On The Brighter Side

Fortunately for me, there is only so much of my own bitching and moaning and pissiness that I can take.  After my little pity party this morning, I decided that I had to get out of the funk and out of the house.  Despite the 20-degree weather (fricking winter) and four inches of powdery snow on the ground, I bundled up and went for a walk.  Two miles of nature trail hiking in snow was enough to get me out of my own head and probably to help with my fitness as well.  Holy aerobic workout, Batman...I might as well have been trying to walk in deep sand.  And since you guys know me well enough to know that I would have picked someplace for exercise that might net me a few caches as well, I am pleased to report that I successfully found all four of the caches I was looking for, snow or no snow, the third of which was my 400th find.  Not too bad for six months of caching with all the other stuff I have going on.

On the way home, I stopped at the county library.  Thing One, my sweet little science geek (and I mean this as a compliment), requested that I get him some books about elements and the periodic table: what mother in her right mind could refuse that request??  It wasn't for a project, either--he's just interested, and all we have at home are old college-level Chemistry texts.  (I emailed his teacher to pass along the compliment, since clearly she's doing a very good job of keeping him excited about science in class.)   While there, I also stopped off to take pictures of some artwork of Petunia's that is currently hanging on a bulletin board in the children's section.

Hers is the one on the top right, and only Godzilla himself could get a close-up of it with how high it is on the wall and the bookshelf in the way, but I'm proud that her artwork was selected for display.  She's our most creative and imaginative child, hands down.  The fact that we have any artistic children at all floors me, since neither Himself nor I are wired that way, but Petunia has been drawing nonstop since she was old enough to hold a crayon.  She's on a roll this month, actually--we also got a note from the art teacher last week saying that another piece of her work has been selected for a separate exhibition (a young artists' showcase) at the county art museum!  There is a formal reception for this on Saturday afternoon, and of course we will all go.

The even more amazing thing, however, is that a piece of Thing One's was also selected for this showcase, a beautiful rendering of a Day of the Dead skull.  Only twenty-five works were chosen from our entire elementary school, and two of the artists are ours!  (Unlikely odds.)  This is the first time in six years that Thing One has had a piece chosen, and I'm hoping that it will serve as a boost to his creative ego, since until now he hasn't thought much of his own ability.

So, even though there is snow on the ground, the sun is shining, I am less growly, and there are still things to be happy about.  Take that, universe.