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While leaving to go to a Doctor's appointment this morning,I noticed the new neighbor next door was standing outside her vehicle. She seemed physically uncomfortable and had been due to have a baby any day. I asked her if she'd had the baby yet. "Yes, around midnight last night", she replied. We shared a brief conversation. (I don't know her name yet.) She said that she was glad the labor was over. A new little girl. "That's great", I told her. I couldn't chat any longer I had to leave for the appointment. Just before I reached the end of the street, a police car drove by. He just missed seeing the cracked windshield on my vehicle caused by the snow plow weeks ago. Had I not paused to speak briefly with the new neighbor, I probably would have been stopped.

After I parked outside the medical building, I noticed a huge oak tree growing out of the slope of a 25 foot embankment next to the building. It's overwhelming strength and beauty. It must be over 100 years old. Once inside the medical building, due to the arthritis in my legs, I decided to take the elevator instead of the stairs. There's no one around. The lobby is empty. Inside the elevator all alone, the door opens onto the floor I needed. As I start to exit, a man with a dolly cart loaded with empty water cooler bottles starts backing into the elevator. I seem invisible to him. He almost steps on me and I reach out and touch his back. He seemed surprised but keeps backing up with the cart and corners me in the elevator. He has a sweet grin and a sense of humor as he reaches over and pushes the 1st floor button and the door closes. I couldn't get out now and was headed back to the 1st floor. It was a funny situation. Almost flirtatious. Both of us were laughing. Teasingly he says,"Oh, did you want to get out?" "Yes!", I said and lightly batted him on the shoulder. (He wasn't bad looking.) Then the ride's over and he leaves. I'm still grinning from ear to ear. Probably blushing too.
Around mid afternoon I go outside to sit on my swing in the sunshine and read for a while. I'm distracted by all sorts of birds singing away. The Slate colored Junco's fly right over my head and land just a few feet away from me. They chirp and coo amongst themselves hopping around and scuffling the leaves looking for worms & bugs. Then the chickadees join in. I feel like I'm deep within the forest, not stuck in a trailer park. Later, I move to the trio of pine trees in the back yard to sit in the middle of them. A piece of board I secured there years ago has been grown over by the trees making a perfect bench. I love sitting there in the center of them. It feels empowering. That's when I notice the tiny crocus like flowers and one bright yellow one amongst the purples. I thought everything in that area had been removed. But there they were so delicate and beautiful. A nuthatch lit on a branch just above my head and we stared at each other for a moment. Then he flies over by the Juncos. I'm glad the sunshine came out today. It sure seemed like it's taking a long time for spring to get here. Especially with another snow storm predicted for tomorrow evening. Then I realized... Spring was around me all day. From the new baby, to the flirtatious encounter and the natural beauty everywhere. And I say, "Thank you for this day."

Learn more about this author, Gina Lee.
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