The Little Things

So, I am still here.  I have not been to the ER in a week.  I am not bleeding, although I am bruised from the hip down.  Bruises come from the dogs and the door closing on me and furniture jumping out in front of me and from the phantom things that go bump in the night.  I am one big hematoma, really.  However, that is truly the least of my concerns.  I can handle bruises.  I am still here.

I had to cancel an extraction that I had scheduled for next week.  The oral surgeon said it is him and his surgery or the Xarelto.  Darn.  Sorry.  I'll see you in February I guess, Dr. X-traction. 

My FF was really late coming home today.  It was one of those nights.  Something bad is running through the drug trade and making people do crazy things. There was a 10-54 call (since everyone's 10 code is different, let's just say another engine came roaring in with Haligans in hand, until the police came.)  Another night of run after run after run.  I think he got an hour's sleep.  There was a dual fatality a few blocks from their firehouse, but since they were dealing with the craziness of their calls, one of the other engines took it.  I saw one of the meds that was on that scene (while we were at the dentist, because there was apparently a meeting in the lobby - 2 other FFs there) and he did not see the dorm at all last night.  He looked tired. 

As I was sitting, blissfully blogging away here with the news in the background, while he was on nap #2, I heard about the LEO that was shot and killed at a routine traffic stop in a St. Paul suburb.  And all I can say is that it hurts my heart. I am so tired of sending cards.

That would be the big things.  Knowing that people went all kinds of crazy while he was really just trying to help gets to me, but it has to just get set to the side.  So instead of focusing on the crazy, I spent the day focusing on the little things.

Fireman is napping, no big kids here.
So, you're stuck with this sad attempt
at a selfie.

Little thing #1 - A shower.  While my FF napped before his DDS appointment, I got a shower in.  AMAZING!  No muppets knocked.  No polar bears whined.  I got to shave my legs and sing to my Pandora playlist.  I also started a no shampoo regiment.  I am not liking it, but everything I have read says I have to get through the next two weeks.  I got so annoyed I threw my relatively short hair up in braids.  It will get better and help with the friziness that comes with my crazy thick wavy hair.


Little thing #2 - A "date" with my hubby.  We spent it at the dentist, a home improvement store getting the wood for B's Tardis birthday present, lunch at one of my most favorite restaurants ever, and a trip to the high school to work out some SNAFU's with N's schedule.  So simple and yet so lovely.

Little thing #3 - O walking her Mickey and Minnie in the shopping cart that survived the purge.  Hearing her giggle and sing while she walked up and down.

Little thing #4 - Painting my nails.  Another FFW was snarky about my Chucks as a choice of footwear, so I am painting my nails in homage to Converse.  I am me.  Take me or leave me.  I'll post pics as soon as they are done.  At this point, they are only sparkly black.  

No hating on the Chucks.
You should have seen it before.
That shelf went to the top and I could
not close it properly. I might
be becoming  grown-up...ish.

Little thing #5 - My new 'Minimalist' wardrobe.  I cleared out my closet.  Aside from my dresses and jerseys, I was down to 28 pieces of clothing hanging in my closet.  I also cleared out many of my sweaters and 8 pairs of shoes.  I looked at what I had and decided to figure out what works with what.  If I could not wear it with three different outfits, I got rid of it.  To rebuild, I hit a local thrift store.  For $53 I got 2 blazers, 3 cardigans, 2 blouses, a scarf , 2 long sleeve casual shirts, a longer sweater and 2 necklaces.  From Craigslist I bought 13 lovely high end sweaters for $15.  And a pair of brown riding boots from Kohl's with my Kohl's cash. 

Along with that, I cleaned out the last two boxes that were in my closet from our move two years ago.  It was such a good feeling.  Also, not a bad way to spend a shift night.

So, moral of the story, instead of focusing on how horrible things were yesterday or the fact that you have been hospitalized or what ever the tragedy is that has found you, focus on the rays of sunshine that poke through the clouds.  Sometimes they shine down on you, other times you have to go chase those rainbows. Be a rainbow chaser, even if the only happiness comes from annoying the grumpy people with your rainbows and glitter.  

Hug those Muppets, laugh with (or at your FF) and make sure you look for those high point in life, even if they are lower than you expected them to be. There are always things to hold on to.  Find them.