Life was getting me a little down, but that didn’t stop me from eating some tasty dishes:

Salmon thanks to our resident fish-fryer, The Boyfriend:

Spaghetti and turkey meatball masterpiece:

Heard of oats in a jar?

What about sundae in a jar?

An entire plate of chocolate chip pancakes The Roommate made (nah, I shared):

And finally, plenty o’ green monsters:

I was drinking green monsters, but I was a blue, miserable monster.

But then the clouds parted and something wonderful happened.

I won’t share too much just yet because it seems to good to be true, but things are turning around for this Page girl!

The weather is acting accordingly. Thanks, Albany.

My boys and I spent a warm Easter Monday at the park. Normally we go to the dog park by our house, but Washington Park was buzzing with people and puppies!

Jack is normally a total princess about the water (bathtubs and cups included), but today he spotted some ducks and bolted in!

Attaaaaack!

Retreeeeat!

Someone needs to work on his swimming skills. Perhaps we could enroll him at the Y?

It was so beautiful out, despite a quiet threat of rain. The weatherman is predicting 84 degrees for Wednesday! Woohoo!

Dinner tonight was simple with cheddar and broccoli pierogies with steamed veggies and pesto.   

I’m off to bed soon because Granny has work, a meeting, and three apartment showings (!!) tomorrow. But I’m baaaaack to blogging and it feels good!

Within 15 minutes I, first-time Muddy Cup goer, arrived at the coffee shop to find this sign: “Sorry, Cash Only.” Well, sorry, no customer. I have limited financial resources to begin with, and what funds I do have I keep trapped inside a debit card. So what turned into a stroll to the coffee shop for a smoothie ended up being a circular 30 minute walk. No problem, though. I was happy walking about the neighborhood. I love where I live. It’s the edge of urban, a place where shops and bars and movie theaters are within walking distance, but also a place where you know your neighbors and smile at strangers walking by. Well, you smile at them between the months of March and September. If you are unfortunate enough to be forced outside during the winter months, the only glances you are exchanging with passerby are those of empathy and bitterness.

Today was the Smile! type of day. I passed a man out for a run, kids coming back from after-school care, a mother out for a walk with her daughter by her side and her son on a small bike with training wheels. The son zigzagged slightly down the road with his family behind him. When he came near me he stopped suddenly and honked the bike horn three times at me. I grinned. Kids crack me up.   

Once I got to my building I decided I didn’t want to go inside.  I needed someplace other than my animal-filled living room to write. As much as I love Jack and Sid, they are needy monsters and in order to type, I actually need to STOP petting them. This is not a concept they understand and I can’t take those shelter eyes and frantic paws coming at me. At Panera — a humans-only establishment — I was able to do some writing AND get my smoothie fix. Score.

Now that the sun is down and the chill is setting in, I’m back to hibernation mode. Lethargy is setting in and the sinus pressure headache that’s been lurking around all day is now here so I think it’s home to my couch, my animals, and a hot cuppa tea. Pleasant evening, Blogland!