Looking for the smiles

Weather-wise, this has been one of the most bleak and grey weeks that I can remember in a long time. In addition, I'm now sick and am officially a mouth-breather. So I decided to start looking for things to make me smile today. It's surprising how many things I was able to find once I started looking.

I couldn't figure out what this was at first, but then I realized this van was filled with helium balloons. How can you not smile at a van full of balloons? Surely, it was on its way to brighten someone's day or flank a junior high graduation stage. My former boss thought balloons were the event decor death knell and current clients always go on about the environmental impact of these happy globes. But I secretly kind of love balloons at a party. They're just so easy and impactful. They instantly say party. You can't deny it. Plus helium voices are pretty funny.

This, at the Art Gallery of Hamilton, made me smile because I can think of dozens of reasons this sign is wrong. Here is a sampling of the important things that DO, in fact, require 6 foot neon letters:
- Spring - where the F are you?!?!
- My family's got my back and I'm lucky to have them.
- The world would be a little bit better if every day we each paid one compliment to someone else. Just one. Your hair looks good today, by the way.
- Finally! The royal wedding hype is over. Almost.
- Vote.
- Welcome home Sue!

As I pulled into my driveway yesterday I was pleasantly shocked to see these hyacinths (I think?) growing in my front garden. I don't remember them from last year. Is it possible I have secret, green-thumbed neighbourhood nymphs that have selected me as the lucky recipient of their midnight mulching? This would be pretty cool. Unfortunately, the more likely explanation is that my memory is waning. Either way, they're pretty.

Both this woman's oblivion and her effort made me smile. Sure, that hair ponytail holder thing is fake and only slightly better quality than Barbie hair, but at least she's trying. In Hamilton, this is a big deal. And until I looked closer I didn't really notice that she was using performance enhancing polyester elastics. I was also probably smiling because, as you may be able to tell, I was standing in line at a Winners waiting to buy a new dress.

You'll be hard pressed to find a more colourful Easter dinner plate. So pretty, so delicious. I found a new recipe to make carrots bearable. That Kinder Surprise was a bit of a letdown, however. Who is in Taiwan coming up with these 'toys'? Really. There's no rhyme or reason to them and what am I supposed to do with a teeny tiny car/plane with no passenger and half a panda figurine? I also heard that some kid had his Kinder Surprise taken away before he boarded a plane recently. Contraband. Banned. Stupid.

This was my first foray into puff pastry and I ended up baking this weird blob that turned out to look like an origami crane. I think lots of buttery good luck is coming my way.