Pleasantly kidnapped

I was sitting on the floor of my living room, minding my own dang business putting away Christmas ornaments (yes, I know I'm a bit late), when the doorbell rang.  The Girl Scouts have all turned in their cookie order forms, and we don't get foot traffic very often, so I got up off the floor wondering who it might be.

Three of my girlfriends, all grinning wicked, and telling me, "Surprise! You're being kidnapped!"

Apparently my husband knew about this all along, and his protestations about my not making any plans on Saturday because he would "need me to watch the boys" were all a big hoax to keep me from filling up the time with errands.  That explains him rolling his eyes at me the night before when I told him I would take the boys out and about town to keep them out of his hair.

They pulled me out of the house, bundled me into my friend Marie's car, and whisked me away for brunch.  They had wanted to get me out of bed early in the morning, and make me go in my PJs and bathrobe, but fortunately, DH intervened.  I would like to pretend that I am the kind of person who can "go with the flow"...but I am not.  Spontaneity does not come naturally to me.  I like to know what is coming, and when, and for how long, and what I need to bring, etc.  (Barley gets much of his rigidity from me, I am afraid)  Plus, I am really NOT a morning person.

11:00am on a Saturday when my husband has cleverly prevented me from planning anything, other than putting Christmas ornaments away, that I can handle.

We had a merry time over brunch, catching up with each other's holiday events.  This is a great group of gals that I've been getting to know this last year.  We all knit or crochet, and have formed a book club with another friend.  This is actually my third circle of friends that I have followed Marie into.  It all started years ago when I met Marie through my old career in financial planning.  We had so much in common, she invited me and DH into her circle of game-playing friends.  Then I followed her to a fiber arts group meeting in the mountains.  And most recently, this intimate circle of girlfriends who have known each other for years.  They (we now) support each other through illness, house moves, job woes, and all the other trials and tribulations that life lays out for us.

And sometimes, they just come kidnap you in the middle of quiet day, to treat you to brunch, and hang out at a local coffee shop, watching the world go by and checking in to make sure you're still OK.

I am truly blessed.