Mental health day

I truly was chilled yesterday and with such cold, damp weather outside, it was perfect for a mental health day. In my former life, back when I was that person in suits and heels, I had a boss who believed greatly in mental health days.

No one had to call in pretending to be sick when they were burned out and barely hanging on, for he knew corporations could use you up and wring you out to dry. We just had to call and tell him we were taking a mental health day.

That's what I did yesterday. I finished the gotta do housework early in the day and since we had leftovers in the refrigerator and the cookie jar was full, there was no cooking or baking one had to do after lunch. Except when the decision was made to turn on the oven to bake a dozen or so potatoes and warm the room at the same time. :)

I opted for decaf coffee and a cowboy cookie for a snack while losing myself in Cranfield. At first I felt absolutely slothful for spending an entire weekday afternoon in Old England but quite soon guilt had been replaced by the enjoyment of the movie. I must return it to the library tomorrow but it had the affect I needed yesterday... an inexpensive (well, free as it came from the library) and fun mental vacation.

The little vacation worked as I felt relaxed and refreshed.

My husband spent the day making an excel spread sheet of food banks and relief agencies in the area. You must understand, that makes former engineers happy. They must have the whole picture in front of them in a logical format. I prefer a list but that is but one difference between we literary types and those who studied... math.

He was up early this morning to stand in line at the first of three food pantries open today. I much preferred shopping my own pantry as these tend to rely on high starch "poor people" food as well as dented cans and old bread. There are good things, too. I am thankful they are there for that time when one's own pantry is looking more like Mother Hubbard. We are blessed there are people, churches, and organizations that care.

However, it has strengthened my resolve to preach the "stocking up the pantry" message even further. I'll work the remainder of this week to get that sidebar of good links started and slowly add to them as I do research. I will also get caught up on e-mails. That is, when hubby isn't working on another excel spread sheet. :)

In the meantime, this is a great post about living through the Great Depression on Dry Creek Chronicles.

Photo: After Hours by Janet Kruskamp; allposters.com (the spitting image of my Storm Girl)