I grew up thinking the best day of my life was a sunny Saturday afternoon I’d spent with my Grama when I was 10. We went swimming at the indoor wave pool for hours, sliding down the water slide, taking Slush puppy breaks and cannon balling until our fingers were wrinkly. Later, we got McDonalds for lunch, made cheese and crackers for snack, and saw a movie together. I remember being so happy all day to get the treats I was always asking mum for. I knew it was the greatest day as it was happening, so I committed it all to memory, and included an entry about that day in my diary.
Now, my definition of what my favourite day would include has changed a bit. While I haven’t lived this day yet, here’s what I imagine it looking like:
Dawn: Wake up in time to see the sun rise and breathe in the crisp, fresh air of morning, sitting on my roof. I didn’t get tired from waking up so early because it is the perfect day. I eat white Oreo or 6.
Real Breakfast: I eat a waffle covered in custard, strawberry coulis and fresh strawberries, like from Cora’s. Then I take a shower, but it’s not my shower. It’s a rainfall shower with a showerhead as wide as a dinner plate and the warm water falls on me from the ceiling. I don’t get any shampoo in my eyes, and when I emerge, my skin is as soft and smooth as a baby’s.
Morning: After taking enough time in the shower to digest my breakfast, I do an hour of yoga. I do this in a wide, clean room with a temperature of about 22 with fans on, to mimic the weather of a perfect day at the beach. I move through the poses breathing deeply and slowly and when I am done my final meditation poses, I feel completely invigorated and refreshed.
Lunch: I meet up with my best girl friends at a great patio restaurant, maybe Metropolitan on Sussex. We feats on delicious food, fruity boozy drinks, and we laugh until I’m afraid I might pee. After the waiter tells us it’s on the house and we all give him kisses on the cheek, we decide to go to my house.
Afternoon: We arrive in my living room after a brisk but not armpit-sweat inducing stroll. Miraculously, the room has been transformed into an urban himam, draped with taffeta at the ceilings and throw pillows in colourful silks thrown about the floor. It’s the perfect setting to relax in. As we watch classic movies like “Empire Records” and “Now and Then,” some spa people come in and treat us to facials, manicures and massages, of course.
As we reach the peak of relaxation and bliss, we all call it a day and return home. I shower a nice cool lavender rinse to remove the massage oil, and listen to The Fray’s “How to Save a Life” album as I get read. My hair, skin, makeup and outfit come together in a way they never have before. I have another cup of hibiscus tea as I wait for my man to come.
Evening: He arrives and picks me up for a nice dinner. Not too fancy, maybe even Montana’s Steakhouse. We’re together and that’s what counts. We eat wonderfully greasy foods and laugh and never stop looking at each other because we’re just so happy to be together. Eventually, we tire of the restaurant and return home for some alone time.
Night: Not to be described in detail here. But it is thrilling.

See? It’s nothing involving global trips or decadent expenses that couldn’t be recovered in a few months’ budgeting. Maybe I’ll actually take to it and do it one day. But don’t worry, every day I have here has something in it that’s the best. Today, I bet, will be the best father-daughter moment we have in awhile, as we’re going on a movie date.