Dear Reader:

Sunday afternoon the doorbell rang and it was a carrier bringing a battered looking box to the door. He had a note to let me know that somehow my order had taken some crazy detours before arriving… and if it was not in good shape or I didn’t want it after all this time…I could hand it back and there would be no charge. ( It had been ordered before Thanksgiving.)

I honestly couldn’t even remember what it was… so curious I went out on the porch and he slit the top off and there was a wooden decor plank lying at the bottom of the box.

When I held it up we both started laughing… it said… Just Breathe. With much wit the carrier said dryly… ” Glad you weren’t waiting on a manual instruction guide to follow those directions.” We laughed again… me and my signs… I love decorating with them. I was happy to finally get it!

Maybe it was a prelude of what was to come yesterday with lots of ” signs.” Anne and I planned to meet for lunch at Matt’s Burgers on Cedar Street. It was busy during lunchtime so we ended up grabbing a table outside.

Walking down the sidewalk from my parked car…four large window panels ( Compton’s Wellness Center) had been decorated with quotes by individuals… each panel started off with either ” I Hope”….or a positive thought-maybe as signs for the New Year.

I thought it was such a great idea to share these thoughts and hopes with pedestrians, like me, just casually walking by.

Anne is leaving tomorrow to go on a two-week excursion to Mexico with family… sharing a tent with her sister Jane… they will be kayaking and whale watching… to name a few activities. Jane loves playing around with photography using all kinds of creativity with an app called “iColorama.” Look at this fun picture she sent Anne!

As a car was pulling out of a parking place near our sidewalk table… as we were finishing eating…Anne mentioned she liked the decorative plate on the front of the car and got a quick snapshot before it left.

We departed with well wishes for Anne’s adventures… and I had not even reached the end of Cedar street …waiting on the light to change when I noticed this message on the back of the car in front of me.

With a smile on my face… I thought… ” Wow… it’s already been a great day… what now?” I decided to go on to Home Depot to get a few bright indoor and outdoor plants… the sun was out, the weather mild and I felt God’s presence on this beautiful day and a craving to get some dirt on my hands! Just a perfect day…to be alive.

So until tomorrow..I like this thought that alludes to the underlying perception that signs without sight won’t help you… if you are blind to them.

Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh

****Oh… it was my wonderful neighbor across the street (laterally) who had been raking over the weekend… Dan… who found the lost windswept Ukraine flag and his teenage daughter returned it and placed it back on the post! Rainbow Road has the best neighbors on one small street… must be the ” magical” 🌈 in Rainbow Road that makes everyone so congenial!