Making and Making

Turned a heel. Stopped to take sock pictures.

Daydreamed about a new fallish tablecloth.

Stopped to look at the dots on my quilt.

It was a whole day like that. Ideas and stopping. Planning and noticing. Moving a little bit forward, but not completing entire tasks.

I came home to grumpy bears. The time change is harder on them than they notice. I was grumpy too, but miraculously managed to keep it together long enough to eat and gather them in to a calmer space. We talked about school and upcoming trips to the city. As gumbo bowls were emptied, one word answers evolved into sentences and entire stories about the day. The grumpiness still clung to us all, a sticky veneer we couldn’t quite shake.

I’m going to the positive attitude store!
I yell to no one in particular. (Mostly to myself.)

Anybody need anything while I’m there?

The larger bear goes with me to run a quick errand. On the way back we stop at the fabric store.

Why are we here? She whines, rolling her eyes.

I told you I was stopping at the positive attitude store!

We say hello to Bird Girl and laugh at silly Christmas decorations. We head home and sing loudly with the radio.

Returning to the light and warmth of Talarico House,  we hear shrieks and squeals from the smallest smallish bear. Video game racing.

Some knitting, some digging through old pictures for a school project. The grumpy is all but forgotten. A little tired hangs on and we head towards a peaceful bedtime.

I am thankful that tonight I ate first instead of yelling more. That I remembered to listen and to ask without giving in to that nasty attitude that is so much less work than grace. Tonight we all managed to wade through the muck and come out clean. Sometimes it works out.

If tonight wasn’t your night, keep showing up. Be gentle with yourself. It’s worth another try.