Dressed to fit, nothing but a hug and big hair

- Hairdresser and friend Tim's tribute to the New Orleans Saints win in the Super Bowl AND Mardi Gras - which we both love. His traffic-stopping lawn jockey is dressed to fit holidays or fun events.

- Due to recovery instructions for my eye surgery, I am not allowed to shower my head just yet, so Tim offers to salon-wash and dry my hair for me. He doesn't charge anything but a hug. How nice.

- Tim once dated one of my friends, but fortunately our relationship has lasted. We reminisce about the big hair he used to give me in the '80s and he sends me off this day with a slightly scaled-down replica. Committee members at a meeting later do a double-take, but like it.

Retreat, happy and fortunate

- Attending a retreat at Columbia Theological Seminary over the weekend, ending in a simple communion service held in this chapel, in which women sat in a circle and served each other.

- Having a pesky non-age related cataract removed on my birthday last Thursday (of all things! - surgery on your birthday! - what was I thinking? everyone said that :)). The highlight - the surgeon leaning over me and singing Happy Birthday before he got started.

- Feeling so fortunate to have friends like Barbara G and Leisa to drive me to surgery and post-op appointments respectively and in the rain. And the good thing - lunch after both. Highlights - apple cobbler with ice cream on one day and triple cheese macaroni the next. Yum.

Companion, sharing and unexpected

- I love this photo of Sophie wrapped up in a throw that had fallen on the floor. It reminds me somehow of when Bugs Bunny used to wrap a scarf around his head to disguise himself as a woman. Sophie is a good and faithful companion and her only fault is making me get up early to get her food as usual on my day off.

- A sweet friend calls to say she wants to share some soup with me that she has just made. It is carrot soup - something that Bugs and Blue Bunny might like. :)

- An unexpected package comes in the mail - my sister has my favorite little shop in Milledgeville, The Red Door, send me two bottles of the wonderful local lotion they sell made of Goat's milk. Owner Susan says she can hardly keep the lotion, made by Milledgeville Soap Works, in - it is so popular. I love supporting hometown businesses. I buy a bottle of it every time I go in and end up giving it to someone as a little present every time. Jo got my last bottle in her stocking at Christmas - so this was a thoughtful replacement and certainly made for Happy Mail.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend full of unexpected surprises. See you Monday!

Mei Lan, waiting and splash

- Atlanta's 3-year-old giant panda, Mei Lan, who was born at Zoo Atlanta, is moving to China this morning as part of an agreement for the long-term loan of her parents to the zoo. We will miss this little girl. She is being flown on a special FedEx plane called "The Panda Express."

- An enforced 1.5 hours to sit still while waiting for an appointment. I was not expecting to wait and did not take a book. But reflecting at some point what wonderful meditation time can be had while being forced to wait.

- Finding my Red Dress Pin after seeing a TV spot about informing women of the risks of heart disease. They encourage a display of red clothing or the wearing of your pin this month to draw attention to the disease. I have been told that I wear black much too often, so my pin goes on my black jacket this morning and Voilà! a splash of red.

Reflection, 20 years and 201st birthday

- A most excellent dinner at the tapas restaurant The Iberian Pig, with the highlight for me being a dish of crispy eggplant fries with a spicy red pepper aioli. Yum. We were seated by the window overlooking Decatur square and my attempt at photographing the square through the window ended up capturing friend Steven's reflection.

- We have been friends for 20 years - a long time in the scheme of things. We taught each other to appreciate the others taste in music. But I still don't love The Smiths. :)

- Today is Felix Mendelssohn's 201st birthday. I am taking along his "Symphonies Nos. 1 and 5 'Reformation'" with me for the drive to work this morning in his honor.

Groundhog Day, happy coincidence & another

Rising by Bob Trammell

- Waking up to the sound of rain on Groundhog Day. A quick Google search of the question, "What happens when it rains on Groundhog Day?" turns up a similar custom reported on Wikipedia, "In Germany, June 27 is "Siebenschläfertag" (Seven Sleepers Day). If it rains that day, the rest of summer is supposedly going to be rainy."

- A happy coincidence. Having dinner with a friend when I see two pairs of smiling eyes peeking over the booth from the other side. It is Barbara and Norman who I posted about yesterday. Before they leave, Barbara slides into the booth next to me and I tell my friend an interesting thing Barbara did: she bungee jumped off the Great Wall of China when she was 70. How about that?

- Telling friend Michelle in an email yesterday, "I hope you are well and happy today. (That's the answer my dad used to give when I asked him how he was today - well and happy.)" This morning an email from her, "I was exchanging e-mails with my dad today, and he signed one of them, "I hope you are well and happy!" Weird because he has never used that expression before, to my knowledge." Another happy coincidence, at least.

Mirepoix, inclusion and beam

- Making a Lentil Stew recipe recommended by Elise on Simply Recipes and finding that I have made a Mirepoix after sauteing diced carrots, celery and onions together. Such a beautiful word and they look so pretty together.

- Having been unofficially adopted by friends Barbara and Norman long ago, smiling at an email yesterday in which I am included with their actual kids and she signs off, "Love, Mom."

- During the church service, a ray of sunlight beams across the golden communion cup and the reflection of the "Ordinary Time" green parament onto it gives it a green and gold glow. Just for a moment and then it is gone.