Everyday Hassle vs Blue Sky Day

I haven't been liking being at home these days. My neighbors are having an elaborate new heating system installed. Meaning our neighborhood street has been blocked for half and entire days at a time, and there's been lots of by drilling and hammering noises. 

Yesterday the handypeople shut off electricity and gas without notice, so I had to take a lukewarm shower at best and couldn't start the washing machine upon leaving the house.

Then mammogramm appointment. Routine, everything was "normal" or "unremarkable." as they call it in medical jargon. but still not a pleasurable experience.

I needed something to pick me up. There was dense fog, however the weather forecast predicted blue sky and sunshine for later.

I was on my way...

What was my plan?

No plan, except lunch and check on the progress of "my" magnolia tree.

Recently I discovered a lovely vegetarian buffet style restaurant located on a rooftop terrace. I put together my salad / fruit bowl when the chocolate cake next to the cash register (what mean person put it there???) called my name. It was gluten free as they told me, so at least no wheat flour to log...

As I was coming back down the escalator, I saw a person I was pretty sure I knew scurrying around the corner. I called out her name, and she turned around. It was her! 

We must have met almost 20 years ago when I was with SBUX, and she was a placement expert for the unemplyoment office. According to my FB memories, our last encounter, a planned lunch, was nine years ago. High time we at least had a coffee and catch up! That's what we did for the next two hours! 

It made me so happy. She's retired in the meantime and moved away, so what were the odds of the two of us running into each other in the city?

Even though it had become later, I was still determined to go to the park. In the meantime the fog had lifted completley by the way, and it was the blue sky and sunny day the weather app had promised! It was warm, too, around 13 - 15°C, mid 50s to low 60s in Fahrenheit. 

No jacket required, in other words, and shoutout to Phil Collins! 

The magnolia tree is still working on blossming fully, but I thought they were coming along nicely. 

Thanks to the foehn, we enjoyed wonderfully clear views - and tension headaches for some of us. I walked 13,000 steps that day and more than worked off the chocolate cake - I hope!

Just a gorgeous afternoon all around!

I stayed out there too long though and promptly got punished on the freeway. My way home took 70 minutes insteat of 40. Still fully worth it though.