Moments D700: The calm

Tonight was EQ's last night here for awhile.  While it's only a business trip, it's a long one.  We'll both be busy in the coming weeks to keep us well in over our heads.  But it will never be busy enough to easy the pain of separation.

Sappy?  Maybe. But considering it's a miracle that he and I ever crossed paths in the first place? Maybe not. Give the fact that we seem to fit like two lost puzzle pieces that complete the picture.  No, definitely not too sappy.  He and I are too old to pretend that what we have isn't something special.  Our time together will be short, no matter what because neither of us are young pups.

So yes, the pain of separation for such a duration is a painful one.

Today's moment isn't about that pain.  No.  It's about celebrating what we have.  It's about knowing that though we are physically separated, we are not apart.

Tonight, we spent the night fully present and with one another.  We sat on the couch for most of the night talking and dreaming.  We didn't bother making dinner, we ordered in pizza and salad.  When it arrived, we shared the most recent episode of our new favourite series, Vikings.  Later, he massaged my sore shoulder and we continued our plotting to rid the world of evil.

We went to bed early and continued our plotting until we fell asleep in one another's arms.  It was a perfect calm before the storm of our lives hit, for tomorrow, it will be a mad dash off to work with me and for him to get packed up to leave.  I'll be eye-ball deep in  catching up with my readings for class (the bad student I am!) and he'll be busy preparing for his carving camp and then the seminars he's presenting the following week.

Time will fly.  After all, we're going to be busy.

But it won't be fast enough.

Moments enjoying the calm before the storm.

Moments being present and enjoying the company and conversation of the man you love.

Moments D665: Comfort foods

Today was Family Day.  A welcomed February statutory holiday here in Ontario.  It ended up being a lazy-stay-in-you-PJ's kind of day.  

Perfect for a lunch filled with comfort foods.  And so, we made fancy grilled cheese sandwiches (okay, who's kidding who, *I* had a fancy grilled cheese sandwich with coriander and avocado in it and EQ had a plain cheddar cheese sandwich) along side, yes, you guessed it, tomato soup!

Delightful.  Simple.  Perfect for a lazy day.

And then I stewed a big (too big) pot of chili for dinner. (Yes, that's right, I overflowed into a second pot!  Whoops!)

Yes, it was a comfort food kind of day.

Moments having a simple quiet day.

Moments enjoying simple comfort foods.

Moments D658: KD - also known as MAC n CHEESE

Tonight was another night in the books.  After tonight, I have only one more night to cram three chapters worth of tax knowledge into my tired brain.  I pushed hard and I persevered through some challenging twists and turns.

But I didn't do it alone.

No.  Tonight EQ sat with me and quietly read.  His presence and calm energy was very welcomed. But the best part, the part that is my moment today was that he made me my favourite "I-am-studying" dinner.  K-D.

Of course, I came to learn that K-D has no meaning to EQ.  Kraft Dinner is what we Canadians know it as.  But to those south of the border, it's known, not by the brand, but by what it is "Mac n Cheese".

No matter what we called it, I called it damn good! 

Not only was it done up special (with a touch of love!), EQ took the time to spice it up a bit.  The attention did not go unnoticed and I had to Instagram it before I even took a bite!

Yes, that's right.  Bread with oil & balsamic as a side with a coriander garnished K-D plate.!

It was heavenly!

Moment appreciating the simple dinners.

Moments being surprised that it wasn't so simple after all!

Moments D641: Push Pins

Yes, really! Today's moment is about push pins.  What can I say, they caught me off guard after an insanely busy day in the office.

So busy, that not only didn't I leave my office all day, I barely left my desk.  So busy and focused on getting through things that I didn't even notice that I hadn't eaten my lunch (brought from home) until nearly 4 pm.  At that point, I ate my apple and kept ploughing through, right until the lights were turned out on me.  (Yes, we are "kicked out" at 6 pm now that we're part of the retail store, no late nights in the office allowed!)  

Suffice it to say, it wasn't an easy day.  

But, if ever a day to avoid going outside, it was today.  It was a silly cold day, with biting winter winds.  I knew this.  I had heard the complains all afternoon.  On my way to the car, I decided that instead of walking around to the parking lot outside, my typcial route, I would take the warmer shortcut through the condo building.  I rarely ever walk to my car this way, but today's weather begged of it.

And there they were, on the condo clear-of-news news board.    White push pins arranged in a hand-sized heart with a single red push pin dead centre.  Even my amped-up-post-work-anxious self, in that moment, making my mad dash past the news board, couldn't help but smile.

It was a perfect way to shed some of the energy from the day and re-focus on the coming weekend.

Moments noticing that someone took the time to send a smile.

Moments pausing to enjoy that simple smile.

Moments D616: Back into the Groove

Today it was the first day back at work.  Back into the groove of every day life.

And I loved it.  It was easy to slide back into.  After a productive day at work, EQ and I went to an early movie and then dinner.  We were back early enough to finish watching the end of "Despicable Me2".

Bangarang.

Sometimes it's just that simple to have a lovely moment.

Moments appreciating a typical day in the life.

Moments enjoying the groove of every day.

Moments D529: Trails of Leaves

Today's moment is a simple one as I silently celebrated one of my favourite times of year this morning. Autumn.

The trees outside the office have all turned a bright orange and their leaves like feathers in the morning breeze.  I enjoyed their display as I walked from the parking lot to the office.

As I entered the building, I smiled at the trail of bright orange feathers littered in the doorway.  It was like party confetti strewn all about on the black mat trailing into the building.

Sometimes I wonder how people live without the seasons.  For me, it's always a wonder to watch the world around me shift and change.  In the spring, watching the snow melt and the ground come alive again.  The colour! Basking in heat of the summer sun and feeling its life giving energy.  The vibrancy of life!  Watching the trees shed their coloured leaves and prepare for the winter ahead.  The calm! And winter, the quiet stillness in the cold crispness snow. The reprieve!

And knowing that the cycle will start all over again come spring.

It's a good reminder of life in general.  It shifts on you.  It changes on you.  Just when you settle into a groove, something or someone comes along and shakes it up.  Moments in life come and go as the seasons do, with different levels of engagement and energies swirling about them.

Today's moment, was a calm, simple one.

Moments enjoying the brilliant fall leaves.

Moments reflecting upon the seasons of life.

Moments D525: PJ's, Pizza and a (Bad) movie

Sometimes it's the simplest things that bring a smile.  Today was a lazy recuperation day.

The best moment was putting my PJ's on early, ordering in pizza and watching a bad movie with my honey to close out the day.  It was all so simple, quiet, and felt very normal.

Moments quietly recuperating.

Moments enjoying the simple things in life with those you love.

Moments D218: New Underwear

Sometimes it’s the simple things in life that I love. And today’s smile came from enjoying my annual stash of new underwear.

Which colour? Black? Purple? Red?

Yes. Sometimes it’s about the simple things!

Moments appreciating new colours and textures.

Moments with (gasp) stuff.