Easy and Elegant Life

The Search for Everyday Elegance and the Art of Living Well.

The Midweek License

©istockphoto/Digital Image by Sean Locke
©istockphoto/Digital Image by Sean Locke

I’ve got a jingle running around in my head: “You deserve a break today……”

It’s Wednesday, which either triggers jubilation or consternation, depending on how your week is going. Half empty or half full it is, regardless, cause for celebration. The goal is to make your day as easy and elegant as possible.

Wednesday is laundry day around here. Midweek is just the time to reward yourself with crisply laundered sheets and ironed pillowcases. It gives you something to look forward to at the end of the day.

But we have to get you there first.

My guess is that you are well past your (hopefully) nutritious and sustaining breakfast. You may have already had your morning coffee and are well into the inbox. Wednesdays are days to get things done that have been left undone since the beginning of the week. Which means that you are going to need a break by this afternoon.

I’ve got another little ditty running through my brain. We used it to warm up before performances: A proper cup of coffee in a proper copper coffee cup.

I hope you have access to a proper coffee shop. If not the ubiquitous Starbucks will have to do. This afternoon, why don’t you take a real coffee break? Take along a novel or a bit of the morning paper (I suggest the arts and entertainment section, the book review, or the editorials) and order a demi-tasse of espresso. Sit at a table. Take as long as you can get away with to drink your small cup and read your paper. While in Europe, I would have a panatella (sometimes a pastis or cognac!) along with my coffee. I doubt that you can do that here. Instead have one small, dark, bittersweet piece of chocolate and walk back to the office, refreshed.

On the way home, stop off and pick up some fresh flowers in a cheering colour. You might pick up some very fresh food for tonight (a globe artichoke or some string beans, perhaps), fresh crusty bread and a nice bottle of wine. I recommend a white Burgundy, a dry rosé, or a Sauvignon Blanc (stay away from anything oaked.) A simple meal is in order tonight. An omelette aux fines herbes with your specially purchased fresh side dish and a green salad dressed with a vinaigrette.

(An aside: If you are single, or have no children to worry about, and are feeling particularly awake, it might be a fine night to attend a concert or performance. Something special may have caught your eye when you read that bit of the paper this afternoon. Seek something soothing, bossa nova, jazz or light classical. I live in a college town and there is always a live performance somewhere and there are always good seats available. Oftentimes the performances are free. But avoid the bar scene as it is counterproductive to the goal of the evening.)

At last to bed on your new sheets. I suggest showering and shaving first. It will refresh you and cut down a little on your morning rush.

10 thoughts on “The Midweek License

  1. Ahhh! The virtual pleasure you create by writing this scenario is almost as good as living it! I can always count on you to get me back on track to living the life I would love….even if soccer practice and evening client meetings, and the other mundane things seem to get in the way. You have a way of making the mundane (laundry) seem like a wonderfully happy and fresh activity. I can see now it is all in the attitude….which I see needs a little sprucing up in my case! Thanks for the attitude adjustment. 🙂

  2. katiedid, evening client meetings are no fun at all. However, a lawn chair, straw hat and thermos can trun soccer practice into a day at the polo matches….

    jessica, good plan!

    Hello Peak! If at first you don’t succeed…. I’m glad I could help.

  3. Just this morning after depositing several happy campers at a “grand prix” racing camp – I then returned home and literally put all the clean, dry, warm laundry on my little tv watching sloth. The sloth surprised me and folded it all into a nice stack of pan-cakes!
    Just had a coffee to give me a boost after picking up our old car that was being serviced…. and off to get lamb chops and cous cous for dinner…. and something green to accompany.
    Wednesday is hump day – all down hill from here til friday!
    Thanks for making me fell less of a boomerang mid-week.

  4. puh-leeze… that girl in the photo doesn’t have her pinky in the air, does she? that’s a definite NON-U thing to do!

  5. Hiya Fairfax, falls under the “See more with this model” stock folder… slim pickin’s. I keep thinking I could make a fortune shooting much needed stuff, if I only had the eye!

    Mrs. PvE! Your dinner plans sound divine. A well earned respite from the day.

  6. Miguelina, if it weren’t for the flight… I just barely made it through the 45 minute round trip to the mechanic’s dropping off Mrs. E.’s car… my children don’t travel well at all.

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