• Sometimes, it pays to notice the little things

    Sometimes, it pays to notice the little things. Once in a great while, when you do so, the Fates will throw fewer knots in your way.

    Today, I:

    * experienced a good dream (yes, vampires were involved).

    * woke up without a migraine — or the promise of a migraine — for the first time in a week.

    * went downstairs and rejoiced in the fact that my youngest cat, Sera, was still alive.

    * didn’t start to sweat after leaving the shower because the temperatures had begun to drop.

    * tried on a new summer-y blouse and it fit.

    * ate dinner at a local restaurant and everything was cooked correctly.

    * enjoyed ice cream for dessert and it was simply divine.

    * stopped by the local movie house and learned that the film we wanted to see was just about to start.

    * watched a movie where nothing blew up, a couple fell in love and nobody died.

    * returned home and was immediately covered by all the animals who missed me while I was out.

    * kissed my husband good night and did some productive writing.

    All in all, it was a pretty good day, particularly for June. I am grateful.

  • chocolate ice cream

    2 scoops of Häagen-Dazs happiness

    Back in the early 1990s, I used to buy ice cream from a Häagen-Dazs store in south Miami. The tiny shop was always an air-conditioned oasis from the miserable South Florida heat and humidity, and just walking through the doors would put a smile upon my face.

    Each Häagen-Dazs store offers different ice cream options — including flavors you can’t buy by the pint at the grocery store — and this one was no exception. My favorite flavor was chocolate chocolate chip mint, served in a bowl without adornments. The creamy bittersweet chocolate ice cream was filled with tiny shards of chocolate chips that were tinged with a refreshing hint of mint. I’d order a large, two-scoop cup topped with a lid, hide the container in my purse and then sneak it into the movie theater next door. Once the house lights dimmed, I’d surreptitiously pull out my treat and revel in every spoonful.

    I haven’t been back to Miami in several years. I don’t even know if that store is still there. Nor have I been able to find that flavor in any other Häagen-Dazs shop. But I still dream of that delicious ice cream, and I hope that one day I’ll get a chance to taste it again.

    (Photo by og-vision)

  • sundae

    Serendipity 5

    One of my favorite places in New York City is the ice cream shoppe Serendipity 3. Yes, it’s uber-touristy and utterly overpriced, but the ice cream sundaes are outrageously good. As you can see from the picture on this post, each sundae is filled with at least three scoops of ice cream and topped with fluffy whipped cream, juicy cherries and so much hot fudge that the sauce oozes over the sides of the dish whenever you take a spoonful.

    Today, I have a different serendipity in mind.

    For some reason, $1 and $20 bills spend more time in my wallet than other forms of cash. When the rare $5 bill appears, I view it as a stroke of luck, a happy accident.

    In the past, I’d hide that $5 bill in a sock drawer or coin purse. There it would remain, gathering dust, until I developed a yen for pizza. Regardless of how much dough was in my checking account, I could reach into my hidden $5 stash and treat myself (and whomever happened to be nearby) to dinner.

    This practice of Lucky $5s and delivered pizzas continued for years. Even after I started making my own pies, I still put most of my $5 bills aside for a rainy day.

    While walking through the grocery store this morning, I spied the frozen pizza section and remembered this odd habit of mine. That’s when I thought, isn’t it better to give than to receive? Perhaps it was time to upgrade my Lucky 5 habit to the Serendipity 5 plan.

    What’s the difference? Well, now when two $5 bills cross my palm, I still plan to save one. M and I hope to buy a house in the near future and every little bit counts. But from this point forward, I shall give away the other $5 bill. I can donate it to a favorite charity, help those less fortunate or purchase an item that will brighten someone else’s day.

    My hope is that the idea of Serendipity 5 will spread. What do you think?

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