Exceptionally Ordinary

 Today was one of those walk-all-over-your-town kind of days. January 30, 2012: nearly seventy degrees outside. How does the line go? "Concerns about the world getting warmer, the people thought they were just being rewarded for treating others as they like to be treated, for obeying stop signs and curing diseases, for mailing letters with the address of the sender. Now we can swim any day in November." I could stay in and worry about why this is happening--my theory is that the world is going to end very, very soon and so the Mayan Powers That Be are doing us a kindness by providing as many delightful days as can be--or I could go outside and take in my town.

 I walked to the hardware store to look at paint samples. Nothing really jumped out at me. There are three places that sell paint within three blocks of my house but I just went to the lumber store near the library. Then I took a trek down Main. Mildly discouraged with not falling in love with a paint color (really, no big deal), I decided to stop at the Cook's Nook and pick up a bottle of uniquely flavored syrup for my morning coffee. I went straight to where they usually are but, oh, they've been moved? Oh, they've been downsized. I don't want vanilla, caramel, hazelnut, or Irish Cream. I can get all of those at Walmart and I haven't yet. I want something weird. Something like Cupcake or Blood Orange or Peanut Butter. But, I continued to browse because I am a foodie and despite the fact that I can't really afford to spend $15 on pasta--I wanted to. But I contained myself. I walked on.

I walked over to The Hidden Closet which is a consignment shop. I've been on the lookout for the perfect black (or possibly brown) knee-high black boots and I thought, "I haven't been to a retail shop that has them, the internet doesn't have them but maybe this tiny little consignment shop in McPherson, Kansas does." And you know what?! You're right, of course they didn't. So I walked over to the Bookshelf and bought a magazine and a present--which she graciously gift wrapped for me without my even asking. So sweet, that one.

So, from there I was anxious to get home and write a few blogs (my goal, today, was three). But I was jonesing for some sweetness. I ordered a scone and a lite chai at The Well and accidentally told him that it was "for here" instead of "to go" and then I was a little too embarrassed and guilty feeling to ask for it to go. He'd already dirtied one dish. So, I took a table and was happy that I'd brought Mr. Wally Lamb with me (that book weighs a good six pounds but I don't go anywhere without it). So, I ended up staying for about an hour and a half, reading and listening to a woman at a nearby table talk about how completely worthless her husband is. It made me sad--her dressing him down so flagrantly in public. But, I suppose, I don't know their relationship. I like to think of myself as more modest but I've never lived in an exhausting, long marriage. I can tell myself that I'm better than that but God knows that woman is certainly better than me in some ways, too. People are people. We come to the ends of our ropes every now and again.

So here I am, finishing 1/3 blogs.
I hope you had a nice little day, too. What did you do that was exceptionally ordinary?