Saturday was grey and cloudy. As a native San Diegan I don’t really do grey and cloudy—I’m outside on enough sunny days that a grey day is a signal to stay inside with the Internet or a good book. That’s what I did with the first few hours of my day. Then, at one o’clock, Social Butterfly and I headed to the mall. We had some money on a Sears gift card to spin (Sears truly sucks, by the way*) and I also wanted to make sure to spend a few dollars at JC Penney to let them know I appreciate their decision to act with integrity in the Ellen Degeneres situation.
SB took off with Peanut to go catch a water polo game in Irvine (somebody asked SB if it was a girls’ game or guys’ game and she said, “Guys, duh.”). I decided that I would brave the overcast to walk the dog before cooking dinner for my friend Heidi. I wrangled the dog into the harness—she gets excited when the leash comes out-- then put on a warm coat, and off we went.
The thing about a grey day in San Diego is that often times the sun will peak out for part of the day; I stepped outside to a sun-bathed suburbanscape, mellow in the late afternoon light. February begins spring for us, so flowers are beginning to bloom.
I catalogued the delights of my walk because I felt myself a latter-day, and female, Mr. Rogers—lightly tripping down the street exchanging pleasantries with all and sundry.
Our mail carrier of many years, Dave, had just returned to our route after having left due to being bumped in some seniority realignment. I felt lucky to be able to flag him down and tell him how I overjoyed I was to have him back. I think he was appropriately delighted to hear that.
I got to admire and coo over the neighbor’s new(ish) baby and let her know how much I love it when her older son comes down to the cul-de-sac to shoot hoops in the basketball net Santa brought the kids in 1995, our first Christmas in this house.
My dog got to sniff around four other dogs—as is her personality, she let each one of them know right off the bet that she understood he/she to be the alpha dog and that was okay by her.
At one house, a couple of blocks from home, a darling little girl, in her garage watching her father work on her bike, yelled, “Your dog sure is cute!”
As I hung up the leash and contemplated the dinner preparations I was set to commence, and the evening to follow with a good friend, a bottle of Champagne, and the episodes of Downton Abbey (thank you, Netflix) I was quite satisfied with my quiet, suburban life.
Dinner was wonderful if I do say so myself--a whole wheat pizza with hummus instead of red sauce and red pepper, onion, sun-dried tomatoes with light mozzarella, a green salad and a fruit salad for dessert with a greek yogurt with brown sugar dressing.
Were you wearing a cardigan sweater? ;)
That pizza sounds fabulous. But what is this sunshine of which you write? I took a walk today while big flakes of snow blew into my face. (I love snow, so it was great.)
Posted by: Karen (formerly kcinnova) | February 17, 2012 at 02:58 AM
Oh, your day does sound delightful...even with a little cloudy skies mixed in. My mailman is grouchy!
I loathe Sears. I have no clue about the JCP and Ellen thing...I've not watched TV in days!
Posted by: Busy Bee Suz | February 17, 2012 at 08:06 AM
Is there nothing that hummus doesn't make better?!
Pearl
p.s. Isn't Jocelyn wonderful?
Posted by: Pearl | February 17, 2012 at 08:12 AM
My Dad is in Redlands (where I was born btw)and he had to call e the other day to complain how it was all of 50 degrees and raining!!!! Here is was 40 and rainy and we were thinking it was WARM!!! ;-)
Posted by: JFS in IL | February 17, 2012 at 09:22 AM
me. My m key sticks.
Posted by: JFS in IL | February 17, 2012 at 09:22 AM
That day sounds fabulous to me! Especially since around here, gray and gloomy in February is the norm.
Posted by: Jenrantsraves | February 17, 2012 at 10:59 AM
I do miss living in town so I could stroll around and be sociable like that.
Posted by: Green Girl In Wisconsin | February 17, 2012 at 11:06 AM
I want that pizza!
Posted by: Smalltown Me | February 17, 2012 at 12:33 PM
Your post reminds me of how I felt when I first moved from southern Michigan to South Carolina, many years ago. In Michigan it was frequently cloudy, so you did active stuff outside on every sunny day. When I got to SC, I became exhausted because it was do-stuff-outside sunny weather EVERY day!
Posted by: Cassi Renee | February 17, 2012 at 01:32 PM
mmm. what a nice day.
Posted by: magpie | February 17, 2012 at 02:31 PM
That was lovely. I think we need more cute puppy pictures. :)
My youngest headed down to CA yesterday. She was warned that it was really cold. So cold that people were wearing heavy jackets and gloves. Then she found out that it was 50 degrees. She packed shorts. :)
Posted by: Susan @ A Slice of my Life | February 18, 2012 at 12:38 AM
Hummus on pizza. Genius!
Posted by: Claudia from Idiot's Kitchen | February 18, 2012 at 11:25 AM
We braved the cold and wind for a walk because the sun WAS finally out!
Pizza sounds YUM!
Posted by: Karen | February 19, 2012 at 12:02 PM
Our mailman Brian left us over 10 years ago, and we still miss him. Best. Mailman. Ever.
Posted by: suburbancorrespondent | February 19, 2012 at 02:52 PM
lovely imagery in this post :-)
Posted by: Janet | February 21, 2012 at 01:13 PM
And with that, grey skies were no more!
Posted by: Jocelyn | February 22, 2012 at 12:27 AM