Get Up, Get Out

Ever have a day where you feel like, emotionally speaking, you’ve been hit by a speeding truck, driven by some cracked, laughing-ass, clown-faced shitbag AND you don't even know why you're bummed beyond belief? Yeah, of course you have – we all have days like that and they suck gargantuan blue whale wang.

Yesterday was one of those and I could barely get out of bed. When I’m feeling horribly, mentally kneecapped, I totally forget how to dig myself out. It’s easy though ridiculously counterintuitive. I gotta get up, get out and DO. Go for a walk, a trike ride, start a new painting, draw – do SOMETHING, ANYTHING to get my brain out of that pit of moaning Eeyore-dom.

So I did. I went for a long walk up and around Nut Island – a spit of land jutting off our wee peninsula, Houghs Neck. It was awesome. There are dandelions – my fav! – everywhere! Those little yellow heads are no-fail smile inducers. Seriously.

Nut Isle’s ringed by beautiful birches and firs. In the distance, on one side, is Boston. On the other side, closer in, is Peddocks Island—a place I def want to get to this year. Though I’ve lived in Boston for over 30 years, I’ve never been to any of the Harbor Islands. Hard to get to islands fascinate me. That’s how I ended up on Hoy — a tiny spot, well off the northern coast of Scotland.  These tiny, removed places seem like glorious safe-from-the-world refuges. One of our neighbors has a wee cottage escape on Peddocks. Envy!

Hmmm, maybe before I visit the islands (now I want to see Grape Island too!) I could read Dennis Lehane's Shutter Island. Ya know, for a good dose of creepy color.

When I got home, I found the seagulls, who hang out down at the seawall, like short, feathery juvenile delinquents, had left thier usual litter of seashells all along the sidewalk. You see, they’ve got to break open their shelled lunchies. When the tide’s high (song cue!) the rocks and boulders at water's edge are covered so they use the cement path. Smart, if messy, wonderful birds!

Yes, my relatively short walk recharged my batteries, put a smile on my face and helped me focus.