Back to Basics - a Friday Challenge

Yesterday, despite my good start, was a tough day. I don't feel well, a chronic complaint that has flared up with everything going on, and I struggled through the day. A couple of things cheered me up a bit. I decided that, since I had a bit of time between an appointment with a client and my weekly visit to Arlo (my 90 year old writing pal), I would go by way of the crack house knitting store, The Loop. I was there purely to do a bit of retail therapy - I admit it. I've got a project on one set of needles - a lace wrap - that will take me a zillion years to finish and am nearly finished my second set of socks on a second set. But I wanted MORE - that's the trouble with crack wool. So I picked up some lace weight in two gorgeous colours - one hand-painted in rusts, pinks and green and the other in apple green. I'm going to make a lacey shawl! Yay! And I had a nice long talk with the woman there about what patterns to try etc... I found an old magazine for cheap too and that will be fun as it has a few patterns in it that make it worthwhile.
Then, when I was at Arlo's, he gave me two Writers Digests to borrow. He has a subscription but makes his way fairly slowly. So I get them and devour them and give them back before he's ready to read them. This is a good thing.
When I got back to work I read bits of both mags between appointments and considered knitting and writing projects. I also felt cheered, soley by the colours of the alpaca/silk lace weight I had bought. Have I mentioned to you lately that it has rained here for at least forty days? I know, I know, everyone is going through some sort of 'weather incident' but gawwwwd.
How to bring this to the challenge, the writer wonders? I think it is that many of us feel challenged enough right now. I know I do - if anyone asked me to voluntarily take up a challenge right now - I might challenge them to a duel. So your challenge today, is to think of some no-big-deal thing that would pick you up, would colour your spring a little brighter. Mine was to hang out with knitters (both in the shop and in the magazine) and writers (both with Arlo and with the Writers Digest). To allow myself to soak in the ideas, the encouragement, the colours.
Now, dear peoples, I'm going to write for a couple of hours. I don't need to be in for awhile so am free to explore at will. Let's see how this colours my writing.

this pic shows (left to right) me, the suddenly deposed king of the house - Jesse, my mum holding Calvin, fresh from the bakery and my dear sister, Jude.

ps: Happy Birthday dear Calvin! My son is 39 today. How could that be?
I'm at the Burrow writing about who I am as a mother - and tomorrow is chick day...just cleaned out the brooder (which doubles as a bin for our feed after they graduate to the coop!