When It’s Been a Stressful Week…

…you need to rely on things that make you smile and things that bring a sense of calm to the madness.

It has been a stressful week. One issue with John piled atop another. Most days I can handle it…I deal with the situation, then walk away and refocus my brain on something else. A distraction. A diversion.

But this week it was a little much (actually, it was a LOT much)!

I made myself some coffee from freshly ground beans from my favorite purveyor nuJava.

I experienced their coffee years ago when I was at a Writers Colony in Arkansas and I’ve been a loyal customer ever since.

I put on my August into September playlist.

I got out my favorite coffee mug—my “Halfway Decent Coffee Mug”—the one that always makes me smile. I’ve had this mug since I lived in New Jersey…seems like ages ago.

The weather was perfect for an early evening in September. The sun could not decide if it should hide behind the clouds or stay out…it vaccilated…and had not yet set. A cool temperature in the 60’s was perfect for me.

The kitchen door was open and I heard a whooshing sound. Quiet. Whoosh. Quiet. Whoosh. And then I remembered—hot air balloons!

Living in the country and surrounded (mostly) by farm fields, hot air balloons like to rise and fall over the tops of our trees, over the top of our garage…then slowly fade away.

I stood on the deck, enjoying my freshly brewed coffee. I listened to the peaceful sounds of the whoosh. The quiet. The whoosh. A green and yellow striped one. I waved but no one saw me. The whoosh. The quiet. The whoosh. A black one with multicolored stripes. The whoosh. The quiet. The whoosh.

There were four. They glided gracefully over the trees and the garage. And they were gone.

Their vivid colors and seemingly effortless glide brought me a sense a calm. At least for the night.