Today

I was up before 5:00 a.m.

I would have brewed a nice cup of coffee,

but I was out of beans.

So, I had jasmine pearl green tea instead.

I sat in the living over near the heater (brrr)

 and read my Bible and prayed.

Then I studied for awhile, tidied the house,

grabbed my stuff

(incluiding keys and phone in the pink dish above),

and walked to class.

After class, I came home for lunch.

I ate leftovers (above).

It's a traditional rice and lentil dish with carmelized onions.

I sauteed finely chopped kale with garlic

and added it to the onions, rice, and lentils

with just enough salt.

I'm always surprised anew by how delicious this is.

The carmelized onions are the key.

Definitely, the more onions the merrier.

After lunch I walked to a class I have in this building.

I love this old building.

I climb flight after flight after flight of stairs

to get to the very top floor with the little windows.

(The photo above is just the top of the building--

there are more floors below.)

I love that there are no elevators

and that the ladies room has a pretty window

over the sink with a pretty view.

Before class, the other students and I were saying

how pretty the view out the windows was.

So, I snapped a picture.

Then I climbed on a chair. . .

(It was okay, really. I didn't entirely lose my dignity.

There are only 9 really

friendly, low-key, funny people in the class.)

. . .to look out the window,

and lookee there!

I snapped a picture as the teacher walked in and said,

"And, Susan, what are we doing?"

And then I walked to a class in the building just off to the left

of what you see in the photo above.

(This photo was taken a week or so ago.)

And then I walked home and grabbed one of these.

My class is more than a mile away

from my apartment, so I needed it.

They're leftover from that holiday we had last night,

but why, oh why, did I have to buy peanut butter cups?!

I never, ever buy candy, but these are hard to resist

now that they're in the house.

See that glass dish and lid?

They belonged to my grandmother,

and as far back as I can remember,

it was always sitting out,

and always filled with something.

Nuts, fancy little hard Christmas candies,

dried apples, holiday candies.

I love having it in my house now.

I've come to the end of the day.

I've chatted with some of my great kids today.

And right now I'm drinking tea

and planning for tomorrow.

Before long, I'll tidy stray messes,

grab a book or two or three,

and settle in for some reading before

turning out the light.

It was a good day.

I am blessed.