Scenes from the Mall...window shopping highs and lows. ( Part One)

As you know I have a lot of free time on my hands. Our apartment takes 20 minutes tops , and that is a deep cleaning. Hubby is at work..always. Girls, well they are close , but have own lives and well truthfully with being broke when they do come over I am not sure how to entertain them here at the apartment. The cats , they sleep all day. Tv is rather boring. I some how can not seem to read during the day without loosing my train of thought. So what is one to do when they do not work? I walk and window shop.

I often will do my morning walk and then go again in the afternoon. Interesting thing with the Fibromyalgia. I can walk and walk and walk, it may not always be fast and hills still , even after all these months make me pant for sometime after. BUT ask me to open something, even screw top wine, or hold up a phone , bend my arm at the elbow for very long ( even typing is hard) , life something or anything else you can think of dealing with the upper body and it is a no go. I experience numbness, tingling, shooting pains, throbbing aches. I have no real strength either.....there are ok days, and bad days and really bad days. This is what keeps me from working. If I had a job that I could just walk and shop , WOW! But alas, jobs not requiring your upper body does not really exist. So I am left with all this free time and so as I said I walk. Even with throbbing feet, I keep going, cause it kills the time. But if you have been reading you know this about me.

Yesterday was a day when nothing was on TV. The pool was too busy to sit by, and well until hubbies job gets more established, I do not have much spare money. (I so need to color my hair! Now that I restarted that).My daughter had my car, so could not go for a drive... Ghads, there is days I just wonder around aimlessly and check email far too many times a day. So figured, it was only in the 90's, why not walk to my fav shopping areas and window shop. So shoes popped on , camera and purse packed and I was off.

I was really just enjoying the world around me. I stopped for a McD's ice tea...1.08 fit the budget. I nearly get hit by a car , while I was a quarter of the way into the cross walk; guess the driver was color blind and missed that the light was red. I stopped to help a sign holder , he asked me to hand him his beer in the bag to grab a couple of swigs and put it back for him. I do not agree with this practice of drinking on the job, but it is not for me to judge. Besides who could deny a sweet, polite request from a toothless man holding a sign all day in the heat?? So I comply. Then off I went and I made my way to The Fountains and headed for my favorite shops.

First was Sur La Table. I am wanting, soon, to add a bit of new goodies to the kitchen, liven up all the black, beige and brown in there. Since moving all my blue items into the bedroom, I am back to wanting more red in my space...especially for Fall! I know some of these things are pricey, but I also know if I keep my eyes open I can pick them up a lot cheaper at the big box discount stores...just have to check back as often as I can.

 I rather like these silver plates for when hubby and I have cheese and fruit with a glass of wine. They are as I said pricey, at 6.00 each, but we only need two. So not too bad. I can see them on these red chargers...that I know again here are a bit steep at 6.00 each as well, but they always sell them at all the stores for the holidays, often even The Dollar Store gets them in.

I am loving this whole section.....

I do need some new hand towels, oh and the canister above has bowls in it! I also am thinking a nice wrought iron or maybe bright stainless steel basket with these apples or the artichokes in it would add a wonderful pop of color, and they look so real and never rot!
I have my notes and prices written in my notebook for reference and so I am off to Anthropology. You know I HAVE to go in this store. I could go daily and just hang out. I always call it my dream store; dreams are free. There was a time in my life when I could shop in here and buy most anything I wanted, and maybe one day that will happen again. Till then I am content with taking photos, and then seeking out items elsewhere that mimic the look. It can be quite satisfying when that can happen. 

I just love everything about the store, the smell, the vibe, the music playing, the displays...there is nothing in this store that I do not like, but then I have mentioned that before I am sure. I mean just look at this display!!
It is like a dream spot , an escape in the middle of the store! Makes me wish I had such a place to serve a meal, and of course I am the figure off to the side...yep the one with no head LOL Then I start my trying on of hats....
This one costs as much as what I normally spend on an outfit, a whole outfit! But I just adore the felt flowers and how it is the perfect shape and size on me, even with my short hair. Hats sell quick here, so no chance to wait for a sale on this lovely. I can see in editing this photo, I need to invest in some more sunscreen and age defying , line filling, reversing the signs of age/sun damage creams ....hmmmm maybe a series for the blog...follow the journey of getting my youthful face back...hmmm, not very French Girl, but oh well , I am not that much if at all past a pinkie of being French so it is ok! Anyway, back to the hat...it is wonderful isn't it???  OH and it is right near the French Perfumes....heavenly....
Of course I go my usual three times around, looking at everything, imagining it in my space....I could see these in my wine glass cabinet....

Then of course I have to have at least one of these sweet little owls on my shelf or on one of my trays...I have a soft spot for Owls as my Grandma collected them....
  Is this perhaps one of the next books for sharing after French Girl ???
    Could you imagine a more lovely cover??? I would have to have an equally lovely book mark for this one. I also spot a sale ....Gosh I hope I can squirrel away just enough for a head band and I do so need another pair of reading specs.... pale pink I think would go with my beaded necklace I bought a while back and of course the perfect little LBD.This one is out of budget, but will keep an eye out for one like it.  LOVE the ruffled cap sleeves!

Soon of course a pair of these will have to find their way to my jewelry box.... They are affordable even at full price! So simple, so classic and sooooo cute!
  I am also loving these for my cardigans ....
   And I know I can find similar stockings at half the price, but I may have to indulge in a pair of the ones with roses to go with one of my LBDS that I already own....
 
 They are so fun with a simple dress or skirt and add just that POP to what can be a rather mundane outfit. I bought a pair a couple years back and wore them with a black pencil skirt and a turtle neck sweater and a great pair of black pumps, and then simple jewelry as the stocking were the jewelry....loved it! Of course I could not help but take a few photos of all the wonderful new items in the store ....can you tell where my mind is as of late.....

 There was so much more divine things, but would fill a whole weeks worth of posts! I know some of you are ok with that though ! I know I would be. I reluctantly left and made a pit stop at Zgallerie. I did not take very many pics there, but did find a couple of things that would make my living room spruce up have that Z zing.
A few sprigs of these mixed with the clear ones I already have would look great on my TV dresser in the white vases there....maybe with a sprig of these as well for more sparkle...
  Have always liked these, and it goes with my new "chandelier" that I got from Urban Outfitters ( you have to wait to see that) I am just digging the silhouette items...... They are on sale...not the 24.00 that is for the item above it, I think they were 7.99. 
   I think this is a great gift for my husband.... Sparkle for me , and dealing with nature and hunting for him.
   Then I think I must keep an eye out for a sale to have these lovelies...
  And these are great for the season and fit my decor!
 

I am adoring this print. It is on sale too, really makes me reconsider the one I have picked out for my LR...HOW CUTE is this Pug?

 And those shoes...do not even get me started! 

So there you have it, my window shopping trip to The Fountains and all my fav stores....tomorrow, Part Two....I walk over to the Galleria, and then on the way home stop at ROSS and World Market, on my search to get the look for less...well scope it out at any rate so when I do have money, if the items are still there, well it will be meant to be, and MINE! 

Oh I did come home with a treasure, and it took what morning coffee money I had set aside to last till after pay day...but I had to have it. OH and it was a look for less!

Fashion Musings....

Today I popped into Target. It is in the middle of a big remodel and we are between seasonal items coming in. I being broke was of course so frustrated that I had to pass up on so many wonderful sale items that would carry me through to the colder weather.

I am in dire need of casual clothing. I have plenty of dress up clothing, but alas we do not get to go out very often , at least to places that require dress up. That was our life once, and we hope it will be again, but for now when we do go out it is mini adventures and the uniform is always the same: Levi's, T, light sweater, and walking shoes. Rather boring. But we enter September, and soon ( it will seem like over night) the days will become chilly and then wet. I need clothing that I can walk in for exercise despite any weather that may come and still look fashionable. Layers are a must as well.

I always find myself becoming "frumpy" as of the last year or so. I don a sweater cap, scarf and some over sized ( to fit over my sweaters...that desperately need de-pilling) zip front, coat and of course gloves. Then the same jeans, faded, and rolled up ( as I am short) and my tennies. I want to be cute. I want to be stylish. I am so tired of if we are not "going out" that I look frumpy aka comfortable the rest of the time, for errands, walks and home. I want to be fashionable.

So between wanting all that, and window shopping and being bitten by the " I want new clothes ...who cares that I do not have curtains in the LR yet??!!! bug" , I went onto my Polyvore page...my new fav site and played around. I created a Fall, Rainy day and Winter outfit first.I tried to keep all items under 50.00. I normally spend 50.00-100.00 for a complete look , head to toe, so seemed reasonable. Sure I could have let my dreams take flight, but this way , maybe I can actually achieve the looks this season. I hope you enjoy...be patient with me on these, I am still learning how to work the site.

**** In the one above, the brown square is textured tights.

French Girl Friday ....Chapter 2

"What makes French girls as serenely self-satisfied as purring cats...and catnip to the men who admire them?......"

"The French girl understands that sexy is a state of mind. Her relationship to food and her body is sensual, not tyrannical, and she takes pleasure in both"

* From Entre Nous, A Woman"s Guide To Finding Her Inner French Girl  By , Debra Ollivier"

Ruby here...back again with both my self assigned home work and highlights from Chapter 2.........
There was a question(s) within Chapter One~ " Is this really me? Should I speak my mind or hold back? How should I approach this particular person? How much of myself do I reveal? What is the true value of this friendship, this experience , this thing? Does this make me feel good, sexy, alive?"

Deep questions I know! I never expected when I bought this book that it would be life examining...I just thought it would be fun.  But they do make you really stop and think; not a bad thing.  I worked on this by asking myself these questions , well not all, but some , if it fit the situation, this whole last week. I really examined much of what I did or how I reacted based on these questions and the "lessons" in Chapter One from last weeks FG post ( you can read it here if you missed it )

So from the headers of ....
Self Possession
Seeking Sensulaity
Practices Discretion ( touched on that in this post)
Takes Time
Values Quality
Authenticity 
Shop Like A French Girl 
Cultivates Own History

It was interesting how I would catch myself when I did something or said something that did not fit the "lesson plan" . I would stop or change direction of that action or make a mental note. In what was really supposed to be really only a fun exercise and blog fodder , I found it having an impact. I found myself taking new paths, thinking in new ways from how I ate, to what I cleaned out from my closet ( and got rid of) . So I am very eager for Chapter Two, and as you know already touched on it once this week.

I had already , as I had mentioned in an earlier post, when I could not sleep , read ahead. Now somethings touched a nerve and inspired me. Other things, I KNOW that I shall never achieve them, nor do I care to. I am not after all trying to be something I am not, I am not trying to fake being French...I just want to learn from and shape perhaps what lies beneath some of the thought process and ways of thinking that I already have in place. So now on to Chapter 2 Le Corps:


This chapter was very amusing and all about the body, body image, how we obsess, and well French Girls do not. I again touched on that in my checking in blog. I was amazed at how very much I fall into the ways of thinking that were mentioned ...the American side. I do not want to think that way; it's not healthy. The freedom and embracing the French Girls/Women have about their appearance is amazing! Now again given some of it like not shaving, not bathing as much ( that latter one was not in the book, but was told to me by someone) not wearing make up or coloring their hair ( guess I was there and then reverted recently) and loving their wrinkles as it was because they thought of it as growing into who they were supposed to be; it repeats through the book that French Girls are born adults/grown ups. How liberating to have it where you do not have to be a slave to all those things. There is more, but you will have to buy the book. I will supply the "Borrow from " sections though.

The headings in this chapter are as follows:
Growing Up Sexy
The Naked Truth
On Exercise
Vintage Sensuality
La Liberte'
Skin and Sanctuary 
Make Up and Scent 
Aromatique: the Short Story of French Scent
The Look
On Comfort
The French Signature

These headings alone if you are the readers I know that most of you are should make you want to spend the 13.99 plus tax to buy this book!  If I was reading these headings , I know I would want to at least flip through the pages...OH wait , I did and so I bought it.

So here are the "Borrowed Froms":
"Borrow a Page from The French Girl's Book: Body Love
Get rid of the diet books. Get to know your body. Spend time on yourself. Get naked. Sleep naked. Skinny Dip. Don't wear underware. Love your body and your children will grow up loving theirs. be realistic . Take the time to own your body: if you seek change , modify your relationship to the food with patience and simplicity . Relax and enjoy the ride." 

*****Ok , well , point on point, my well, point of view ( how is that for bad grammar?)  I agree with the diet books, there has never been a single one that has helped me for long. I know there is others out there that will swear to one or another book or program, but for me, they are too rigid. I LOVE food, the taste, the feel, the act of eating. I guess that is why I am always putting the weight back on. But recently, especially in the last two weeks I have been finding that if I simply just relax and make smart choices that the weight is coming off. Sounds simple, but it is working. I do not feel deprived and I am not even missing certain things. I have changed my mind set enough that I do not torture myself if I have a sweet or white bread, or a larger glass of wine, as long as right after I get back on track for at least one whole day before I indulge. I am now at the lowest I have been in over three years and it has not been hard at all.

I am pretty aware of my body. Every wrinkle, mole, rippled skin area and stretch mark , scars, etc. It is very far from perfect, but it is mine and I do not shy away from it. I do need to spend more time on it, not just the walking. I need to learn to use the face creams and lotions and to make time for bubble baths and such....I just get very lazy. I know discretion is key, so no deep details...so I will just say I do get naked. I do often sleep that way if hot. I WILL NOT skinny dip and I shall always wear my undergarments....so if that makes me fail on those fronts, I am comfortable with it.

I failed with the accepting my body soon enough. I am not sure I 100% accept it now. I am just more comfortable with it. I mean I see some of the girls and ladies down at the pool and well , they do not seem to care what hangs out, what is lumpy bumpy or stretched beyond ...well you get the idea. So two out of the three of my daughters have a bit of a body image issue, not sure the other does not, but I am doing my best to tell them they are beautiful and just fine ...and that is so very true.

I am realistic, sometimes too much so and get chided for it, so have that covered. I am that way with not only my body, but with everything.

I believe I finally have the last part of that covered as well, I am modifying many areas of my life, being patient, and simple about it and I am relaxed , more so than I ever have been, and I pray it lasts!!!

"Borrow a Page from The French Girl's Book:Body Care
Invest in the care of your body. Put together a private stash of your favorite body care products and commit to a regular weekly total body solace. Pay attention to every part of your body, particularly your hands and your feet. Feed your skin. Drink water. Indulge in sleep. Get massaged. Breathe deeply. Oxygenate your body and soul. Thank your body for it's life force. Remember to embrace sensuality as a human being you must be human with your body" 


***I actually used to be really great with all this. It was easy, I worked at a day spa ! I was sooo spoiled. I really miss that. Then when we moved to Texas, I was just getting back to weekly massages and mani/pedis.  When we moved here, I did not know where to go that was trustworthy for the massages, though I did keep up with the mani/pedis, till our finances did not allow for it. I am one that needs professional help with both , between arthritis and fibromyalgia it is hard for me to do my hands and toes. Plus the fibro dries your skin out, I do not know why, but it is an issue, so trying to keep the heels smooth, well it is WORK! But the assignment is correct, I need to make it more of a priority, all of it.


I do some of it, I am floating on the amount of water I drink! Ok well that is it. I know short list. I do not sleep well. I try. I do. Fibro and perimenopause seem to work against me, but I do try. So I guess I really need to step it up and concentrate on me, my body and how I treat it past diet and exercise.


"Borrow a Page from The French Girl's Book: The Look
Pay attention to quality, not quantity. Buy thoughtfully, never indulge in the impulse by-unless you know it's truly you. Throw out or give away every single item of clothing you don't wear ( that's everything except for the exceptional party clothes and things with great sentimental value) and rebuild your wardrobe slowly, piece by piece. Create a streamlined , I -love-everything-I -own collection of clothing and accessories. Avoid outfits and matching clothes. Invest in colors and textures you love. Avoid trends or "dressing for success." Dress for yourself, but do it with style every single day. Walk when you shop, stroll, rub elbows with the world. "


*** Ok I am VERY hit and miss with this section , I am ashamed to say. I would like to be so much better. But I LOVE my bargains, I often impulse buy and convince myself that I do INDEED love it, and it is ME! I have changed my style to suit others, to suit where I work, my age, if I was going to church, the "Mom Look"  even the state that I lived in!! I have dressed retro, vintage, 1970 chic, velour pants and hoodies daily, every color....you name it I have done it. I guess some of it is boredom, some of it is a love of clothing and all things fashion/girly, and other times it is a true searching for who I am ...seems to be endless that last one...mainly as I have always had others telling me who I am...it gets confusing.

Now this last weekend, I did clean out my closet. I did get rid of some things, mostly accessories. So I am proud of myself on that front. I have a ways to go for the rest of my closet. For awhile I was all about the looking my age and wearing slacks and button down shirts with a matching coat. I was not working. I just thought I needed to look more mature. Stop dressing so youthful. I got rid of all of it. I saved the perfect white shirt and one pair of tweed like slacks that I loved and tossed the rest to Good Will. BUT, I will break one rule that is very anti "French Girl Look"....I have a couple outfits, and I have a thing for matching...I have tried to break the latter, but to no avail. I have a navy 1960's style outfit. A pleated A line skirt and matching jacket. It is trimmed in white, and has gold buttons. I bought it in Target two seasons ago, before our financial issues, and it still has the tags on it...I WILL wear this this season!! I care not that it matches, I love myself in it. You will also notice from my icons on my blog page and the fan page on FB, that even my avatars match, coordinate etc ....they are dressed based on my wardrobe that I own. I just love the clean look of it ...so if that makes me American , all I can say is "YIPPEE!"

I also must admit that I do not dress in style each day. I walk, so I perspire. I dress in cheap T's and tank tops and shorts or jeans . Day in and day out. In chapter two, French girls get exercise by walking in heels all over the city...well if they live in Paris. Some "toting gym bags and spandex" and wearing "American tennis shoes", but it is all in the name of fashion .

I once read Tim Guns book when I was running a fashion chat list on another site , and then of course I too have watched "What Not To Wear" and add in "How Do I look" and I was seeing myself in what I was reading and watching then too, and for a time, I dressed up daily. If I did exercise, I then came home, cleaned up and changed. I once was asked " Do you always dress like this just to grocery shop?" as well as " Do you have a special occasion you are going to?" NOPE, just following the rules of gym clothing was for just that, the gym. Athletic shoes were for athletes or again in the gym, during exercise. OH and flip flops are a no go as well, unless you are at the beach. I have to wonder if Tim, and all the hosts from these shows read the book I am now???

It did not last for long once we could no longer afford to go out and I felt depressed and did not care what I looked like. I ceased dressing up for no reason, stopped coloring my hair ( though in France that is an ok, accepted thing, a right of passage as we age) and all the other girly things I once cared so much about. I think I need to find a happy medium between what is acceptable there, even if it is against Tim Gunns and the rest of the fashion gurus, and what this book and all of the ones in the industry suggest. I need to work on that. I need to look cute and stylish when I am working out, and make the effort before I leave to make it so, and then also make an effort other times not to just stay in casual , comfy clothing, just because it is acceptable...BUT I shall hold onto my matchy matchy and my fav navy outfit thank you very much!

Just for fun I created a couple looks on Polyvore based on all of this, and well sorry to say I still went rather matchy, but I simply do not care ! It is who I am fashion wise ( at least when I dress up), and I like it.

 

So until next week.....
Jusqu'à notre prochaine rencontre mes amis , au revoir (  Till next we meet my friends, good bye )

In The Bedroom.....

HA! I bet your mind went somewhere that it probably should not...shame on you ...but we are all adults here, I think...so maybe it is ok.  What this post is about, is the decor of my bedroom. I actually have not had a decorated bedroom in  nearly three years! I have not had a bed frame in one and a half. I have done and redone the main living spaces, both in our home and the apartment a few times and well the bedroom is always the forgotten room.


In our beautiful home in Texas, when we had money to spare, I had a luxurious master bath, custom walk in closet and I really enjoyed fixing up my bedroom...first in a sparse Asian Modern, spa like feel. Later when I bought an antique bed , all carved and beautiful , and a few other antique pieces, I re-did the bedroom in a soft, girly, romantic feel. Then we moved back to California to our 1922 cottage and the room was tiny, the closet was tiny, it was a broken up space and we talked big of joining it to the next room for a walk in closet and sitting area and so I never even painted or bought curtains or new bedding. I lived in a beige box of a room with metal blinds and no pictures and not even a lamp near the bed. I had the bed frame and such, but with my health issues it became so hard to get in and out , especially at night as I get up quite often....so when we knew we were loosing the home, I sold my beloved antiques and replaced them with cheap IKEA dressers and and a metal mattress frame. This is how my bedroom has been furnished since we moved in to the apartment, nearly a year ago.

When I decided I wanted to redo my LR here, being bored with the decor, which often happens to me...especially since I can not paint. I decided to put the teal blue sheers from the LR into my room, as I already had a ROSS marked down special comforter that had blue in it, and then transfer the art work our daughter Rebecca had done for me as my Mother's day and Birthday gift. Of course you already know I gave my other larger art work to our youngest for her apartment. I was happy with just that little bit of decor that was going to happen. I was to have what really resembled a bedroom someone lived in....although now the LR is rather blank ! That will change in time.

THEN, Rebecca gave me a store display shelving unit that she had received from a co-worker. She painted it blue , the deep teal that was our accent wall in our beloved cottage.It would provide towel and bedding storage and add a bit of merchandising surface as well. So that would really add a pop of color and tie in the sheers. I was very excited. It got better!

One day she called me about a head board she was looking at down the street at our local Goodwill. It was a queen size, but would work for my full size bed. It would fit the Asian/Ocean theme of my bedroom, and was in perfect condition , only 11.00. I was excited, but was broke. She bought it for me!!! So now I had a head board! It was all coming together!

So this past Monday, we put the room all together. I still want white dressers, and I want a new side table ...hoping I can find "vintage" in all three and just paint them so they have character , but for now the IKEA will do. So here are the pics. The one of the bed is a tiny bit blury....sorry....but I did not make my bed today so not taking a new one !  What do you think??? Not bad for a nothing budget!

Tomorrow , French Girl Friday...all about the body.

Life's Pleasures

Sometimes I think I look too hard for things that are to bring me pleasure. That is how we are wired for the most part, to expect bigger, better , sometimes ground shaking . We often forget that simple things, a birds song, a rainbow, the sent of your favorite flower, or the hot cup of tea enjoyed while reading a good book. I have always enjoyed simple things...even mundane things, but I think I take them for granted and therefore loose the pleasure aspect of it all; looking for something more. I hope that makes some kind of crazy sense.

I often put pressure on myself , because of the sub text of my blog to provide to my readers a plethora of pleasurable things, and well then muse upon them. I do it to myself, I know that all of you do not put that kind of pressure on me. But I often think to myself, "Is checking in on Tuesdays a musing on the pleasures of life??" ..."Should I drop the sub text to my blog so the pressure drops and then I can muse on anything, does anyone care?" ..."does it make my blog stand out?" Yeah, I speak inside my head a lot when I am on my walks, it is often the only way I get through them . I enjoy my own company ( yippeee that is a French Girl Lesson MUST) , but it does get tedious.

There is another blog with my same title, WHAT ARE THE ODDS??? She has not written since May and has few followers...but I always wonder what makes someone look for me and not for hers now that I know she is out there. Is my blog simply more pleasurable ? But if it is , why do I have so many readers and not that many comments. I know, I know, I have been over this, and over it again. I guess I am a comment junkie, odd since I read so many blogs and often do not comment, well unless the poor soul has no comments and then I feel compassion ( not to be mistaken for pity) and leave one. I find it pleasurable, to know my blog is being read....so chalk that up to a simple pleasure, at least in my life...one that I did not even really realize how much I cared about or how much pleasure it brought me on a regular basis.

Then there is the pleasure of just putting my thoughts down in this blog...recently because NOTHING is happening in my life on a daily basis, I have had writers block, how do you blog about nothing?? I did a post like that a couple weeks back. It ceases to be pleasurable to do the blog, seems like a chore, seems like an obligation. I am concerned that no comments mean I have lost readers cause it is no longer all about decor on the cheap, or fashion day to day. I have not had an adventure in a couple of weeks cause my hubby is working non stop and well my car with with our youngest so not too many adventures to be had in a walking distance....never mind being very, very broke till we get back on our feet.What money I did have to spare, I bought two high end things and though very happy with them, ( the whole FG thing , buy less, but buy the best in play) it makes it so I do not have even have spare change on me past my daily coffee money. So I am left with a post on Tuesdays that I am not sure anyone is reading or caring about...and Friday's French Girl posts, that are a hit, but in so many ways do not fit what the theme of the blog started out as and so I have lost some readers because of it. Anyway, in the last month, I had lost touch with WHY I was writing this blog. I write it for me, because I get pleasure from typing out my thoughts. It helps me clear my head of the "buzz" that is always going on. So , I need to STOP looking so hard and really take in the pleasure of it all, no matter how simple it is.

Something else that brings me pleasure in life, (and it is TOTALLY MUNDANE!) is my morning cup of coffee. Not so much the actual coffee. It is ok. I go to the local Chevron most mornings to get my coffee...1.49 for a medium. It is ritual. I do my walk, aim to always have the near end of the walk go by the Chevron closest to my apartment and go in and get a medium coffee, real cream ( two BIG shots from the pump) and two Splenda packets. Chevron has coffee cards. Five stamps and you get a freebie. I like free. Sure it is only worth a 1.49 to me, but when you are on a nothing budget , that really counts! I find this ritual each day very pleasurable. I look forward to it. The people that work there are polite and smile at me and sometimes makes small talk, although not often as it is a busy place.  But there is this one older lady. She is rather gruff. The first time I met her she was rather snarky to the young lady that was my walking partner at the time. My friend had taken two cups instead of a coffee sleeve, as the coffee sleeve does little to protect us from the hot coffee. The clerk said rather in a snippish way that my friend would have to pay for that extra cup. I understood this, as I had once sold coffee for a living. But it was rather rude or as I said snarky ( love that word) in the way it was said to my friend...she took offense at it. I explained it and smoothed her feathers.

I see this clerk several times a week. I decided to always smile, always say "Good Morning" and then "Have a great day" and I do this each time ...no matter how grumpy this woman is. One day she said Good Morning back, in a rather abrupt, no smile, I am too busy, this is automatic and I get paid to say it way. As she rung me up, stamped my card and I said my usual farewell , she said it back to me. It was rather like hearing Scrooge say it to someone. Again , she was getting paid to be polite. I continued with this. She continued in her way. Each day. Then one day she took my coffee card , and she double stamped it and handed it back . I was in shock. I thought , how kind...there is a soft spot there in her heart. Then it happened again, this time with three stamps and the coffee was free that day....click, click, click " you're good " she said, and rushed back to bagging corn dogs that had just come out of the oven. My husband was still trying to run his debit card..."your done, BYE" . Hubby in shock , and me a bit as well, left saying "thank you and have a wonderful day" .

I had not seen her a lot since that happened. I started a new card, was up to two stamps on it this week, today was to be my third, and she was in a hurried rush as always , trying to take care of customers, brew coffee, bag up chicken sandwiches...there was beepers going off everywhere. I put my cup down, scanner bar towards her, coffee card and cash out, I told her no rush, I understood and would be patient till she could ring me up and said I had worked fast food once and knew what it was like to be one person who had to do it all . She smiled at me, actually smiled, and made a bit of small talk with me. She rung me up, handed me the change, and then stamped all my spots....three clicks! She comment " Amazing how quickly your card fills up" ...I did not even get it, I just said it was , and said "thank you", and told her " try to survive your day and have a good one ...see you tomorrow." It then dawned on me what was said. I got home , after smiling the whole way , cause well I had gotten her to smile, checked my card....sure enough my card is full, coffee tomorrow will be free.

Now I do not know if this happens to a lot of people , does she pick favorites or is it just me cause I am kind to her, each day, no matter what she is like? Or am I making too much of this and she hates my sunshine and just wants to get me the heck out of there ! Either could be true. All I know is this simple act, worth 1.49 every week or two brings me a wonderful amount of pleasure and makes me smile all day just to think about it. I do not want to take this for granted, I want to savor this moment and really soak it in. THIS is a simple pleasure, and it means as much as if it was something HUGE and earth shaking. THIS is worth sharing in hopes that in doing so it might inspire you the reader to go out and smile at someone you normally would find abrasive, or would just not even really pay much attention to. To pass on the kindness of a "Have a great day" and really mean it. To be patient while in line , realizing sometimes the clerks are doing the best that they can do. You just never know when that good Karma will come back to you and though you should not do it for that reason alone, it is not a bad side effect and when it happens, it is one of life's pleasures.