Monday!

Monday these past few months has taken on a whole new character for me, directly opposite from the one it had when I was working. This is just another welcome reassurance that life keeps changing the way it wants to, whether you happen to be looking for a change or not. Random change is just what it is. Depending on your situation, it can be a good thing or not. This one is an unexpected gift.

Monday morning used to be filled with a low-grade angst, ruining Sunday in anticipation with a quiet, entirely spontaneous shutting down of the "fun centers" in my brain. Monday meant slipping the "official" harness back on (symbolized by that civilized noose also known as a necktie), taking my place with the communting horde into the city to fill my chair behind a desk, being responsible for concerns and issues beyond my own comfortable little world; in short: work. Of course, once the day got going and the week's rhythm had me in its embrace, I started enjoying all the random banter that a generally copacetic group of people can bring, the mental challenges of problems to be solved, the occasional ego stroke for a job well done...I have to admit the good parts of work were OK. But the mental preparation for Monday morning after an especially enjoyable weekend (and what weekend isn't enjoyable?) was a little weekly trauma.

Now, Monday is the time for me to pamper my Myers-Briggs "I." I hasten to add here we had a great weekend. Steve's sister and brother-in-law are wonderful company, and the dinner Friday was fun and pretty, in the cool breezes of an evening on the deck. Saturday we took a short morning walk down the main drag of this section of Arlington to view the new Air Force Memorial, high on a hill directly across from the Pentagon (in fact, it faces the wall of the Pentagon that was hit by the plane on 9/11), had a leisurely lunch of leftovers from the previous night's feast, and then went out for dinner. Our company left early Sunday morning, which left the day open for us to get back into our normal routine of chores. Steve continued with the never-ending spackle job in the upstairs bathroom (yes, that's still going on!); I did my Sunday stuff.

And now I have this Monday morning and it's mine, all mine! In fact, the whole day is completely unplanned, and that's just fine, because the rest of the week is filled to the brim. The county is bringing a truckload of leaf mulch tomorrow that I will have to deal with (small favor: the temperature is set to plummet overnight so I won't be sweating like a pig as I haul wheelbarrow loads of the stuff around the yard), a favorite neice and her husband, whom we haven't seen in over a year, will be through town Wednesday and we will meet them for dinner; and then Thursday we head for Delaware and a long-awaited weekend-long reunion with our dear friends Michele and John, whom we haven't seen in 7 years. Michele and I were in the same city in Ghana the Peace Corps--when we're together our spouses become "honorary Peace Corps" as we reminisce and tell inside stories. They are comfortable folks, all about good food and music, and we always have a super time with them. This visit will be a highlight of the summer.

And so with all these wonderful things to look forward to that will keep me away from my introvert "I," I have no qualms making time today for a visit with myself. Today's music is mine, all mine, too, but I think you'll like it.

I'm off to peel me a grape and then read the paper.