small steps

Walking around at flea markets is one of my favorite ways to de-stress, which sounds ironic because the entire mindset of getting that deal or finding that coveted piece before the next person does would seem inherently stressful. And that's sort of the case, but the best thrifters/vintage fiends I've witnessed are the ones who, when they are seconds too late to score that perfect honey-colored wood armoire, dramatically wail at the loss and then gleefully move on to continue the hunt. It's pretty wonderful to see people happy to be walking around aisles and aisles of junk and treasure and wondering who will go home with what.

I wasn't really on the lookout for anything today, but I picked up these floppy natural history-themed handbooks and the tools in the first image. My favorite find of the day is the fish toenail-clipper/bottle opener... such a "man's item."Amazing and gross! So when I wasn't dropping a dollar or two on these goodies I was watching well-dressed young scruffy hip types picking up beautiful rustic decor items, older ladies with push-carts lined with pillows for their tiny, feathery, yet well-behaved dogs, watching all the dogs (SO many wonderful dogs today) walking nicely, or snapping at others, or treading along nonchalantly with their equally nonchalant owners. My eyes glazed over at all the stalls, so I was seeing everything, yet not really seeing too much either. And it was wonderful.

Other things that helped lift my mood today: this succulent "bouquet" of mostly echeverias that Andy brought to me when he came back home for break. It's been sitting on my kitchen table without any water as I'm waiting for them to callous before I stick them into some dirt. This is technically the first time anyone (meaning a boy) has given me a bouquet!

It's an amazing coincidence that two gifts I received this holiday season were a book on 'the plants that create the world's great drinks' and a remarkably written guide to craft beer. I've been reading both interchangeably, and gaining a wealth of knowledge as it were, that I hope I can retain. It is time to fold up a little now, to reflect and ruminate on all things bad and good, to hold some energy to myself now.