Here Comes the Sun

Yesterday I was a little whiny, I admit it. Sorry about that. My usual sunny disposition evidently requires some actual sun a little more often than once every three weeks.

I took my own (and yours) advice and went to a movie yesterday, and the best part was that my friend Andrew's lovely wife, Corrine, came with me! We saw The Proposal, the new Sandra Bullock flick, since it was purported to be a 'chick flick' and I wanted a happy ending, dammit. The movie was cute - not laugh-out-loud funny the whole time or anything, but cute. Seeing Ms. Bullock mostly naked did nothing for my self-esteem, but who cares? I was munching on chocolate covered peanuts, out of the house, and it wasn't raining.

The best part was visiting with Corrine. She's just terrific, and a great listener. Andy, you're a lucky, lucky man. Corrine, I hope we can get together again soon - and this time we'll skip the movie and just visit!

When I got home, I had a missed call from my buddy Jocelyn, who invited me over for popcorn and a few episodes of Lost. Unfortunately, by the time I got there, she had eaten all the popcorn. How rude! Actually, though, it was my own fault, since I decided to cook dinner for my son and his girlfriend first. I love visiting Jocelyn - I can be totally comfortable over there. Sometimes I even go over in my pj's. We watched a couple of episodes from the second season, which she's currently working through with Netflix, which renewed my resolve to get caught up on this show. Maybe during the next rainy spell.

When I left Jocelyn's house, there was an actual break in the clouds. You could sorta see a tiny little patch of sky if you squinted your eyes just enough. Ahh, Hope, you sly elusive feeling, is that you?

Last night, to polish off a much-improving mood, I received an unexpected phone call from my Aunt Marlena. She's my dad's youngest sister. I haven't spoken to her in a really long time. It was a thrill to hear her voice (and that fantastic Jersey accent I love so much) and get caught up on what all my cousins are doing. When I was growing up, we visited my dad's family a lot, and we were very close. There were 7 girls, including me, and most of us were pretty near in age. My poor brother was the only boy, and had to play Barbies and babydolls or be alone.

Aunt Mar was always the 'cool' aunt - she always seemed so young, and much more modern than my folks. We were reminiscing about how her oldest daughter had an almost life-size doll that looked just like her. I coveted that doll madly when I was a kid. You could hold the doll's hand and it would walk along beside you - it was the bomb, let me tell you. Evidently, Aunt Mar didn't love the doll all the time, though. She said it would constantly scare the stuffing out of her, when she would walk into the darkened playroom, having just seen her daughter upstairs, and see the doll sitting there. Yikes.

It was great to talk with her, and it brings back such wonderful memories of my childhood. We didn't have a big family (my mom was an only child, and my dad had just the two sisters) but we all treasured being together. Some of the happiest times I remember were in that house in New Jersey. I need to do a better job of staying in touch.

So, I got through the day and it ended on a much better note than it started. Then, this morning, it finally happened - the sun. In the sky. Streaming through my window. Un-freaking-believable.

If you're looking for me, I'll be outside. I might come in for lunch, and to shower before I head off to the play tonight. If I can force myself. To the director of Never Too Late: if I don't show up, feel free to start without me.