Sunday, December 7, 2008

A Perfect Day

Jorjah-B, you asked us what our perfect day would be. It seems to me there are so many scenarios that could make up a perfect day. But I'll just describe the one I'm having today. It's almost perfect.

Waking to a warm-nosed pup-dog named Blanco.




Lounging over to the kitchen for a cup of warm Russian tea.

6 cups boiling water
6 tea bags
2 sticks cinnamon
8-10 cloves
1 quart pineapple juice
1 quart orange juice
1-3 ounce can frozen lemon concentrate-undiluted
1/2-1 cup sugar

Steep tea and spices in boiling water and remove. Add sugar. Mix juices and lemon concentrate in large pitcher. Add tea mixture. Dilute to taste.

{it's better if you make it the night before, then you can just warm, pour and drink}
{also, don't stick hard and fast to this recipe. do like i do and just throw everything in together to your taste.}

and a toasted whole grain English muffin with melted butter and raspberry jam for breakfast.

Checking blogland while I sip my tea, while also working on several pieces of jewelry as I become inspired.

and while listening to a song from my list of favorites on my $150 surround-sound Logitech PC speakers. Some of the best sound you'll ever get for the money-"I think you should get them."

Without any pressure to hurry along, I go to Angel Cake and work on my blog. Then I head over to: It's Just How I See Things and Jorjah-B.
{I always thought I was the photographer, but it looks like my sister's little camera has beat out my new Nikon. I've got some catching up to do.}

A little cat nap with Daisy and Q is nice. Daisy really knows how to take a nap.


So does Q...


It's almost lunch time. A cup of tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich is the perfect lunch for an almost perfect rainy day like today.


The only thing that would make it absolutely perfect is if my Papa was here to sup with me like the day he visited me in my Hyde Park kitchen--a cold day very much like today, not too long before he went to heaven, and if I were granted the knowledge that it would be one of my last moments alone with him.




We sat, ate tomato soup and laughed at this table after seeing the highly anticipated Frank Lloyd Wright home down the street.

The tomato soup mug above was a great find at one of my favorite resale/antique shops in Chicago. I snatched it up as it brought back that memory of my Dad.

Now for some play time with the chillins.

And some hugs and some kisses.

It's about 2:00PM, and time for another nap?

No, that would be irresponsible of me. And so cat-like.

So, I check out Donald Miller's blog. A good substitute for reading one of his prized books, but since they are still in boxes, I will visit his blog.

And all I have in the house to read are a few books (about ten) that I've started and not finished. Any one of these would add to my perfect day.

But I've chosen:


Here's an excerpt, a poem.

Friendship

Friendship needs no studied phrases,
Polished face, or winning wiles;
Friendship deals no lavish praises,
Friendship dons no surface smiles.

Friendship--pure, unselfish friendship,
All through life's allotted span,
Nurtures, strengthens, widens, lengthens,
Man's relationship with man.

...or woman to woman.  or man to woman.  you've got it, don't you?

A perfect day is telling me it's time to think about a good old film, like My Fair Lady,


or Little Women (the Winona Ryder version)


while curled up on the sofa with a cup of tea poured through a gift from a lovely friend.


Some goat cheese and crackers for a snack, along with a good glass of cheap wine, and a great scented candle


a glance out my window at my fantastic view every now and then,


and I'm done for the evening!

The only way the day could have gotten any more perfect is if I'd spent a couple hours at a thrift store or two, and found a great pair of shoes,


and had sushi with my Mom,

and gotten a sweet and sentimental gift from a dear friend. Or better yet, was blessed to spend uninhibited time with that friend.


That's on another perfect day.


8 comments:

georgia b. said...

oh, simply the sweetest post i've ever seen anywhere.

you know how to push my tears-welling-up buttons.

where do i begin? the jewelry is wonderful and unique.

your pet pictures are precious and hilarious!

your memories of Papa made me cry. i would give anything to share a perfect day with him.

your poem about friendship is the best writing about friendship, other than C.S.Lewis that i have ever read.

and the thought and time you put into it made me feel special and like your friend—not just a sister.

thanks, Angel-Cake. you are an angel.

(ps. i think it's quite funny that mom and dad named you with a name that means messenger/angelic. me? i got the name that means earth worker. nice!)

georgia b. said...

oh, ps. thanks for the link for the speakers you were telling me about! maybe santa will bring them to me for Christmas!
:)

Unknown said...

Angela this post makes life seem dreamy and surreal...

May most days be filled with so much beauty.

Angela H. said...

Then there's the weekday, Claire. Nothing like this--and why I cherish my weekends so much.

At least I love what I do! But still, a work day is never worth blogging about. ;}

G-Bug, you used ( ) in your first comment, instead of { }!!!

EnnythingGoes said...

anjel-cake...nice blog. what a world we live in and what an age! digital cameras to capture our lives and computers to dump the photos on and internet to share your life with who knows how many people! it is quite fascinating!

i think this blog is a clear picture of anjel-cake. i still have to write mine. :)

Chris said...

Love this post! Life is all about the simple pleasures, and your magical day is certainly full of them. And as always, I adore the pet photos. Your little dog Blanco is the sweetest thing in the world. Isn't it heaven having them around?

And everything else sounds so lovely, especially the shoes, the tea, the books, the movie...all of it! I'm sure your dad would agree :)

Jekisa Jean said...

i LOVED reading this.

shilvia said...

georgia is sooo right!!!this post is awesome :) i love your shots of the room angela...