Rays of Sunshine

I was sitting in my office, bundled up in a sweatshirt and sweatpants and still feeling cold, despite the fact that we no longer have to fight the temperature wars of the past few weeks.  Temperatures are rising, the sun is shining, but it's still cold enough outside that when the dogs come in through the dog door, which is right opposite my desk, it lets cold air into my office.
 
I was thinking of how the dogs were the smart ones, each claiming her own little ray of sunshine in the living room, soaking up the warmth of the sun streaming through the living room windows. 

The heck with this, I thought, and went in to join my pack.  Lizzie and Sheila were both in patches of sun on the floor while Polly was enjoying her rays on the table behind the couch.  There was a lovely, large, warm, sunny spot on the couch itself and I lay down in it.  The temperature outside was chilly enough that it wasn't an overly warm spot of sun, but with the quilt over my un-sun parts and my head and shoulders in the sun area, I was soon warm...and asleep.  I slept for an hour.

Maybe these dogs have the right idea after all!

A brighter ray of sunshine came in the afternoon, with the mail.  There was that always longed-for envelope from Compassion International announcing "Message from your sponsored child."  This was from Emmanuella, in Ghana, whom I have sponsored for a little over a year now.  It was the usual brief letter, giving little tidbits  of information about her life, including the news that her mother now has a pastry business and that Emmanuella is helping her.  I almost didn't see the photo that was attached to the back of the letter.  It was the kind of photo that makes me keep on sponsoring these children.

I chose Emmanuella because she had the saddest face of the group of children I was checking out.  She was also one of the "older ones," not the cute little 4 year olds whom anybody would want to take to their heart.  So I agreed to be her sponsor.

The second photo I got from her, last year at about this time, showed a teeny, almost imperceptible hint of a smile.  Today's photo made it all worthwhile.

Look at that beaming smile.  No longer the sad, almost angry face of 2 years ago.  Some day I will get such a photo from little Theresa, also from Ghana.  So far there are only pictures like this.  I long for a big smile from this little girl some day.

I had a final ray of sunshine after the sun went down.  Walt and I went in to Sacramento to Capital Stage to see a play called "The North Plan."   This was my third show to review this week, and I really prefer 2-show to 3-show weeks.  But I sighed and we went.

I knew nothing about this play, other than what I learned at a brief glance at a review from somewhere else.  I knew that it was going to involve some sort of dystopian society where the government has been overthrown and some guy is working to bring down the new evil overlords.  Sounded like it was going to be some heavy political statement.

I could not have been more wrong.  For one thing, I didn't reaize that Marta's friend Katie Rubin, whose acting career I have followed since 2004, when she was still a student here at UC Davis, was in it.  It was a surprise to read that in the program...even more of a surprise to find she was the lead character.   But I definitely was not prepared for the absolutely hilarious script, which was perfectly geared to Katie's talents as a comedienne and, more, someone who does great physical comedy.  Not slapstick, but the kind of comedy where everything is projected through body language and facial expressions.  She was just wonderful, as was everyone in the play.

The biggest surprise, though, came at intermission when I looked up from my seat and saw Ned standing there.  He and Marta had come to see Katie too.   We had a nice chat during intermission, though I did not see them after the show ended.

What a great day, filled with wonderful rays of sunshine!