the "little" things:)

Ever take the time to notice the "little" things, that actually aren't so little?

A few I've noticed the past couple weeks:

- Bus Transfer:  I was stranded without my vehicle, and no money.  (Lesson learned: NEVER leave home without ANY money, if possible.)   Not enough cash at home to hail a taxi and pay him/her when we arrived, my brother out of state for a few days, I walked, and walked.   I asked directions from one couple to be sure I was headed correctly.  She said she'd offer money (I had NOT asked for) if she had it.  I smiled, thanked her, and said, "If we all get to where we're headed, safely, we're doing fine!"   To the large bus stop and walked past it about a mile or so to my father's, spent some time there with him (including explaining to him a couple times why I wasn't getting him groceries right then), and he offered all of his cash, all $7. of it.   Like I knew he would, like I would for him.   Walking the mile or so back to the big bus stop.  Thankful I realized "my" bus route, after figuring out which one it'd be, didn't run that late that afternoon before wasting an hour waiting.   The replacement bus was a few minutes late, as if any of us could do anything about that, so we waited.   I'd figured out the bus fare, $1.25, wondering if I'd get chastised for not having $1.25 exactly, but $2.00.  Heck, keep the change, I don't care.   Ah, it's here.   Mild jostlingly along with others, a young woman / older girl (student??) held a slip of paper in my face, offering it up.   "Oh, thanks, um, will this get me on?"   It was her bus transfer, she hadn't needed, and yes, it gave me a free pass:)   After such a really rough day, it truly had me trying not to cry right there in public, finally, riding home, and with a touch of kindness.  I gave Dad back his full $7. the next day.

-  Finding an author you love.   Ah, yes, while at the Border's we visited last weekend, hearing Michael Yugo and others, a treat in itself, M and I spent hours.   She finally happened upon a book she was really enjoying, something like "Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life," by Wendy Mass.    "Mom, ever have an author just write in such a way....." she basically went on to describe that magical moment when words draw you in and just cannot be put down.   It'd been a few hours, fireworks were done (outside), yeah, another "little" thing we got to share even tho it'd been rainy, I had a coupon, so I promised her I'd buy it.   M looked up the author, wow, the author had also written "A Mango-Shaped Space" which was one of M's very favorite books last year or so.   "No wonder I like this one!"   The Mango book had a protaganist with synthesia, which, ironically was one of the things I was reading about in a magazine there that night.  I showed M the examples the magazine had.

- Finding Dad's license.   Okay, finding BOTH of his driver's licenses, both expired the same date, one obviously a replacement for the other later found.   How many years have they been lost?   I wasn't too fond of going behind his side table and his couch, and under them, just, well, a bit icky.   The wallet was trashed.  Neither of us cared:)   We didn't find his cell phone, STILL missing, but, thrilled, he has identification again now:)  

- Finding my shoes.   Okay, I have more than one pair of shoes, but not a ton, as M even says, I need shoes.   I have one pair of black "winter" shoes, with a touch of a heel, and a buckle each, on the outside.  I can wear them with jeans, or some dresses.   It's turned cold.   Where they heck were they?   Finally, M thought I should look in my dance shoe bag.   Oy, yes, they were in THERE, from the last performance in September, for me to wear when not dancing in the dance shoes.  I guess I wore my somewhat new slide-on sneakers that day (I also need a pair of "winter" sneakers).   It's good to find ones shoes:)

- Playing a board game.  M loves to play board games, and we hadn't in a while.   Life gets in the way, other activities.   As we were to watch a whole musical based upon the game, Clue, with my mother a couple weekends ago (Flat Stanley joined us!), I'd splurged, bought us the board game of Clue.   Sunday, after dinner w/ Mom and Bob, the four of us played Clue, a few times.   Spending family time really isn't so little a thing:)

- Homemade applesauce.   M wasn't feeling her best yesterday a.m., didn't really wish to get up and go to school, was to see her dad last night, struggle to get going.   She's always liked my applesauce, which is one of the few things I actually enjoy cooking.   She had helped me this time, too, adding "pumpkin spice."   I scooped up all of the last of it into a container and sent it in her lunch:)

- Couple extra moments.   Some mornings, I can take a few moments and not just wake up M, but go in and lie/lay next to her (except she's under covers and I"m over) and give her a hug, just talk w/ her gently, whatever.   Often Daisy will join, or a cat or two.   Not this a.m. as she was at her father's, but, some mornings.   I do always give her a kiss and call her Sunshine:)

- Remembering PE class.   M insisted on wearing her Crocs yesterday to school.   I hate those shoes.   Well, I'd likely like them, perhaps even a lot, except they do not fit.  Sh bought them over a full size too big, accidently as they say both 6 and 8 on them, and those things are SO wide, anyway.   Without socks.   "Don't you at least want to take socks with you, what if you go riding or spend time at the barn?"   Okay, fine, it was to be 82 F or so (yesterday), and she'd only be outside for recess, she thought.   Whatever, her choice on a morning she just wanted to stay home as it was.   I realized after I dropped her off, that she was going to have "physical expressions" today.   C and Sh don't really care for M to wear her sneakers (athletic shoes) from their home, while she's at our home, so I had no reason to assume she'd be sent in them, unless M herself remembered.   Okay, okay, pack up dance clothes so Grandma can p/up M for dance class, dance shoes, and, yes, kangaroo sneakers, before PE.   I did NOT wish to interrupt class, either one of the groups they'd broken into.   Students from one group saw me, and teacher Mo from the other group saw me.  I smiled and held up the mesh bag, pointing that I'd leave it outside the door.   Mo smiled back, and "body-language" indicated that she'd seen me, she sees the bag, M will get it later at break time, and all is fine, a few seconds of communication.   M and I didn't see each other, but that's okay -she wasn't left in Crocs for her athletic kicking ball time or whatever they did today.  

Little blessings, if we just look enough to notice them:)