The PERFECT DAY

Monday, May 4th was THE MOST PERFECT DAY. I got in my car, filled up on some $1.17 gas...and headed over to Mendota, Illinois to meet Rhonda Pierce for lunch.

We met up in a CVS parking lot -- then scoped out the park situation.  Turns out Mendota has a beautiful lake, as well as the Hume-Carnegie park right downtown (in front of the original Carnegie library).

It was VERY WINDY...and kinda cold for an actual picnic...but we managed.  Then, we got IN Rhonda's car to actually talk a little business.  In this whole new world we're living in....

We had a wonderful, responsible, socially proper distanced visit!!

On the way home, I drove about 80 miles in Illinois Hwy 92...and I only met 4 cars.  There was not one other car (or tractor) in my lane the whole way home...

THEN -- this happened.

Since Monday is cleaning day -- Carrie worked in my basement ALONE -- without any help from me (or would she call it interference?)...and when I went down there -- I COULD NOT BELIEVE MY EYES.  That girl is magic.  She had things organized, and sorted, and bagged, labeled...it was an AMAZING thing to see.  Suddenly, all the kids' craft activities are living in the same space, and there are about 100 pithy t-shirts all hung up and sorted...OMG...OMG...OMG...

So -- like this day wasn't PERFECT ENOUGH...

THIS HAPPENED...

Emily called (about 5:30) and said the kids had been working on a Mother's Day scavenger hunt for me -- but they were so bored and antsy, she told them they could do it tonight.  I said sure -- come on over...and when they did, Lilly had worked on some artful clues -- with pictures, and rhyming words -- the scavenger hunt took us outside, down to the garden, into Elliott's truck, up to my brother's house...then, finally, to the little park on the corner.  (which the kids and I had turned into the Social Distance Cafe last month)....

And there it was.  Their gift to me.

You really will not believe it...

It is SO SPECIAL -- it needs a special blog post all it's own...

Tomorrow -- on Mother's Day -- I'll post the picture.