Raining Love

It's a gloomy, gloomy day. And a Monday, nonetheless.

Sometimes I like to plan dinner out. Usually though, we just improvise with whatever we have because we're about to chew our arms off and haven't planned anything. But sometimes I like to wipe the dust off the cookbooks and dig through for something new {and something that calls for ingredients that I have in my pantry} to cook. Today was one of those rare occasions. Except there were several things I had to get at the store. Whomp, whomp.

When it's gloomy and I'm not feeling well - double whammy - everything is exhausting and my energy level is somewhere in the negative. I debated for a while, ditching the recipe idea and just going with our safety-net-of-a-meal... mac n' cheese, pancakes, or take-out. But instead I made a list of the few things I needed to pick up, added two bottles of wine to the bottom of the list, and jumped into boyfriend's pickup.

It's a crazy, short distance to the grocery store. One of the things that I love so much about where we live.. seems like we're really "in the boonies" but in reality, we're just minutes from town. Driving to the store this morning, I thought about how I wished it would just rain already. The sky has been gray since I woke up, and the least the clouds could do is water my plants for me. I passed the Pick Your Own, Orchard, I wish they'd open soon so I can pick peaches, apples and berries. It's so close that I can ride my bike there. A good song came on the radio, and I start to sing {despite my excruciating sore throat, going on day three}. Usually kids are playing outside, families are loading their cars for various trips, and people are riding bikes like crazy. But not today.

Then.. The cutest thing I have ever seen. I couldn't have seen this at a more perfect time. It couldn't have made my heart any happier.

Two old friends, at least I imagine that they are friends. Sitting in their colorful lawn chairs, side by side. The two men, wearing old baseball hats, in their shorts and sun tans, waved their small American flags. As I drove by, they paused their intimate conversation, to smile and wave. At me. And at every car that passed. I rode the rest of the way to the grocery store smiling at the thought of them. I went in. And came out. With my ingredients and wine, I got back into the pickup.

Turning onto the long hilly road, I pass the familiar houses, until the one with the two friendly faces was in sight. I slowed down and give a giant smile and the most goofy wave ever. And it made me so happy to see them smile and wave back. In the depressing gray of today, while I'm frumping around, dreading a simple trip to the grocery store, they are in their lawn chairs. Waving to strangers. Waving to their neighbors.

Precious.

So spread the love.