Dreary to Bright

Some days you just want a big glass of iced tea and your jammies. Today is that day for me. Winter has been too hormonal for me lately. Beautiful and sunny, then cold and dreary. This week has started warm and wet and now it's cold and wet. I don't think wet's the best word here. It's dang soggy.

Today I got up and started running late. I don't why.  I couldn't decide what to wear with the temperatures warm in the morning and supposed to drop during the day. I didn't plan on anything for lunch, so I had to traipse out into the rain to get some fast food. My car windows were so fogged up I couldn't see. Let's just say it was a messy day. I did get some iced tea, though.

After work, I came home to huge puddles in the yard and 37 degrees out with rain. It was nasty. I had to get the trash out because I never remember on Wednesday mornings. So my cute dress shoes got soaked. Let's face it, I was soaked!

On my way back to the car to get my stuff, I saw something that made me smile. In my trunk was a box and in the box was a bouquet of flowers. Yes, right about the time you think spring is never going to get here, you get some pretty flowers to brighten up your day. As it turned out, I got these from my principal. I didn't realize why, she just said, "Happy end of the day." But I wasn't going to pass up flowers! After I got inside, changed my clothes and put those pretties in a nice vase with water I checked my email and found out how I became a recipient of flowers for no reason.

It seems that my principal has a very thoughtful brother. He brought her about 20 bouquets of flowers today. She decided to share with as many of the staff as she could. So I guess she was going down the halls distributing flowers. I'm so glad she stopped at my room. And that's pretty cool of her brother to bring them to her.

My brother is similar. Although he lives two states away and can't just bring something over. But he's done some neat things for my team. One year he bought the science department some neat shirts. They said, "I'm a science teacher... just like a normal teacher, but much cooler." The next year he got us some School House Rock shirts. "Knowledge is Power". Those gifts made us feel really special, similar to getting a bouquet of flowers for no particular reason.

A day that could have stayed blah and dreary got brightened up. Here's hoping your day is bright and cheerful. If you can do something to make someone smile, do it.

Have you got a story about brightening someone's day? Share it in the comments. I'd love to read it.

The Love of a Grandpa

When I was young there was no one I'd rather spend time with than my grandpa. I look back at all the things we did together and listen to older relatives tell stories about us and I realize we had a special relationship. At one point in my life I remember thinking that he was probably the only man I ever truly and completely trusted.

My grandpa loved kids. He loved to hear me sing; he wanted to hear my stories. And when I learned the Big Mac ingredient jingle, he made me repeat it over and over. You can't help but love someone who's that interested in you.

Before I even started school we lived a few houses down from Grandma and Grandpa, just around the corner from their house. Mom used to tell us not to bother our grandparents as we (my brother and I) rode our tricycles on the sidewalk. But one time we get to the corner and guess who's standing around the corner at the end of his driveway-Yes, it was Grandpa! He waves us down there. And we shake our heads and say we can't go down there. He tells us he has some Twinkies and next thing you know, we are at his house. I don't remember getting into trouble for doing that, after all Twinkies are irresistible.

Grandpa was also the one who took me and my brother to St. Therese. This was his Catholic church and as a kid I thought it was great. We'd attend the service and then go downstairs to have donuts and milk. It was a great treat. Grandpa would introduce us to people and I felt we were making out like bandits. One Sunday morning I thought Grandpa forgot about church. At that time we were living in an apartment complex that he and Grandma were managing. I got so worried that I found my Mom's broom and hit the ceiling above where I thought his bedroom might be. What a silly goose! Grandpa didn't forget about church.

There were so many times Grandpa tried to get my brother and me to do crazy things. I laugh to myself every time I think about it. Once we were driving through the city park and Grandpa saw a wedding going on. He parked the car and told us to go over there and get some wedding cake. We said, "No! We don't know those people." He told us we could get some free cake. We didn't crash the wedding, but it was awesome that he tried to put us up to it.

Grandpa with my sons

One time I remember Grandpa himself did the crazy deed. We were in a department store and came across some instant cameras. Grandpa talked to the sales clerk and ended up taking a photo of us in the store. Somewhere we still have that photo. Just like that photo that's probably hanging around in one of Mom's old photo albums, Grandpa, too is still hanging around. Although he's not here in person anymore. He's still here in my memories. He's here every time I decide to do sometime silly. He's here when I fellowship with others. He'll always have a special place in my heart. I know people say that, but as I sit here typing with tears streaming down my face, I know for me that truly means something. And just like Grandpa means so much to me, I know I meant a lot to my Grandpa. I love you, Grandpa!