Back from Bleh
So, I made a mistake...LOL Not really...hehehe But I did learn from something. At the beginning of the year, I had a goal to simplify my living space and adopt a minimalism environment. I've decided I don't like it. It removed personality from my space. I'm glad I gave it a try. But I'm ready to bring some things back. Thankfully I decided to keep everything and just put it all in storage...hehehe When I get home, I'll start to bring some of it back into my living space and bring personality and life back to an otherwise bleh environment. When I eventually move, I'll consider what I want to carry forward and what I'll let go of. There remains stuff that isn't quite me. But for now, I'll appreciate even those things. It was a good idea to at least try. So no regrets. Although I started feeling this way about a month ago, the Cracker Barrel controversy somewhat brought things to light for me. I wouldn't base my decision to eat there or not based on a logo or change of decor. But the whole thing reminded me how so many other things about our culture have lost their personality over the decades. I realized I was sort of doing that in my home. That made me sad. I thought I could be happy by bringing the personality through my imagination alone. Nope! That didn't work...LOL I need those random and seemingly out of place things all over the place. It doesn't have to be cluttered or messy...hehehe Just not blank either...LOL I didn't remove everything. But enough to make it bleh. So out with the bleh and back with the fun...hehehe
I had another wonderful evening with Malachi. He wasn't hungry when I picked him up. So we went back to the mall and we were able to go in the stores this time...LOL I loved shopping with him. We ran into someone he knew and they chatted for a bit. We then went into an area that was actually a flea market! In the mall! I loved it! It was great looking around at truly vintage things. And mixed in were random modern things. It was amazing. Malachi found an old Scouts shirt from an era that might have predated even me. He collects those and bought it. It was even on a 20% discount...hehehe About half way through the flea market, he was hungry. So we cut our time there short. I'd like to go back next time I come up for a visit. For dinner, we went to Sushi Lovers again. I think this was my fourth time there this year. I love that place...LOL I get something different every time. After dinner we went to the game store he showed me last night and he started to teach me one of the card role playing games. I think it's Magic the Gathering. It seems like something I could pick up someday. But we didn't have enough time for me to grasp it tonight. He wants to keep playing this weekend. If we have time, I'd like that. It was great spending that time watching him teach me. It was like a role reversal since I've spent so many years teaching him things...hehehe
I had lunch at Cracker Barrel; which inspired the beginning of today's entry. I did some souvenir shopping there because I knew they'd have what I was looking for. I mean exactly what Bingford was looking for...LOL I had a good day with work. I was even able to help my boss out with something he was stuck on. We got some good news that mom's cancer isn't genetic. That gave her, and the rest of us, some additional peace knowing it wasn't something that put us (her kids and grand kids) at risk. In the middle of all the unknowns and scary stuff, there remains a sense of hope as we all continue to navigate through this storm. I'm so grateful for what God is doing in our hearts and through us for those watching how mom is handling it. And I'm grateful I am able to be here this week. Tomorrow morning, I'll head back to my parents. I'll have breakfast and may work a few hours before I leave the hotel. I enjoy this hotel thing. But it will be good to be back with my parents. I'm not sure what we will be doing tomorrow night. Whatever it is, I'll be with them and will enjoy every moment. Today was another good day full of moments I loved. I didn't write everything down. I don't have time to finish writing it all...LOL I wanted to write these things at least. I've enjoyed being back to this journal.