I didn't believe it when they said

I didn't believe it when they said it would snow this weekend, but I was wrong.

Yesterday was an exciting day.
Because I had left work Thursday just a frustrating smidgen too late for making it to Tags that evening, I gave myself permission to do the errand on the way in, even if it meant I would arrive a little late. I'd wrapped up enough of my crunch-time pre-release testing that it's finally OK again to spare some time like that. (Although my boss was happy to suggest I can leave early to do the errand, that is of no help on Fridays, since I'm headed in the opposite direction those eveings.) So, I hop off the bus a stop early, to walk into Porter Sq --- the distance is really quite equivalent whether you use the official Porter Sq stop, or the one just before it at the Post Office, but ooh the earlier one feels delightfully different somehow. So I hop off there, cross the road, and start heading towards the shopping center, when I am flagged down by a woman on the sidewalk.
"Can you be a witness for me and my husband?"
My first inclincation is to say no; the time is tight, I'll probably be late as it is ... and then I remember that it's OK this morning --- no ticking clock over me, the permission is already granted. So I say yes! And I feel so free! And they are very happy, the woman and her husband, because they are planning to buy some land down in Louisiana (I think it was) and build a house for themselves and their son (who was playing with crayons in the corner of the notary shop. So I skim over the document, and learn their names (Landon & Amanda), and I *could* have learned all about the property for which she's granting him this power of attorney, but eh even with my exhilarating freedom I do have other things I want to get to, so I just skim it. And I am quietly amused as the couple correct themselves over the process "no, wait, wait, don't sign that until he's watching" even though the notary himself doesn't seem to care what order things happen in.
The notary writes down my name & address in his register book, and the name & address of the other witness, who likewise seems to be a woman pulled in from errands, since she has a small stack of stamped letters with her. As a side note, this notary has the most amazingly bad handwriting --- I can barely make out that the series of intersecting slanting lines he's marked in his book do form letters and spell out my name. Anyway, we sign (twice: once on the form, and once in the register), and there are thank-yous and handshakes all around, and the couple seems so happy, and I am happy to have been able to help and so easy! And again, so free -- a generous sort of feeling.

Then, within minutes, I am back on my way to Tags, where I get to poke thru all sorts of fun colors of oilcloth and select two exciting & bright patterns, that Jonathon & I will get to use over Passover to make wipeable work surfaces for meat vs dairy. It's going to be cooler than the wimpy plastic tablecloths I used before, which Jonathon recently told me he really dislikes and could we do something better?
Yes, we can.
I'm happy for the good reason to buy some of these artificial cloths, which I have been admiring over several trips. It's always different patterns every time I go, so I feel lucky that there are several which appeal to me this trip!
The saleswoman who helps me out with them admits she hasn't often had to measure&cut these merchandise, so I get to help her out with the task, which actually feels really good. A tiny and enjoyable puzzle, rather than just standing in the way being served. And she's in what seems to be a genuinely good mood, which is infectious. Then again, so am I in a good mood -- and it continues, as I get to walk around with my two bright rolls of "cloth" under my arm. They compliment my raincoat :-)

So that was my exciting start to the day. Small adventures, and I enjoyed them very much.

To make it even better, at work that day, a co-worker T came to me with a request for help with something he was stuck on, and even though I hadn't had any previous experience with that particular little setting in our product, it turned out to rely on parts of the underlying messaging engine which I understand *very well* and it was just a joy to work with them again. Total joy, and I cleared up what was going wrong (although the fix will not make this release).

And speaking of this release, ha ha!, it is done! The last build was kicked off, and yes, there will be some automated testing over the weekend and perhaps manual review on Monday but everything *I* need to do for it is squared away and hahahaha I am so glad.

(The manager for the product that will be my next project joined us chatting in the hall at the end of the day and asked in a only partly-facetious way if that means I am working yet on his product again? Monday, I tell him, Monday :-)

Monday, and it promises to be an interesting challenge.

But first, it is Friday, and I get to go to shul (taking a celebratory taxi), where I discover to my happy surprise that a friend of mine is lay-leading. I could have known, but I forgot.

After services, Bonne & David & I got out to dinner at the Eretreian place which we'd been accidentally squeezed out of last time. With just the three of us, it's easy to fit, and we have lots of cheerful talk with the waitress this time. I think that maybe they are extra talkative because of the mistake last time which somehow makes it easier to open up a conversation now. Or maybe she's just in a good mood -- or we are -- but it's nice. That waitress is always friendly, but this time I learn her name (Saba, and Nettie is the other regular) and she teaches us interesting things about Asmara/Eretreia, like that it was an Italian colony -- which I totally would never have guessed.

So all in all an excellent day, and now I get to measure out and slice up the fun table-covers and wrap up the Passover house-prep, too.

Ciao!