Three beautiful things from my past week:

1. My friend Neal suggests that rather than do the sane thing, which is to pick up three additional players from the earlier round of volleyball games, we take on our opponents (who have ten players — enough for a full roster, plus four people ready to rotate in) with just the three of us who were able to make our match. I have my misgivings, but his confidence is contagious, and he, our teammate Chris, and I pull off a 2-0 victory.

2. Monday is a beautiful night for a ballgame and the Nationals must agree, because they decide to win the game.

3. Neal came over for supper and Ted Lasso, marking the first time we’ve had non-party company over in … five years. We agree that we’ll do it again, and I’ve already told my friend Anna and her partner that they should come sometime next month. And I just told Sarah to come for supper. How did I not notice this?

What’s been beautiful in your world lately?

Three beautiful things from my past week:

1. The final night of the Fort Reno summer concert series was just as gorgeous as the first. I’m not sure if it was that or the fame of the final performer, Ted Leo, that pulled in such a large crowd.

2. Because it had rained Friday evening, my friend Neal and I were on the hunt for restaurants with covered outdoor seating and a selection of vegetarian options. I stumbled across a mention of an Afghan restaurant near him, so we headed over for supper. Everything about the place — from the servers to the food — was lovely, and we dawdled at the table past closing time.

3. I got a chance to have a chat with one of my former coworkers, and it was good to hear how he was doing, even if some of his news wasn’t as positive as he would have hoped. He mentioned chatting again in the future, which was the best part of all.

How about you? What’s been beautiful in your world lately? Spread the beauty in the comments!

Three beautiful things from my past week:

1. A lovely night with Rudi at the ballpark ended with a Mets win and the thunderstorm not moving in until after we’d biked back home.

2. Love and Gelato got off to a bit of a rocky start for me with some significant details changed from the book early on, but in the end they didn’t affect much of the story.

3. A former coworker and I have plans to catch up tomorrow. I’m very much looking forward to talking with him.

How about you?

Three beautiful things from my past week:

1. I came home Tuesday in time for volleyball and Rudi followed tonight. Our bed is not as comfortable as the place where we stayed, but Corey is here and it is ours and I will take being in it over any other.

2. I wrapped up my portion of the Portland trip with an hour in a soaking pool at a nearby hotel, a very spa’ish experience and for $8 a very reasonable one. When our time was up, I felt boneless and very relaxed.

3. I went up to Fort Reno for tonight’s concert, only to have a biting rainstorm sweep down on us just as the second act was about to begin. I folded our waterproof picnic blanket over my backpack (which held my library book) and decided to sit out the weather, rather than running for shelter. It wasn’t thundering and it wasn’t hailing, so there was no harm in staying out, and while they did eventually call the show, I was first rewarded with a rainbow and a fellow passing me by saying, “Now, you’re punk rock!” And I just laughed and laughed as I got wetter and more ridiculous, but those bubbles of laughter carried with them a lightness I haven’t felt in a long time.

How about you? What’s been beautiful in your world lately?

Three beautiful things from my past week:

1. The airbnb that Rudi booked us turns out to be in the vicinity of one of Portland’s art districts and is a very walkable neck of the woods for our base of operations. It also includes a vegan bar that makes mocktails, so I got to spend my one dinner on my own in town in a particularly pleasant fashion.

2. On Monday, I got to see one of my favorite former coworkers at the concert and spend time catching up. It had been more than three months since I’d last seen her. Tonight, I got to see one of my dearest friends (whom I’ve known since college) and her family and spend time catching up. It has been more than a dozen years since I’d last seen her, and it was like no time had passed at all (except with her son, who is now in high school and absolutely delightful).

3. I’ve spent several weeks building a playlist for the volleyball team and finally got to unveil part of it on Tuesday. People were very enthusiastic.

How about you? What’s been beautiful in your world lately?

Three beautiful things from my past week:

1. My dahlia has bloomed.

2. I had lunch with one friend and supper with another this week.

3. This was the first week of summer volleyball coaching. We had five kids show up, all of whom were very enthusiastic about playing and learning.

How about you? What’s been beautiful in your world this week?