My week started with a reunion of four college roommates, one of whom lives half a planet away in New Zealand.

The newest additions to my family arrived from England for a visit. My adult son met his newest cousin.

A friend retired from work after 43 years (and oh, yes, I’m definitely envious.)

The great blue heron (a great blue heron) returned to the pond outside my office for a visit.

I spotted two enormous hawks flying low one morning on my way to work.

A friend saw a gaggle of geese freeze in place suddenly while standing in a patch of grass, stopped in mid-motion, immobile as statues for minutes on end—one with a foot in the air, one with head bent only part way to its wing, others in similarly odd positions. (She showed me a picture.) Did they sense a predator nearby? My friend waited several minutes for them to move; but when she walked away, they remained as statues.

I heard a wren (or think I did).

Four swallowtail caterpillars chrysallized in the jar where I had made their home, three green chrysalles and one gray one. I stopped worrying that I had run out of food to nourish the voracious little beasts to their next life stage.

Nature delivered a sunny thundershower complete with rainbow.

Facebook spent the week reminding me of family vacations – to Maine, to Ireland. Whale-spotting, exploring, smiling, joined by the ones I love most.

My son pulled his artistic talent off a shelf and won first place in a chalk-drawing contest, besting his professional artist father (who took second place). Papa was proud.

I revisited the Ivan Albright exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago (and took in some other wonders while I was there).

I spent Friday night reading poetry (A People’s History of Chicago, by Kevin Coval) with my book club.

I had only two medical appointments (both with my OT), fewest in a long time—but spent some 11 hours (so far) stretching my hand in The Claw.

My husband bought a $5 part for our microwave and engaged in a mechanical wrestling match and repair battle that yielded a working appliance and saved us loads of bucks.

I loved my husband and son every minute of every day, walked my dogs when I could, wrote two poems, ate a little bit lower on the food chain than usual, and might have moved just a little bit out of a months-long funk.

With one day left, I’m calling it a pretty good week.