The Experiment – A 365 Day Search For Happiness

This has been the 2nd day in the last 3 when I have spent most of the day reading. Saturday I read all day long finishing Natalie Goldberg’s new book and today I have been reading Let’s Pretend This Is Normal by Miriam Verheyden, someone I have long admired. I love her website — FARM GIRL: CREATING MY HAPPY LIFE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF FEAR — and her writing on her blog and newsletter. I could not keep reading and finish this book today, however, because there were too many other things on my agenda for today. Writing this blog post, exercising — I have already done my dancing and after I get this blog post up will be riding my bicycle, and then showering and getting ready to go out! Another adventure!

My friend Jeff and his partner opened their second restaurant over the weekend and he has invited me to have dinner there tonight as his guest. Jeff went on the ketogenic diet because of me a few months after I did and they have quite a few keto friendly foods on the menu. I am both looking forward to it and nervous. Going out is not easy for me, especially in the evening, dressing up and doing something in public is something I haven’t done much of in quite awhile but, GERONIMO! I’m going!

Last night I had the loveliest time with my daughter Rachel who came for dinner and a movie. I made us lovely scrambled eggs whipped up with some cream, cheese, and sliced organic mushrooms with asparagus on the side and she brought a bottle of wine. It was so wonderful to cook for my daughter, have a nice meal and wine with her, and then we watched a movie, a favorite of mine that I have seen a handful of times but which Rachel had never seen, Miss Potter about Beatrix Potter. We loved it.

At the beginning of a new week I look out over the days before me and wonder what they will bring but, except for a couple of appointments tomorrow and Wednesday they will mostly be home days. I will be going to Rachel’s house Friday night to watch a movie, and Noni is coming Saturday evening for dinner and to leave her darling parrot Canela with me for a few days while she goes out of town. These are the things on my calendar that give shape to the week, the rest will be filled in with writing, blog posts and stories with my dear friend Katya (I should have written one today but I couldn’t stop reading! Sorry Ka!), exercising, gardening (I hope! I was going to do some gardening today but it turned into a rainy day.), and reading, reading, reading. All of a sudden, after barely reading in a long time (Which after a lifetime of reading voraciously, several books at once sometimes, was shocking. I was spending so much time online, TOO much time online, that I just kind of stopped reading. That will not happen again. I am turning away from the internet and diving into books for a good part of each day.) I have fallen in love with reading all over again.

And now I have to close here and got on my bike! This is kind of an all-over-the-place post, a here’s-what-I’m-doing-today sort of post. I think I am prattling on because I’m nervous about going out later. I will just step through each thing, one thing at a time, until I find myself in the car driving to the restaurant. That’s the way to get through the scary bits. One thing at a time.

I hope you have had a good start on your week. I hope you are reading good books (I’d love to know what you are reading, and any suggestions you have about good books!), and having Happy Adventures, even what feel like tiny ones. Happy Tiny Adventures are the best kind of all. Tell me all about them. I really want to hear…