I get a monthly mani-pedi, usually on a Sunday. Not merely for aesthetics, but also for some pampering, which is never a waste of time nor money.
For the first time, at least at this salon, I asked for a glass of red wine. I saw the chill on the wine before she handed the long-stemmed glass to me. The wine was drinkable despite its temperature and perhaps what delighted me even more was how the chair’s cupholder was modified so that the bowl protruded above.
Additionally, I chose red polish with glitter for no particular special occasion other than still being alive and having some life in me. Those are perfectly legitimate reasons to sport party toes.
The following week, my sister and I went downtown to partake in the 4th Friday/Dogwood Festival/her birthday celebrations. With the mainstreet closed, pedestrians freely walked around. We entered a very crowded Italian restaurant.
We shared an appetizer, consisting of baked brussel sprouts with apricot and bacon, and two entrees, pepperoni stromboli and lobster ravioli. All that deliciousness filled us up, leaving half a stromboli to take home. With no room for dessert, we strolled along the main street, where we saw friends, belly dancers, lots of local vendors and spoken word poetry performances.
As the night chilled, we returned to the car. Although we’d kicked off my sister’s birthday, our downtown visit would have still been worth the effort.
The following day, we went out of town to eat at a Black-owned seafood restaurant. On a whim, my sister texted one of her friends from high school, who lived nearby. As fate would have it, this friend was born on the same day as my sister, just a year later.
We had perfect timing. My sister’s friend had returned from her birthday celebration about an hour earlier than when we dropped by for a visit. The last time I’d seen her, I’d hiked around the Grand Canyon. At that time she was unmarried and had no kids. On this visit, I met her husband, and one of her twins.
Some people waste a lot of time, waiting for a special occasion to do wonderful things. I’m glad I’ve long abandoned such an attitude. I look for all the reasons, big and small, to be happy to be alive.