I might have borrowed the title of this post from a book cover I saw recently.

It describes Olivine and what I am trying to practice more often. She gets my undivided attention for a few hours and determines where we go (I might have forced in a quick Trader Joe’s stop for groceries, but other than that, we were on “Olivine time”).
Originally wanting to head to the aquarium, we had short detour after looking out the window and seeing the park near our place (closed most of the summer for renovation- a disguised blessing that kept us searching all summer for other parks) reopened. I slammed on the breaks, pulled into a spot, and felt silly living one block away, but she’s the boss.I let her wander and discover (no boys to tell her where to go). It was almost perfect that she explored the playground first. Next time when we all go together she’ll be the one who already has prior knowledge.
When she needed me, I came.

I did some quiet sitting. And yes. I noticed in myself how seriously restless my heart is. What’s not to love on a Monday morning in an empty park? For me, it is tied to productivity. What I am doing? contributing? producing?And then I heard her voice “calling number 28”

and when I looked over she was beckoning to me “Hey lady, your tofu sandwich and lemonade are ready!” She played store with the sand and demanded I gather leaves to pay, the only kind of money this pop-up shop accepts.
We eventually went to the aquarium and just like Joe has bragged, it is fairly empty on a Monday morning, then we came home just in time for lunch.
She sat under the window, thrilled to be undisturbed in singing practice with her microphone.

We had a lovely morning together.