What could be nicer?

I came home tonight from a lovely dinner to find a message on my voice mail. When I listened to it, a seven-year-old voice said all in one breath, "Goodbye. I love you." I laughed, because when last seen I was dropping him off at baseball practice. He had insisted I put the top down on the car--I think so he could make a showy arrival, climbing out of the car instead of opening the door. When I jokingly said, "I don't suppose you're going to give me a kiss," he gave me the most disgusted look I've ever seen from this normally sweet child. I know, in front of the coach and the other boys! Never! So I guess this was a bit of a way of making amends.
I had just come home from a wonderful dinner with good friends. Sue lived next door to me for six or eight years and we became close friends. Her parents live in Ottawa, Canada, so she calls me her Fort Worth mother (the age difference is about right). Tonight her parents and her boyfriend, whom I adore, were in town, and they invited me to join them at Sera, a relatively new place near my house. We had a joyful evening, and the food was great--I had Arroz something--with roasted tomatoes, greens, a couple of pieces of artichoke and wonderful sautéed scallops. So good. We had Littleneck clams for an appetizer. Now I consider myself a fairly sophisticated eater--didn't I have tartare last night?--but I've never had clams. I wasn't blown away by them. But we had an olive oil cake (much better than it sounds) and a chocolate/orange something that was wonderful. Nothing better than a great meal with good friends.
I am eternally grateful for the life I lead. Of course there was one blip on the day's screen. Jacob was to go home with a friend after school today, and I was peacefully napping when a neighbor called from the school and asked if I knew that Jacob and his friend were in the principal's office. No one had picked them up, but they had called the other boy's grandmother and she was on her way. So I waited a bit and called, and, yes, she had the boys. When I went to pick Jacob up, I told the grandfather, a friend and neighbor, that I'd forgotten the books I laid out for his wife. "That's okay," he said, "I forgot to pick up the kids." We all have days like that.
Feels like spring, redbuds are blooming, and I think--not sure--I saw a dogwood in bloom today. Maybe this time spring is really arriving, even if a little late. I think today was the first day I had the top down on the car.
Life is good, and I feel blessed with friends and family.