From Down to Better

….funny how one person’s mood can affect your own

For the last few days my husband hasn’t been feeling well. I think he’s fighting the same cold that I’m just getting over but he doesn’t have the cough. It seemed like every day he had a new complication and I knew that all his aches and pains were getting him down. After what he’s been through I understand why he’s worried and depressed.

Today K’s worries and discomfort took a toll on my mood. When I got to school I was frustrated that I couldn’t do anything to help him. I had a heart to heart with a colleague at work who is experiencing similar worries about her husband and at the end of the day I poured out my frustrations to my friend L. I felt better just being able to talk about how I was feeling. 

Later in the day when I called home I offered to come home early but my husband said it wasn’t necessary. I wanted to do something so I offered to make dinner. Normally K does 90% of the cooking. He took me up on my offer so I opted not to go to yoga class because I knew that I wouldn’t get home till 7:30 and dinner wouldn’t be on the table till well after 8:00. 

 I made nice lightly breaded pork medallions, baked spaghetti squash and stir fried mushrooms, spinach and kale. K enjoyed the meal and I could see his spirits were lifted. Amazingly, I started to feel better as well. 

For my happiness file:

I’m happy about having good friends who are willing to listen and comfort me when I’m down.

I’m happy that my husband finally made an appointment with the doctor.

I’m happy that I was able to make a nice meal for my husband so that he had one less thing to worry about.

I know that all of this will eventually pass but what are we going to do about this weather? Temperatures are suppose to hover around freezing tomorrow and there is a possibility of 5 to 10 cm of snow, slush, sleet or hail. Double yuck!!!!!!!

Sunny and Warmer

…. it seems like everybody around the world is commenting on the unusual weather

Yesterday was the first day that we ventured out onto the deck to enjoy the sun after our delicious Easter lunch. We decided to do dessert and coffee outside. As you can see from the photographs the temperature wasn’t all that warm and we donned our coats, vests and sweaters but the sun felt good on our faces as we tried to absorb some of that natural vitamin D.

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Yesterday we also skyped our son in Rotterdam and spoke with him for a good 30 minutes or more. It was a video call so we showed him the table setting, and the food as it was coming out of the oven and he showed us the new blinds he put up in his apartment and then he went out onto his mini balcony and showed us his view of the street. Isn’t technology wonderful?

One of the things that B mentioned was the bitter cold they were experiencing and how the winds were relentless all week in the Netherlands. My cousin in Germany also told me about the unusual amount of snow they were getting for this time of year and my blogging friends in Dublin and Prenzlau also commented on the cold, snow and wind. None of this is that unusual for those of us that live in Canada or the NE sections of the U.S.A. but in Europe it’s a big deal because they’re usually well into spring by now with the flowers blooming everywhere.

And speaking about blooming, the mini daffodils that I bought for the table started to open today. I think one of my favourite things about Easter is the selection of all the wonderful flowers that you can purchase from the market this time of year. I treated myself to more tulips today.

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When the tulips open up they should be a beautiful pink colour. The only other thing that would make this scenario perfect would be the addition of some pussy willows. I’m on a mission. Till tomorrow. Enjoy the day, wherever you are, regardless of the weather.

Cheers!