Magic Hour

I got my day of warm-enough weather.
Even though this weekend I've been bundled in warm polka-dot socks and a beanie,
the week was unseasonably warm.

If Neal hadn't been unseasonably busy, I'm sure we would've taken a couple more late afternoon Vespa dates... a favorite of ours.
But between student meetings, my job applications, keeping up with our running program, and getting ready for this past weekend's retreat, we kept it at one lovely Lincoln Park date.

Sometimes Neal gets off as early as 3:00pm, and it's then we go for these midday "one hour dates."
Half the day is over, half is still to go.
Who says you can't steal away with your love for a park bench worth of conversation before the day goes on?
A ride, the city neighborhoods, a bench, catching up on our day, feeling instantly away from everything pressing.
It's magic.

And then, just like that, the magic is over, and it's back to hauling the laundry up, baking for small group, straightening the living room for another meeting, filing clutters of papers, answering emails.
But somehow, the magic of the last hour is a fuel for our souls, and "just another day" turns into so much more.