To Do

Keri Smith had a lovely graphical To Do List on her site this morning, and it made me think about what makes up my perfect day.

I really had quite a good day on Saturday. I went to the beauty shop and had my hair highlighted, colored, and cut (yes, in that order), then, because they were having a "Grand Opening" of their new location, I was offered a complimentary hand paraffin treatment and hand massage. It's always difficult for me to be comfortable with things like having my hair done--the necessity for making small talk with someone that I don't know well--but I've gone to this beauty operator for long enough now that I'm very comfortable with her and actually look forward to going, rather than dreading it.

And normally I wouldn't go for something like the hand massage, but it was nice, and it made me want to get a paraffin spa for myself, to use at home. I don't know whether I will or not, but definitely something to think about. It made my hands feel very soft, and made my cuticles (always dry) look nicer.

After the beauty salon, I went to Panera Bread and had a turkey sandwich and a cup of chai--I love their chai lattés, but I seldom get them. I indulged myself.

I had called Bob after I got out of the salon (he had called while I was having my hair done, and had left a message) and told him that I was finished, and that I was probably going to get some lunch. I asked him if I needed to do anything for him, and he said, no, just enjoy your day off! And that made me think, well, yes. I should. I've been working a little later than usual for the past couple of weeks, and by the time I leave work and get home, it's already late, and there isn't really any time to stop and do anything on the way home, if I want to spend any time at all with Bob.

So I tend to do everything on the weekends--run errands, pay bills, do the grocery shopping, do laundry, etc. Realistically, that's what I have to do. But it is also my day off, and that's why I always try to get out of the house for most of Saturday afternoon. I usually pay bills, balance the checkbook, and update Quicken and my Palm on Saturday mornings, leave the house around noon or 1:00 to run errands, and get back home at about 5:00.

I always try to do things that I enjoy--I do enjoy my "errand circuit," really. Bank, post office, library, gas station . . . Well, who would really "enjoy" the gas station? But I enjoy being out.

I took myself to lunch and enjoyed my sandwich and tea, and read for awhile, then went to the library and checked out a couple of books. I got gas, and I washed the car. I went to the bookstore and wandered around for awhile. I went to Target and bought cleaning products and paper goods and a myriad of wings--I'm going to be in Misty's wedding in a couple of weeks and have yet to decide what to wear, but I figure wings should be a part of it, and Target had them in their $1.00 Halloween aisle, so I bought a pair of every variety--lady bug, angel, butterfly and fairy--so once I figure out what I'm going to wear, I'll have the wings to go with it!

Then I went to the grocery store for a few things that I can't get at Target, then home. Bob was going to barbeque chicken for dinner, but he wanted to soak it in salt water for awhile before he cooked it, so we didn't actually have dinner until almost 9:00, but we had snacks--cheese and crackers and nuts--and I did laundry and read one of the books that I had gotten at the library, and all in all it was a very lovely, relaxing, productive day.

Then after dinner we went back to the grocery store and bought bags of Halloween candy. One of the guys who works there--who always seems to be there--saw me and gave me a quizzical look, and I said, "Yes, I'm back! I can't stay away!" He had also sold me a lottery ticket the first time I was there that day--wouldn't it have been great to be able to go back and say that I'd won?? Unfortunately, no. Next time, maybe.

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