Swimming suit or grey suit? You tell me who's happier today...

Today, while filling the newspaper stands with the latest edition of the Big Timber Pioneer, I had a wonderful moment.

A woman, sitting in her vehicle behind me, was waiting patiently to buy her newspaper. I had hardly gotten the door shut before she hustled over to put her three quarters in the slot and grab the top copy of newsprint. Then, as if she just couldn't wait to get home, she sat in her car and started reading. 


I'm sure I saw her smiling, and I hoped she really enjoyed it. It sure made me smile to think that our hard work each week creates a final product that does a service that our community enjoys. I hope that's the case for the majority, at least. 


I drove to the next stand thinking to myself, 'Self, that was a really nice moment. That's a good one to remember and be thankful for.'


It was the highlight of my day.

Then, I traveled to the big city (Livingston, about 35 miles away) and ate fast food for the first time in nearly two months. Taco Johns, none the less. Ah, be still, my crunchy-chicken-and-potato-burrito-loving heart.


In case you didn't know, I don't get out much.


As I reveled in the cheap, cheesy, potato ole heap of goodness, I thought to myself, 'Self, this is a really nice moment. Don't even tell yourself you have to run it off later. 'Cause you're not. You're going to savor this.'
It as the highlight of my day.


Then, I came home. Home to my lovely little mountain town; home to my quiet little office and my quiet little life. My phone rang. It was a lady from my golf team. She wanted to know if I wanted an air conditioner. May I repeat: she wanted to know if I wanted an air conditioner. That she would help me haul up to my apartment.


She wanted to give me an air conditioner. She wanted to give me an air conditioner. SHE WANTED TO GIVE ME AN AIR CONDITIONER.

If you can't understand what kind of happiness that causes, then you've obviously never lived in a pent house suite (a.k.a., small, attic apartment) through a month of 100+ degree heat with no fans or air conditioning.

For weeks, I've been wearing a swimming suit in my home, sitting on the floor because I'm sick of sticking to the couch and compulsively eating pints of ice cream out of the carton just because I needed something to do while resting my head in the freezer. Weeks, I tell you! My figure can't take any more!

And then out of the blue, this dear, sweet woman just offers to give me an air conditioner. 

As I sat on my couch and basked in it's sweet coolness, I thought to myself, 'Self, this is a really nice moment. You better go finish that last pint of ice cream to celebrate. Ya... to celebrate.'

My day just got hot-yellow highlighted all over. 

Of course, Stones is still unsure of what to think of this new contraption, taking up his window space and limiting his view of the kingdom. But I'm sure he'll come around... while I've been lounging around in my swimming suit to beat the heat, he's been wearing that heavy grey suit all summer long - I don't know how he does it!