Cures for the Grumps...

Today I almost veered off my attempted course of positivity by being in a cranky mood. It happened because I was trying to get things done at work and the website I needed to use kept crashing. Also, our office was cold. Just as it’s the small things that make life better, it’s also the small things that can make us crotchety.

Still, when I went home for lunch, I was bound and determined to be in a better mood when I got back. Having two waggy-tailed pups greeting me when I got home was a help. Also, after my healthy lunch of carrots, broccoli and cauliflower in low-fat cheese sauce, I splurged and ate a Cadbury Crème Egg. I shouldn’t have splurged because Cadbury Crème eggs don’t exactly fall under the “lose 15 pounds by eating healthy” diet that I’m on but, well, sometimes, you just have to ignore the schoolmarm voice in your head that says “Put. That. Egg. Down. Now. It’s BAD for you!!!!”.

So, I ate the egg. And it was very tasty. Of course, I miss the days when I used to eat four or five of the things and not gain an ounce nor feel guilty but, well, it’s probably better that those days are behind me.

After I ate my egg, I spent some time dropping stones into the sewer grate for the pups. Today had the added bonus of water sloshing down there because it rained a lot yesterday. Rory and Sookie get VERY excited when there’s water sloshing down there. Our stones made a very satisfying PLOP whenever we dropped one.

Then I walked around the garden. It’s amazing to see how much spring has taken over. The lilac bushes have the first teeny tiny signs of flowers coming on them and the hyacinths and daffodils are proudly blooming.

Best yet, my very first piece of asparagus had pushed its way up. I planted the asparagus last year at the beginning of the summer. I had to let it grow and not pick it so it would have seeds. This year, I have my very first edible piece. I’m going to let it get bigger but it’s very exciting. I’m a little addicted to asparagus anyway but to have my very own makes me feel like, well, a grownup.

Fortunately, with the help of my dogs, the crème egg and the asparagus, my bad mood had gone and I spent the afternoon in a much better mood.

It also helped that I decided that a little singing was in order in my office. Thus, I sang a selection of Mumford and Sons songs quite loudly and off key for a while in my office. That helped. Everyone in my office has a sing at some point so it’s not like anyone notices. My fellow recruiter was belting out “I will Always Love You” to his computer earlier. We’re a singing kind of office at times.

My singing helped my mood a lot. I like being in a good mood at work. It helps me get back to my enjoyment of the small things. Today’s small thing was that our branch administrator went to Sam’s club and stocked up on drinks for the office. She bought Coke Zero. I got to get a Coke Zero right from the box rather than from the fridge. I don’t like cold drinks too much unless it’s very hot outside. I like them room temperature. I often get one out of the fridge in the morning and sit it on my desk to warm up. Thus, getting a fresh Coke Zero and not having to wait for it to warm up was quite exciting.

I am aware that this is an odd thing to get excited about but, well, if you read my blog, you’ll know it doesn’t take much to get me excited. Even a lukewarm Coke Zero can do it.

Also, my branch administrator bought a giant box of Cheez Its. I like Cheez Its. They involve cheese and salt, two things of which I am very fond. I find them tempting but, well, I had a Cadbury Crème egg at lunch and I don’t think the schoolmarm in my head would allow a second breach with regards to eating healthy.

I seem to be the only one resisting the Cheez Its. Everyone has little cups on their desk filled with crackers. Their fingers are slightly orange. I find that amusing. I don’t like orange fingers which is why I eat my Cheetos and Cheez Its with chopsticks, toast tongs or a fork, depending on what is on hand.

The nice thing is, I wasn’t sitting at my desk thinking, “I’m SO good for resisting the Cheez Its.” Instead, I was grateful I didn’t have orange fingers. Like I keep saying, it’s the small things in life. Not having orange fingers is a small thing that I appreciate. Then again, I’m a wee bit obsessive compulsive about hand cleanliness anyway. I wash my hands a lot, particularly when I cook. Also, I carry around those little anti-bacterial gel thingies from Bath and Body Works. They make these nifty little silicone carriers for them now. I have a lot of them. I can’t decide if I like my hands to be clean or I simply love the smell of the Blueberry and Strawberry gels that I have.

Either way, I have clean hands. Which is a nice thing. I was reading about unclean places and where the most germs could be found. Bathroom doors, shopping cart handles and free sample bowls in stores are the worst. This is why I won’t try those communal bowls of chips/pretzels and dip in stores.

I’m not a germaphobe. I just don’t like germs. Who does, really? They’re one of the more unlikeable things that we have in our world. Those and mosquitoes which aren’t so different from germs, when you think about it.

Anyway, I’m rambling. I ramble a lot. I apologize. My point of my last ramble is another small thing I am grateful for is that Bath and Body works caters to the scent-tramp like me and provides smells for every occasion- licorice at Halloween, gingerbread-mint at Christmas and blueberry for spring and summer. There are plenty of other scents- it’s usually five for $5 so I have quite a selection. I like selection. This is why I have at least four or five different types of shampoo in my shower at a time. My overnight guests have often commented that they enjoy the ‘smorgasboard of shampoo selection’ that I provide in my shower.

It’s fun to have a choice. I can choose my scents, my shampoos, my guilty food-pleasure for the day and whether or not I want to have orange fingers.

Best of all, I can choose if I give in to a bad mood or I make it go away. Whether it’s by singing or a lukewarm Coke zero, a Cadbury egg or some puppy time, there’s always a solution for the grumps.

You just have to find it, that’s all.

Happy Wednesday!