I read (likely on FaceBook) one suggestion for dealing with rough times: at least once a day, take a picture of something that's pretty, or makes you happy The idea is to train your brain to be open to such things. I haven't done the daily practice, but I do have a few things.
Spring has sprung -I'm already getting strange welts on my body (time to lay in a supply of baking soda for baths) and there's pollen everywhere. But the azaleas are in bloom - despite the hard freeze that killed off a lot of the branches and leaves, there is still a wonderful display of color wherever you look. It only lasts for a couple of weeks, so enjoy it while you can.
Another thing springing up are baby lambs at my friend Christy's. One mother had quadruplets (really unusual) so the babies are getting supplemental bottles. This means that the little guys will run up to you for scratches and to suck on your fingers.
Lunch. Because I like food. Sometimes I give one of the student volunteers a ride to campus after work, and a couple of times we've had lunch together. She's open to trying new places, so between the museum and campus there was a small Cuban-themed eatery. We both had pineapple bowls - a half pineapple filled with rice, pineapple, chicken, a orange sauce and mango salsa. So very yummy. And although I've gotten used to and even enjoy my usual solitary lunches with a book, it's fun to have a companion. Serai is smart and sassy and fun to be with.
The last I don't have a picture because it's hard to take one on my lap. A month ago I wrote of one of my chickens who suddenly couldn't walk. She has made a full recovery, at least physically, but I'm having problems reintegrating her with the rest of the flock. Chickens do have a pecking order - and the others are picking on her. Normally the rooster would settle things down - but it's spring, so he wants to jump on her too (maybe the others are jealous). So poor Paper (yes, I have Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock) has taken to spending her days wedged under a ledge in the corner. I don't want to take her back out again - but I want to be sure that she can eat and drink, so three times a day I go lock her in the coop for a little while. I also started taking out treats for her. I sit and hold her and feed her treats while the other birds are pecking theirs from the ground. The end result of this is that now when I go into the coop she'll fly over to me and get it my lap. It's rather endearing.
It did leave me concerned about next week. I'll be gone for almost a week, and my critter sitter comes over just once a day and puts out food. I hate to think of her being crammed in a corner, possibly not eating or drinking enough. So I've arranged for a chicken spa. I'm going to drop her off at the Museum on Saturday, where she can go in with the gopher tortoises but no other chickens. Everyone there loves chickens so she'll be properly spoiled while I'm gone.
So there's some happy stuff.
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