A Note About the Title

Yes I am aware that the title is partially borrowed from Alice Hoffman's book Practical Magic and the movie of the same name. It is one of my favorite books in fact and I own the movie (of course!) despite it not being nearly as good an interpretation as I had hoped for. Having said that, it is not just borrowed from a favorite book, but rather a way of living in the world. Let me explain.

Today has been a day of, for lack of a better description, intrusion for me. Perhaps it is because I feel like it is Monday and the rest of the world is clearly aware that it is Saturday. Not just any Saturday, it is the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. So, while I want to enjoy a peaceful day of rest and relaxation (it is my vacation after all), the rest of the neighborhood has been droning on like a hive of bees in activity.

There are three houses across the street from me on my block. The neighbors in the first house showed up this morning with a moving truck to begin a day of hauling possessions back and forth to their new home. My ever-alert and protective labrador has spent the day barking at them off and on to warn me of the dangers of their presence - whatever these may be. She will not be placated and she is tireless in her guarding. So every few minutes, the air is punctuated with her barks. Even our walk today was difficult for she insisted on stopping every 3 feet or so to either sniff or dribble - literally marking our way. While she always does this when we walk, it usually only at the beginning until she has completed her business and then we are able to enjoy a nice brisk, continuous walk. Today however, she persisted throughout the entire walk. I don't think I have ever started and stopped something so many times in a single endeavor!

The neighbor in the center house across the street had his driveway repaved. Apparently this takes a large, loud machine to accomplish. Although it did not take very long, it was a loud incessant noise and it gave the dog yet another thing to warn me about.

The neighbor in the third house spent the entire day in his yard, with a leaf blower and a lawn mower and a trimmer. None of these things operate quietly. And I swear he had one or the other running all day long.

And finally, I love my deck, sitting in the sun on my deck and generally enjoying a book or magazine in peace and quiet. But even the weather did not cooperate today. It looked deceptively warm, like a nice day to sit on the deck. It was however, quite breezy - with a chill in the air. And each time the clouds passed over the sun, it was downright cold. So I battled blown pages and shivering. Why not just go inside you might ask - well, simply put, I find it difficult to be inside when it looks so nice outside. And I am on vacation and want to have a little relaxation, not all housework....

What does all of this have to do with the title of my blog? Well, around 5 o'clock, all the incessant activity on the block came to an end. I can only surmise that it is dinner time and everyone has retreated indoors to prepare and consume. And for a few moments, there was nothing for the dogs to bark at - not a soul or a sound. It was, for me, magical, this silence. I stopped making the bed and lay diagonally across it on fresh sheets. I watched the wind blow the leaves on the tree ouside my bedroom window. I watched the late afternoon sun sparkle across the leaves. And the mild irritation that had followed me all day finally dissipated. I actually dozed for 15 minutes or so. To me, that is practical magic. When the mind and body join to enjoy, embrace, or just plain old take advantage of the moment. A peaceful, short nap in the late afternoon. Heaven.....

As for other random acts of lunacy, I think my previous entries are beginning to sum those up nicely.....so, seek magic everyday, and don't forget to stop and embrace whenever, wherever you find it.