Today's joys

One of the few trees in the park today that was fully in bloom. Most were only
partly blooming. The effect when it's all pink and no leaves is spectacular.

First I want to clarify something from yesterday's post, because I've had a couple of people worried. The final point in the list was vague and could have been interpreted any number of ways. I was only referring to the fact that we're fast approaching a new stage in our family: children becoming adults and not living at home anymore. It's a big change after nearly 18 years of parenting. Sorry if I had any of you worried!

Today is my birthday and I planned a couple of special things:

I'm always captivated by these crazy bushes at this time of year. Very ordinary
the majority of the year, when they're allowed to, they have these crazy
loopy branches covered in flowers (often they're pruned back along paths
and roads).

1. I arranged to meet a new friend for coffee (she was so sweet—though I'd initiated the meeting, she paid for my coffee and a snack). It was a delightful time of getting to know one another (though I feel like I talked too much).

The park wasn't peaceful. There were hundreds of
 people and bikes and dogs.

This tree is just down the road at "our" river. I've
been watching it gradually break out into delicate,
vibrant green for a few weeks now.

2. As the weather was shaping up to be pretty good and the cherry blossoms are almost in full bloom, I decided to take my new camera (an early birthday present) and ride to my favourite park, which happens to have a Sakura Festival. The photos in this post are from that ride.

These also are gorgeous, but a little more robust than sakura. Rapeseed plant.

3. I've also organised for dinner that I don't have to cook. It's home delivery from a small, local Chinese store. We've never done this before, so it will be interesting to see how it goes. They come highly recommended.

I just love tulips.

It's the good unexpecteds that always delight me on a birthday, but I know to make some special plans and keep my expectations low otherwise I'm likely to be disappointed. Looking back in "On the Day" in Facebook, I can see some unpleasant unexpecteds that happened early on in parenting (like a poo-accident I had to clean up). Thankfully those days are mostly over, but teens can still be remarkably unpleasant.

Today's pleasant unexpecteds so far:

I loved watching this little family trying so hard to get their
 daughter's first ever photo with sakura. 

• Two boys switching pre-school jobs to enable the one with a gash in his palm to skip his usual washing up. They were very diligent and responsible and the best thing is that I didn't have to intervene at all.
• A very busy friend messaged me and offered to take me to coffee later in the week.

The day isn't over yet, so we'll see what else turns up.