Yesterday, it seems, I caught the Christmas spirit, and it came from a very unlikely place—by the Kennebec River in Augusta, Maine. With its empty storefronts on main street, its strip development, and its labyrinthinian malls that aren’t quite malls, Augusta must come close to being the shabbiest community in Maine. On the other hand, what more appropriate place to be visited by the Christmas spirit, which always moves unexpectedly?

Because we only have one car, I must bring my husband, Clif, to work and of course pick him up again so that I can go to the Cancer Center for treatment each day. (I do want to add that two special friends—Sybil and Alice—have been giving me rides two days each week, which has been a tremendous help.)

Yesterday was a “tired” day for me, when all I felt like doing in the afternoon was spending time on the couch, alternating between reading and napping. This is hardly surprising. I am nearly at the end of radiation treatment, and fatigue is perfectly normal. But not much fun, especially during this busy time of year. Let’s just say that wanting to spend each afternoon dozing on the couch doesn’t exactly lead to holiday cheer.

Even after my nap, I was still tired, and I drove rather bleary eyed to Augusta to fetch Clif. It was dark, and this only added to the tiredness. I decided to bring our dog, Liam, along. Now that it gets dark so early, he doesn’t get half as much outside time as he would like, and I thought a trip to Augusta would give him a little something to think about.

Clif works in an office building on a small hill overlooking the Kennebec River, and when I parked the car, I noticed a blue and white shimmer from a park below. Five or six bare trees—good-sized ones—were strung with lights, and they looked lovely in the dark. Since I had about ten minutes or so to spare before Clif got out of work, I decided to take the dog for walk in the park. Down main street we went and down several flights of newly constructed outside stairs—me going in a choppy fashion because of my arthritic knees and the dog trotting nimbly ahead of me. (May he have many more nimble years!)

This is going to sound like a cliché, but so be it. As I walked among the trees, I felt as if I were bathed in a shimmer of blue and white. All was quiet except for the murmur of the river. There was just the dog and I, and it seemed as though we were in some kind of enchanted place. Now, in the many, many times I’ve gone to Augusta, I think it’s safe to say I’ve never felt as though it was some kind of enchanted place. But that is how I felt last night after being among the trees and the lights.

After the best night’s sleep I’ve had in a long time, I woke up this morning feeling very nearly like my old perky self, full of bustle and plans. I felt so good, in fact, that after going to the Cancer Center, I decided to treat myself to a donut at Tim Horton’s, to a Canadian maple glazed donut. Then it came to me: Why not have a treat a day until next Friday, December 10, which will be the last day of radiation? What better way to celebrate coming down the homestretch? None that I can think of, and that’s what I’ve decided to do.

For a foodie, the best celebrations are ones that involve food, and my plan is to have something special every day. Since our budget is modest, and Christmas is approaching, the treats will be small. But that’s just fine. I love little treats.

From now until next Friday, I’ll be having a “treat a day.” On the blog, there will be pictures and little descriptions about the treats.

Was it the Christmas spirit that perked me up or a good night’s sleep? Who cares? What fun to plan a week of treats.