Today's definitely been one of those days that are so filled with little moments that pass so quickly, and yet make up the best simple experiences of life. I slept in for the first time in a while, having been getting up 6-6.30 prior. So after 8am was a surprise. I'll be back on the earlier schedule tomorrow though. We took the dog to a local park and the poor guy is just a wreck out side of his element. He just wants to return to the car. We've have hit and miss success with going places and we don't fully understand it but red that it's best to not force but to entice or reward. He needs more socialization. Kids arrived on time and while Jen was doing a 'zoom makeup party' with her friend Vanessa and others, Kids ran with me to drop off donations at Hope, pickup a power washer and get the ingredients for Jen's planned Sesame Chicken Wings (and drumsticks at my request). Tommy went to walk Waldo, Caden's grandparents dog, while Lauren and I power washed both cars. I know better than to wash cars on hot bright days. They came out looking great but dried quickly and trying to clean and dry windows in the hot sun on a baking-hot windshield is not optimal. My fingers felt like they were being burnt at one point. But we got the job, sans front windshields, done, and had a good time doing it. Jen 'n Lauren trimmed Scottie's hair. I asked Tommy to help carve 2" squares from the recent ice block, but after taking it out I tried wiping it down w/cold water and it fracture throughout as I was doing so. Ultimately though, what came out of it were beautiful and striking uniquely shaped large dense ice 'chunks', and they're really amazing to look at and use. I threw another batch of water in for Tommy/I to revisit tomorrow PM. I have saved recycling for over a year because I could not find a recycle center to redeem them at and I'd been resenting the fact that a couple of folks come through the afternoon before pickup, and root through the recycle bins on the street for bottles and cans. It felt invasive and weird. But lately I've bene thinking that it was silly to be judgmental and be upset about it when it's got to be a difficult situation to be in and they likely encounter more disregard than compassion. SO after intending to do so for a few weeks now, I finally packup up the recycling into bags and set it out w/the trash so that whoever comes through has a generous offering and supply. It's not something I can maintain but I'm thinking that I'll just put out whatever I might have at the top of the bin each week and leave it at that. These would have filled it and been a chaotic extraction at best. We all sat down and devoured the dinner Jen made, it was delicious and deemed a family favorite. I bathed the dog with Lauren's help, it's always fun watching him afterwards as he runs about, rubs on the carpet and couch. We then took a casual PM drive through "Palm Lane", an area in San Jose off Bird and Pine that has some wonderful homes, really old and some remodels, on massive palm-tree lined streets with island parks, and such. Closed the day by watching an Australian film, "Beneath Hill 60", about a real WWI military operation that was very well made, entertain, and emotional. The juxtaposition of two key roles on either side was subtle and genuine. We (Lauren/Tommy/Me) all enjoyed it.
ALL that in 12 hours. All those simple seemingly routine and easily forgotten moments were felt and lived fully in the moment. And taking the time to capture this daily keeps me conscious about the value of being present and conscious of what's happening, while I can.