Today was a girls’ day out, and I spent an enjoyable day with two long-time friends at a huge smorgasbord and gift shop. Some of it I spent eating, a lot of it sharing conversation, and a little shrinking my paycheck funds. This is the kind of outing that is becoming rare, but we find time to spend with each other whenever possible, and this was one of the nicest Saturdays this year.
The three of us arrived in time to have an early pre-dinner packed with everything an empty stomach could wish for. Utensils are one set per person, but plates are dutifully taken away as we went to get fresh ones and fill up with as much food as we could hold. None of us had eaten so much before, being seniors and watching our waistlines as they grow in spite of dieting.
I started reasonably enough with seafood: salmon served at a cooking station, followed by helpings from hot trays brimming with fried shrimp, cod, crabmeat stuffed fish and plenty of sides. The next plate was piled with vegetables, including broccoli, peas, Brussels sprouts, carrots, mushrooms and mixed beans. The one thing I avoided was salad, since I ate salads all week. Plate three included chicken tenders, baked potato, crab cakes and more sides. Finally, the meal ended with plentiful desserts of key lime and apple pie, chocolate cake and specialty puddings.
Then we shopped. The gift shop is the size of a department store emporium and populated with collectibles and local crafts. We each have a favorite artist, and we grabbed a cart to take a tour around the building and choose our bounty to take home. I looked at wind chimes and found the pricing a bit steep, so I made a few choices of my favorite collectibles, and my companions narrowed their selections down to some much-desired items. By the time we left, we had hands filled with bags (and one large box for an oversized collectible that had no bag to fit in).
The best part of the outing was the camaraderie and conversation, which I’ve lacked for most of the past three months. Bad weather and my return to the office have upended my life this winter, but we were able to make time at last to spend together, and the April weather didn’t make it difficult. The drive was calm, the crowds reasonable, and the overall experience was pleasant.
It’s nice for once to not have a negative thing to say, and we should find ways to bring such joy into our lives as we move from a brutal winter into a (so far) promising spring. Fill your plates with happiness, let your tummies gurgle with delight and your soul sing from the enlightenment of interactions with others.
And it’s okay to burp.
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