Only Good Fridays

A long and winding road, looks great for a motorcycle ride.

Just woke up and looked out the window. Another beautiful day here in the Northland. There is always good in a day somewhere, but some are definitely better than others. This current spell of warm sunshine after a long winter is really exceptionally beautiful. But I digress, I just woke up and looked out the window.

I went to the blogs and clicked away and came across This Eclectic Life and her Only Good Friday post. My internal dialogue said to me, “Oh shit, it’s Friday. You didn’t write anything.”

So, I went through my routine with a few variations and then decided I’d write an Only Good Fridays post, even though I’m not in the mood to write right now and my back hurts even though it is such a fine beautiful day outside.

Then I remembered. Yoody is here. Yoody is the nickname of soon to be five year old Grand daughter Lilly. The family was here for dinner last night and Yoody stayed over night. Yoody has been staying here on Thursday nights. For no particular reason, except that it coincidently happens just about every Thursday night.


Lilly Janine.

It’s early now, Yoody still sleeps. But she’ll be up soon and I’ll have a friend here. I woke up hungry. I was actually thinking of driving a few miles to the truck stop, Ray’s Southside Restaurant, and having an old fashioned bacon and eggs breakfast. I’ll even have the bad coffee and use jelly on my toast. Maybe Yoody will want to come along.


Ray's Truckstop for Breakfast.

Ray used to have the truck stop on the Minnesota side of the St. Croix River back when it was US Highway 12 running through here. When they updated the Interstate, Ray moved to Exit 19 at Baldwin, WI. He still called it the Northstar for a while, but now it’s the Southside Restaurant and a small truck stop/convenience store off I-94.

If she doesn’t want to go out for breakfast, that’s okay. She’ll be hanging around and we’ll do something when I get back if I decide to go myself. Maybe I won’t even go and we’ll just eat oatmeal.

I’ve shied away from the news all week. I haven’t even listened to Amy at Democracy Now. I have skimmed over political and newsy blogs. Many are reporting opinions about the Bush administration. They keep hammering away at the old, ever paying more attention to what freaked them out last year. Some are blowing new bugles, but as they always did, just write about how horrible the situation is and how we should be angry about it. It’s not that these horrors don’t exist, but I found that my tired heart feels better when I stand off to the side and live right here right now once in a while.

The sun has popped up and is splashing my yard with bright golden light. This miracle happened again today. I was awake to witness.

Almost up.


Starting to peek out at us.


Ahhhhhh, There it is.

I’m looking back at the week and thinking of something to tell you about that was super positive and good. I can’t site an instance or something that happened right off. But the idea that I made a couple of new friends this week and that a couple of people paid me compliments is certainly a good thing from my perspective. The fact that the weather is changing and the daily temperatures are up into the 70’s is a good change from the gloomy cloudy 50 degree days prior.


I made a chair like this one.

Both cars are running good. The bills are paid. I finished the Adirondack chair I made. I built a composting bin with scrap lumber and a one dollar role of chicken wire from a garage sale and two boxes of cigars I ordered came in the mail yesterday. Can you see me sitting in that chair, leaned back and cozy, smoking a stogey? (Spadoman does not inhale, but will never be elected President of the United States of America because he does sometimes).


The last vice I have.

Look at me, cracking jokes early in the morning. Happy to be alive. This Good Friday stuff is cool. Sets my frame of mind in a good mood right off. I like it. And if nothing else, that in itself is good.

I sent flowers to my Mom for Mother’s Day. I sent them to my sisters place. Mom might struggle with the delivery man trying to ring her apartment. I put an extra bouquet for my sister too. She watches over Mom down around Chicago. Hope they like them. I sent tulips. I like tulips. They’re colorful.


Tulips for Mom.

A very Happy Mother’s Day to all of the mothers out there. And not just for this Sunday’s made up holiday, but every day. And happiness and health to everyone else. Hard to select one group and disregard the other when wishing health and happiness. That blessing is for all people, today and everyday. Have a good Friday, and a Good every day, not just Friday. That’s the thing. By writing Only Good Fridays, I find a little bit of peace in every day.


Peace to you and all you hold dear, today, and everyday.