Jan. 04, 2002 - 22:07 MST

THE WONDERING JEW

Change Of Pace

Off to a bad start today. I guess I slept in a crazy position and woke in hurt country this morning. Coffee, banana, anti-depressant meds and two extra strength Tylenols helped a little but not a lot. And it did little or nothing to lift the deep winter depression that is just hovering to take advantage of any weakness I show

That is the bad part of the day. Fairly early our grand daughter came in while I was chin deep in coffee and said, "Grandpa will you come eat with me at the mall for my birthday?" Strange how my motivation gets a jump start when a tyke asks for something. But it does, at least with me it does. I remember when her Mom was that age and asked for something special how it would energize me then.

So I got the poop of the day from the womenfolk. A trip to the mall, Grandpa can't keep up with them and didn't know if there was a place I could sit at ease and write in my notebook while grand daughter went to the much desired Build A Bear place in the Mall at Cherry Creek. So I sat at a food court wide space, filled with screaming kids, sat down, turned my hearing aid off and wrote. After the birth of her personal Bear the family came back for me, and then to the Greek food place in the mall where she wanted to go to eat. While we were eating she opened her birthday presents and they were just what she wanted, Mom's and Grandma's are psychic you know.

There were other places we needed to go, but while we were in the mall it began to snow outside which became quite evident to us when we surfaced to the real world.

Heather went to a dental appointment and daughter picked up a prescription at our apartment that she forgot this morning. So Grandpa and the kids got to watch TV while Mom went to get her prescription filled and pick up the ice cream birthday cake.

Later on those of us who had scared up a bit of hunger had a bite and then . . . . the ceremony of putting the candles on the cake and lighting them took place. Her Mom had snuck in some of those candles that blow out and relight again, numerous times. So, after the candles had been blown into the next county the cake was cut before it melted down and served. There was much good natured badinage and laughter throughout.

All of that was better for me than any medication, so now I am still in great shape, tired and on top of the world at 10:30 tonight. Maybe I will answer some back e-mail before I sack out.

What I needed and what I got today was a blessed Change Of Pace . . . . . .

Blog