountants were women.)
Seeing reports of your blog meet up has been such a mood booster this week! And I am assuming (in a NO PRESSURE way) that you will post about it too, and I will get another little surge of vicarious joy.
What a week of delights! My favorite on the list is the time that Carla spent with your dad. They are making such sweet memories together. I’m impressed that your dad is able to make chocolate though!
My reader is full of everyone’s fig for the week, which is bringing me a lot of light as well!
I think that was my favorite part, too, Lisa. Their time together is so precious to me.
We’re in Oberlin to see North act in a play, so there’s a bunch of gratitude all in one sentence.
Oh Steph, that sounds wonderful! What fun!
Yay for writing together! I loved reading all these, Suzanne – what a delightful week you had!
Also, is that Scrivener? I’ve heard a lot about that program and was wondering how you’re tracking your word count/ writing days? I have been, um, writing it on a paper calendar that I use just for that purpose. I’m wondering if it would be better to do what you’re doing!
It IS Scrivener! It’s a decent program, although it has its foibles, for sure. I do like that you can set writing targets and that it tells you what you wrote each day. (And since I have sections of my document that are for, like, background or character sketches, it also tracks what I’m writing in the actual manuscript vs in those “other” files.)
So much sweetness! The time to connect with friends is so special and the unexpected gift of extra time is priceless. The tulips are absolutely gorgeous. I bought some hydrangeas last week and forgot to take a picture of them before they bit the dust. Fresh flowers make such a difference in the February gloom.
I have been meaning to start watching The Pitt because it was filmed at our local hospital 😉 and I’ve heard that it’s more realistic than many of the medical dramas. It takes me so far out of the story any time a surgeon goes to the bedside to draw blood, or the OR lights are turned off except for a spotlight over the table!
The Pitt is not perfect, but it does seem to be much more realistic than other med dramas. And the acting is superb. I cry a lot.
I love reading your FIGS, Suzanne! I feel uplifted and now I want to go find a tulip bouquet because that would be just the thing!
I was just thinking this morning that I should buy a flower pot with bulbs that are blooming.
I love your account of the family lore being passed to the next generation. And also love to hear of someone getting lots of chance for writing.
I’m with Lisa – my favourite FIG (they’re all wonderful) is the tender moments between Carla and your dad.
Both my grandfathers passed away long before I was born and one of my greatest delights as a parent is to recognize how special it is that my kids have incredible memories of time with both sets of grandparents and they’re old enough to remember them for the rest of their life. Intergenerational love is so wonderful. And my kids are OBSESSED with stories from my parents, especially when they tell them stories about me as a kid 😉
Also, the truffles look amazing.
What a wonderful week. I love that Carla & your dad made chocolates together. Sooo sweet and they look delicious!
I love reading about your moments of gratitude, Suzanne. I especially love that tulips are in the store now (they’re my favorite flower!). I’ll have to keep an eye out for them.
I’ve never seen Groundhog Day, even though it was filmed in a town not too far from here. We go there regularly to shop and eat lunch, so I think it’s definitely time to watch it soon. 💕
That’s great week with many varied activities! I’m not as motivated to get out for a walk when it’s snowy or icy, but I need the fresh air and exercise. I love those truffles! I’m not the best at finding joy although I’m good at the gratitude part.
Carla and your dad continuing a family tradition is so sweet! I love it.
Those tulips are gorgeous! And I’m glad to hear they are in the stores; I’ll be keeping an eye out for some for my house.
I loved reading everybody’s FIG posts these last few days… and I love that you have a writing session with a friend. It sounds like such a great way to connect.
I am thrilled on your behalf to read about the time Carla spent with your dad. What a blessing it is that your parents moved near you. I love it.
I love finding time to write and feeling accomplished. It makes other things feel less annoying when annoying things crop up. I gain so much insight and I feel my writing grows so much with their input. Hooray for time with writing buddies and time to connect with friends.
A writing session with a friend! Isn’t that a perfect way to find joy in February?
Finding FIGs has really made things seem cheerier for me. I wonder if I should continue the practice post-February, even if I don’t actually post it online.
I love this list! Esp. the truffles tradition! <3
these are great! I am too grumpy to even do this exercise, which probably means I really need to do it…
This was so fun to read! I love learning about all your different writing groups and friends. Anxiously anticipating that first novel – no pressure!
How fun that Carla and your dad get to have some one-on-one time for a school project! That’s so special.
What a collection of joy! I read these when you posted and could have sworn I left a comment (but maybe I was at work and got distracted?) .
Simply lovely!
Having your parents so close by is the biggest blessing! I know you are loving this, and it’s so lovely for Carla to have this one on one time with either Grandparent.
I loved reading all your good stuff and there indeed is a lot—this makes me so happy! TULIPS are one of my favorites as well.