Sunday and Spring

Today was a good day.  It was more spontaneous than planned and sometimes that's where the magic lives.  Sundays are typically relaxing without obligations or plans.  The rhythm of a Sunday is different than any other day of the week. I think it's because I have space and time. It's a good feeling. 

My wife and I are updating her office space and decided to go to a few stores.  On the way home we were passing our favorite ice cream shop.  The sun was shining and the skies were blue and it was a beautiful Michigan day (especially after the winter) so we made a last second decision.  I made a hard right turn into the parking lot and parked the car.  This isn't an ice cream shop you go into. It's a shop that you order from a window and are served outside.  There's a few picnic tables, or you can walk to a nearby lake in the middle of town and find a bench.  We opted for the picnic tables today.  I made the decision to veer from my go-to cookies n' cream and had butter cookie dough.  

After ice cream we were passing by my in-laws street and decided to pop-in old fashion style.  Old-fashion style is where you go un-announced.  Let me be clear, we don't do this to anyone else except for my in-laws, and even then it's rare.  I remember when I was a kid, people would just pop over my parents house at all times.  I remember thinking it was weird.  Today it's unheard of to go visit someone old-fashioned style. Today, if  someone even calls me before lining up a time to talk it's weird.  Anyway, they were happy to see us and we caught up in their back sun room, which happens to be my favorite place in their house.  

Since the sun was shining my wife and I decided to take a few bikes the in-laws have out for a spin.  We rode and talked about how we're looking forward to biking a lot more in the coming months.  I'm not a fan of the Michigan winters, but I really enjoy the summers.  

So as I sit in my writing chair and reflect on the day, I think what I'm feeling is the winter fading and the spring springing.  The spontaneous Sunday that brought with it a feeling of freedom and joy.  That's where I want to exist.
I'd bet a Michigan winter can be quite cold.
2021-03-15 10:23:56
It's definitely cold, but what effects me more is the lack of sun in the winter. I don't mind the cold as much, if it's sunny.
2021-03-15 11:45:46
What's the verdict on butter cookie dough vs. cookies 'n cream and where does Blue Bell fall in the order? I remember the drop-ins as a kid as well. I referred to it as casting a play. Each person who dropped in unannounced seemed to be playing a particular role. The hungry nephew. The needs-money uncle. The nothing-else-better-to-do neighbor.
2021-03-15 13:24:15
the_spark
I'm the same way about winter. I actually find it to be quaint and nice when it's snowy so long as it was sunny during the day. But your Old Fashioned style visit, bike ride, and ice cream by the lake sound like a perfect Sunday. you gotta have those moments. 

I have my own theory of why you can't show up unannounced but I'll write that in it's own post. I'm learning from the Fake Brandon Wilson that you can't allow secret sauce content to get buried in comments.
2021-03-15 21:33:07
abrahamKim
Yes, I like the snow especially in December.  However, as the winter goes on, I like it less with each passing month.  Where do you live now?  Do you get snow in the winter?  LOL about the Fake Brandon Wilson.
2021-03-16 00:50:50
therealbrandonwilson
 The verdict on the butter cookie dough is that it was good, but next time it will be back to the cookies n' cream.  I didn't get the cookies n' cream this time since we polished off that half gallon of Blue Bell a week ago. The ice cream shop that we went to definitely rivals Blue Bell.  The cookie chunks are respectable. 
2021-03-16 00:54:13
The argument to go for the half-gallon because the quart "won't have the full-size Oreos in it" is quite a convincing one.
2021-03-16 00:55:29