little things like mini pies, back roads, and sunshine.
I love starting off a week in a celebratory way. Last weekend was full of celebrating alongside a friend smitten with the new excitement of being a bride. I happily enjoyed several days of wedding planning, setting up, dancing, and tearing down - sentimental smiles and tearful goodbyes, and finally collapsing onto my bed for an early night to end it all. But the happiness quotient was taken down a few notches when I woke up the next morning with an awful cold that left me shivering under down blankets and took my voice, leaving me with laryngitis and the ability to speak no louder than a whisper.
And it lasted all week looooong. I've just been a hot mess of tissues, I Love Lucy re-runs, hot tea and honey, hot soup, and Gilmore Girls episodes.
Sick days can be kinda relaxing (besides the sick part). But 4 days into it the "fun" really wears off, and when I felt as though I actually began living in Star's Hollow, running the Dragon Fly Inn and on-and-off dating Luke Danes, I knew it was time to get out and get some sunshine, regardless of how sick I still feel.
So I got in the car with my mom and took off with a GPS down a country road.
My mission for the day? Find an antique store.
But not without some road-trip worthy snacks from the old Papa's Country Market, of course. 'Cause we know how to do up a dirt road day right.
By drinking in some much-needed warm sunshine along the way...
And drinking in the sight of other happy things. Like bright red picket fences.
Taking a moment to stop by the lake we've driven by for years and never take time to appreciate....
After miles of driving down winding back roads of broken pavement, my scratchy voice directing my ever so patient mom at the wheel - "Drive 0.2 miles then veer to the right... no the left...okay, actually make a u-turn" that led to a final announcement of: "Destination will be on right". All the while, my mind conjuring up glorious images of dark wood siding and old rocking chairs non-chalantly sitting on the wrap around porch of the aged establishment. Inside, oh the treasures we would find! The vintage postcards, the perfect milk glass, charming faded quilts. And then, I would stumble ever so happily on the desk I've been searching for and dreaming of refinishing.
The dreamy picture of the long-awaited antique mansion was alive and well in my wild imagination when we turned into a dirt lot to see this -
"Dude. Seriously?!" we laughed. I leaned out the car window and squinted to read a note on their door in chicken-scratch handwriting scribbled on lined paper that read,
"Closed due to sickness, will probably open tomorrow, sorry."
Oh, I get that, friend - right there with ya.
It's really goin' around.
We drove away laughing at the anticipation that fell flat - those boarded up doors and windows? May have been best we didn't venture into that one...may not have gotten out.
Our slight disappointment soon melted into sheer happiness when this little gem was discovered, purchased, photographed and eaten. A mini cherry pie along with my latte? Why yes, don't mind if I do. 'Cause right there along with all vintage old-fashinedy things that make me happy? Mini things. Especially mini food. Pure deliciousness, I tell you.
Go to Starbucks and ask for a mini cherry pie. Seriously, go tomorrow. You won't regret it!
And finally - it was found and it was conquered.
'Scuse me while i do some ironin'.
And, I even got my pretty old-fashioned quilt and vintage postcard fix. Booyah.
And the afternoon was capped off perfectly by seeing this little windmill on our way home.
Oh, the simple things.
My grandma recently told me something one of her oldest girl friends shared with her.
"When you're going through a hard time, stay positive. Keep up faith. Keep saying 'it's going to work out in the end, it's going to be okay' Even when it doesn't feel like it and it doesn't make any sense. Keep having faith."
I don't know what you, my dear friends are going through tonight.
Maybe your week is stuck in a slump. Maybe a relationship gone sour. A bank account too-often overdrawn. A job you despise. A love life on the decline. Or perhaps health challenges far greater than my little cold. Whatever you are walking through tonight - keep your faith, love. Keep it strong.
And don't forget to enjoy the small, sometimes tiny, simple little things in life. Like a mini pie or a mini roadtrip. A new lip gloss, your baby's smile. A vintage quilt you don't even buy but are satisfied to just stop and admire. Or that lake you pass every day on the road but never stop to look at.
Keep your faith. Keep your chin up. It's going to be okay in the end. Yeah it may be all Niquil and TV show re-runs right now... or much, much worse perhaps. But stay strong, keep your chin up - it's going to be okay in the end.
And until then - stop and eat a mini pie. And look for any and all those little happies you can find.
And it lasted all week looooong. I've just been a hot mess of tissues, I Love Lucy re-runs, hot tea and honey, hot soup, and Gilmore Girls episodes.
Sick days can be kinda relaxing (besides the sick part). But 4 days into it the "fun" really wears off, and when I felt as though I actually began living in Star's Hollow, running the Dragon Fly Inn and on-and-off dating Luke Danes, I knew it was time to get out and get some sunshine, regardless of how sick I still feel.
So I got in the car with my mom and took off with a GPS down a country road.
My mission for the day? Find an antique store.
But not without some road-trip worthy snacks from the old Papa's Country Market, of course. 'Cause we know how to do up a dirt road day right.
By drinking in some much-needed warm sunshine along the way...
And drinking in the sight of other happy things. Like bright red picket fences.
Taking a moment to stop by the lake we've driven by for years and never take time to appreciate....
The dreamy picture of the long-awaited antique mansion was alive and well in my wild imagination when we turned into a dirt lot to see this -
"Dude. Seriously?!" we laughed. I leaned out the car window and squinted to read a note on their door in chicken-scratch handwriting scribbled on lined paper that read,
"Closed due to sickness, will probably open tomorrow, sorry."
Oh, I get that, friend - right there with ya.
It's really goin' around.
We drove away laughing at the anticipation that fell flat - those boarded up doors and windows? May have been best we didn't venture into that one...may not have gotten out.
Our slight disappointment soon melted into sheer happiness when this little gem was discovered, purchased, photographed and eaten. A mini cherry pie along with my latte? Why yes, don't mind if I do. 'Cause right there along with all vintage old-fashinedy things that make me happy? Mini things. Especially mini food. Pure deliciousness, I tell you.
Go to Starbucks and ask for a mini cherry pie. Seriously, go tomorrow. You won't regret it!
And finally - it was found and it was conquered.
The vintage chef is at it again!
'Scuse me while i do some ironin'.
And, I even got my pretty old-fashioned quilt and vintage postcard fix. Booyah.
And the afternoon was capped off perfectly by seeing this little windmill on our way home.
Oh, the simple things.
My grandma recently told me something one of her oldest girl friends shared with her.
"When you're going through a hard time, stay positive. Keep up faith. Keep saying 'it's going to work out in the end, it's going to be okay' Even when it doesn't feel like it and it doesn't make any sense. Keep having faith."
I don't know what you, my dear friends are going through tonight.
Maybe your week is stuck in a slump. Maybe a relationship gone sour. A bank account too-often overdrawn. A job you despise. A love life on the decline. Or perhaps health challenges far greater than my little cold. Whatever you are walking through tonight - keep your faith, love. Keep it strong.
And don't forget to enjoy the small, sometimes tiny, simple little things in life. Like a mini pie or a mini roadtrip. A new lip gloss, your baby's smile. A vintage quilt you don't even buy but are satisfied to just stop and admire. Or that lake you pass every day on the road but never stop to look at.
Keep your faith. Keep your chin up. It's going to be okay in the end. Yeah it may be all Niquil and TV show re-runs right now... or much, much worse perhaps. But stay strong, keep your chin up - it's going to be okay in the end.
And until then - stop and eat a mini pie. And look for any and all those little happies you can find.
mwaaaauhh.
happy friday with a cherry on top!
Erin
"May the God of hope fill you
with all joy
and peace
as you trust in Him
so that you may overflow
with hope
by the power
of the Holy Spirit."
-Romans 15:13