Small Pleasures

I am sitting in our backyard in Okotoks enjoying a coffee from 94 Take the Cake.  Heather and I were their first customers when they reopened yesterday after several months of being shuttered due to the lockdown.  It is a beautiful sunny day and the birds are racing back and forth and singing their happy tunes.  It is so quiet - almost no traffic noise, just the sound of someone hammering a few doors down and the sound of the chimes as they catch the small breeze.  If I was asked to describe perfection, it would be something like this.  It is a good day.  No. Strike that.  It is a great day.

Dylan came home late last night.  He had been in various places since the pandemic began, including Montreal, Toronto and during the last 4 or 5 weeks with his mom on Vancouver Island.  He wanted to make it back here in time to celebrate Heather’s parents’ 50th wedding anniversary.  We are holding a government approved small gathering with lots of room to practice social distancing.  Our dear chef friend Mark is secretly coming in to prepare an unforgettable meal.

I’m going to take a break from painting today.  I’ve been on a productive stretch the last few weeks, doing at least one new painting everything day.  I jumped into a painting of Michael Jordan yesterday and finished it up first thing.  Apparently, the painting has a greater significance because of the number on his jersey.  Fans will know (I didn’t) that MJ usually wore #23.  However, in the painting he’s wearing #45.  Here is the story of why:  Why Michael Jordan wore #45.

My mom turns 77 today, though I still think of her as youthful.  She has been blessed with good heath and continues to stay active.  Dad does the same.  I  hope we can follow their lead into our senior years.

Coco enjoys being out in his yard, constantly chomping at the bit for me to play ball with him.  I’m so grateful that we chose this property as it offers us so much room and so many things to do.  Now that the weather has warmed up and things are turning green, there is always yard work to do.  Being about to be outside and putter about the yard is such pleasure for both of us.  After what seemed like a long winter, it feels like heaven to be able to spend hours outdoors.