The mini - blinds

When my husband and I bought our house at the end of 1989, we put up mini - blinds on all the windows. They were aluminum and dusty rose in colour. They proved to be a good idea, as they lasted 24 years, before starting to show the need to be replaced. We ordered the same kind and installed our new improved mini - blinds throughout the house, this time in a robin's egg blue. It rained like the monsoons all weekend, and as the drenching rains gave a fresh scent outside, we got busy cleaning house inside, washing all the windows in preparation for the new blinds. It felt good, simply cleaning together, my husband and I , and then putting up the blinds while all the window curtains were being washed. When we were done, I felt this sense of small elation, at having all the widows look sparkling clean, with their fresh, pretty blinds and spanking white curtains everywhere. Simple pleasures on a rainy weekend, laughing together with our son who helped hold up the living room curtain, as we were putting it back up, just giggling at the awkward swath of curtains, trying to keep them off the floor, my son being the designated curtain holder as he stands almost 6 foot 7. I loved the robin's egg blue colour, as it matched the comforters in our bedrooms. I felt like a child, happy with the fulfillment of a wish. I had been looking forward to replace the old blinds for several years now. It felt good to have it accomplished finally. My husband and son planted four new blueberry bushes the next day, in the still pouring rain. They got drenched and muddy, came in and stripped out of their soggy clothes and shoes, and took hot showers. They too felt a sense of accomplishment to see the new bushes in the ground. Simple pleasures. The new mini - blinds would give us visual pleasure and privacy for many years to come, as would the blueberry  bushes give us summer delight with their delicious fruit. Sometimes life is so simple, and I am grateful for those simple days where my world and life make perfect, uncomplicated sense. It makes me feel simple, uncomplicated too. And that is a refreshing, relaxing feeling after many years of uphill struggle to make sense of both my world and myself. The rain kept pouring down, and the happy feeling kept flowing inside me like a singing mountain brook. Robin's egg blue. Blue, fluid, free, fresh, clear. Today I could see all the way to the bottom of my heart and soul, and not a shadow or sigh to be found. Only smiles and fresh air.