Cents and Sensibility, Day 5. Less is so much more.

This morning I got up, somewhat reluctantly, way later than I usually do; around 9ish. When I toddled into the kitchen, I was met by two of my favorite people, who were having coffee and chatting.

They'd spent the night, after having had a robust, interesting evening here, filled with dinner and conversation.

Susan Brown spent the night.

I address her as Susan Brown like many of my friends continue to call me Mary Anderson, as if it's one word.

Susan Brown's super-cool.

We chatted until morning almost became afternoon. Then she took off, and I mowed the lawn, worked in the yard.

I love to mow. For folks like me who appreciate the value of immediate cause and effect, the act of mowing the lawn is great. It's a time when I'm completely in my head, and no one would even think to interrupt me. And mowing the lawn provides immediate results. It's a solitary, functional accomplishment, the mowing.

No one but me was home today, until well into the afternoon.

What else did I do today? And what didn't I do?

I did spend most of the day outside.

I did something I don't do as much as I used to; I read a book and took a nap.

I have so many books I want to read, and you can see what's waiting for me on the table next to my bed.

I opted to re-read The Mists of Avalon. It's just as good as it was when I read it decades ago.

This new sense of actually living in my house is so refreshing. I'm not just spinning here, waiting for the next high-priority distraction.

Speaking of which, Connor and his girlfriend Jenny just arrived. And Logan just let me know he's making empanadas for dinner.

Let the wild rumpus start.


And what didn't I do today?

I didn't spend any money. I still have the 20 bucks I started with on Wednesday.

I didn't drive.

I didn't really feel like going anywhere.

Because here is good.