How To Undrab the Dreary

There are things about life that are not fun.

There's help for some of them.

If you (for example) live in the Pacific Northwest (for example) and it rains all the time (for example), you need a raincoat that makes you happy.  You need more than one.

Jill, who recently moved from Tucson (and at times wonders why), and I were recently talking about running in the rain.  Just in case, you know.  It might rain.  She told me her husband had a raincoat I could borrow.

Oh, Jill Jill Jill.  I've lived here for ten years.

I have a raincoat.

(I have another raincoat too...it's green.  I'd take a picture but since it's my heavy duty raincoat, I wore it running and it currently resembles a soaking wet popped balloon.)

If you have a lot of cooking or dishes to do, don a darling apron.  It lifts my spirits and gives me a place to wipe my hands.

why yes, I do like red...why do you ask?

If you have to be in any situation that requires waiting, bring a book.  That's just basic safety.

If you have a tool you use over and over and over, get a good one.  I love my measuring spoons.  The narrow shape fits into little spice jars.

If you have to sit at your desk or computer for a long period of time, planning or the like, sip a cold drink. From a straw.

If you have cleaning to do, turn on loud music you love.  And use cleaners that smell wonderful.  (Like Mrs. Meyer's--whose first name is Thelma by the way.  Don't you think I deserve a discount?  The "only-Thelma-under-80-years-old-discount" or something like that?)

In almost any situation, there's a tiny way to make it more appealing.

And that makes me happy.

If all else fails, take a long hot bath.

There must be quite a few things that a hot bath won't cure, but I don't know many of them.

Silvia Plath