WHAT Was The Problem?

The grass needed to be cut. Because of my schedule and the weather forecast for the next few days, it had to be tonight.

The weather wasn't particularly conducive to yard work, though. The above-average temperature and high humidity didn't feel so bad when I left work and walked to my car, but the exertion of mowing the lawn made me sweat profusely. The waistband of my shorts was completely saturated and I had to keep wiping my face off with the sleeve of my shirt. It was hard to push the mower through the grass, because it was long and slightly damp from yesterday's rain. The farther I got into the project, the more rotten my mood became.

I knew I had to knock myself back into a better state of mind. As I paced back and forth across the back yard, I started making a mental gratitude list, which helped:

• Since there's no one else in the house, I can make (and have) dinner whenever I want.

• I can eat whatever I want!

• Cutting the grass can substitute for a trip to the gym today.

• I'm glad I have a lawn to cut. And a lawn mower to cut it with.
  

By time I put the lawn mower back in the garage, my attitude had already started to improve. I came in, drank a big glass of water, and decided to take a bath. I ran some cool water in the tub and poured in a sample packet of Burt's Bees Baby Bee Buttermilk Bath, which was appropriate because I had been acting pretty childish.

I sat and soaked in the tub. As the dirt and sweat melted off my body, my mood continued to get better. Pepper the cat came into the bathroom, jumped on the side of the tub, and gave me a tail swish. I got out, dried off, and sat on the bed to get some clean clothes out of the dresser. Pepper followed me, even though it wasn't even close to meal time. He jumped on the bed, leaned against me, and purred.

Immediately, the last of my bad mood disappeared. I spent a few minutes petting Pepper between his ears and rubbing the underside of his chin. His purring got louder. After a couple of minutes I was as content as he was.