Have you ever had one of those days? Of course you have. Today I was out of sorts for no reason at all – in fact, I had many reasons to be in a great mood: Sophie’s heart is healthy. Barack Obama’s our new president. I’m not on deadline (not really, at least) with a story.The weather is absolutely perfect — the temperature we dream of all year. The holidays are coming. (And I am the Jew who loves Christmas.)

And yet — bah humbug! I was in a rotten mood all day. Nothing could shake it out of me; I even snuck in a trip to Target, and left empty-basketed (well, almost) and still sour.

I got home in time for cuddles from the kids, which did help (it’s hard to be in a bad mood around either of my girls, and Sophie was so excited to not have to take medicine anymore) and stood at the mail table, surveying the mess. I started sorting, and landed upon what must be an untouched pile Ray brought in sometime last week.

In the pile was a thick white envelope from Amanda Blake, my total artist crush and godmother of Girl in a Party Hat, having named her via her lovely portrait. (Thanks to Deborah, as well, for actually coming up with the name.)

Hmmm, I thought. That must have been a VERY late night purchase. I have racked up the Amanda Blake purchases on etsy.com in the past few months, but didn’t recall one so recent. (See if you can resist: www.amandablakeart.blogspot.com or search her name on etsy.)

Inside was a brown waxed paper bag, tied with a pink ribbon. I knew what it was even before I lifted it out of the transluscent paper.

“Margaret in a Fairy Ring” is all it said on the back, in pencil, with a scrawled signature.

And with that, my black cloud broke.

Wikipedia is full of bad news about fairy rings, as I learned when I did a little Googling after Annabelle got a little obsessed not long ago. But I maintain that they’re nothing but good.