Three Things That Make Me Smile

Yesterday was an unmitigated disaster. 

But rather than dwell on that, I shall share a few happy bits.

New red birkies. These make me inordinately happy. They make me so happy that i wonder why i thought I couldn't pull off white patent birkenstocks a few summers ago. Are they still cool? Or was white a passing fad?  Ooh the possibilities.

Last Friday I went to hear Tessa Lark play Michael Torke's Sky with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra.  I was so hungry for live music that I went even though I did not feel well, and as much as loved hearing live music, my evening was a struggle.  I had not heard this piece before and I wished I had.  Usually I find new music exciting — both emotionally and intellectually stimulating, but on this evening I could not connect the notes I was hearing to a pattern.  It was as if some some essential part of my wiring had temporarily shorted. By Saturday I had figured out that this was a not-unheard-of effect of the particular mix of drugs I am on at the moment.  For a person who considers reading and writing an essential part of her nature, as well as listening to music, this was difficult the most difficult aspect of chemo.   And yet, this week, restored, I have been listening to Tessa Lark playing Sky on YouTube again and again.   It is a happy piece and I am happy to have been introduced to it.

The Shady Patio.  It is a bit hot at mid-day for me to spend time here now, but at the waxing and waning of the day this is where you are most likely to find me.  Listening to the birds.  Perhaps doing nothing at all.