Today started kind of sideways, and never really righted itself. I was handed lots of lemons; I made lots of lemonade, but, as it turns out, there are still lemons lying around. Hmph.
I woke up late, but I thought it was early, it was so dark; I did some yoga, but it was so late, and I was going to swim later, so I cut that short and got on with my day.
Packed up my gym bag, and put the thing that had to be mailed in the trunk, and the tape measure in my pocket, and felt very good about planning ahead for All The Errands as I set out. Had a nice lunch with Miss Q; then headed for a frame store.
As I parked, I realized, Aha!, there is a post office I never knew about, and there is no line (lemonade!). The frame store, alas, was not what I was looking for. And the tape measure was no longer in my pocket. (lemons!) I drove back to the restaurant to retrieve it. (a dollop of lemonade–it was still there!) The Goodwill where I went next had no suitable frames either (lemons) but they did have a lovely cashmere sweater for $8 (lemonade!).
So off to the gym, where I changed into my swimsuit and was about to step into the shower (one showers before swimming, it’s the rule), when a woman came out of the pool and said, They’ve just closed the pool. (lemons! an entire swimming pool full of lemons!) I went and inquired: there was a nice lady from the health department, explaining about chemical imbalances and whatnot. Yes, I suppose I have to agree, I don’t want to swim in a pool that the city health department deems unsuitable. The club manager was very apologetic, and said it should be all sorted out in an hour…or maybe two…. I said I guess this meant the cosmos wanted me to go home and work on my novel. The manager asked to be made a character in the novel. I told him he’d be a villain, but that villains are the most interesting, so he shouldn’t complain.
On the way home–with all this extra time–I stopped at a different Goodwill, and lo!, found the most perfect frame ever–EXACTLY what I’d had in mind, in EXACTLY the right size. (vats and vats of lemonade!) It’s to frame this:
which Mark so expertly matted for me, when I was in Seattle last week. After he printed it for me on his fancy art printer. After I took the photo on my cell phone. Yay cell phone fine art!
But here I was home all un-exercised, and I needed a few things from Trader Joe’s, and it wasn’t raining, so I put on my backpack and walked on down, and got All The Things (lemonade–but only figuratively, because literal lemonade would have been too heavy). Then I walked back home and it started to rain (lemons!!).
Then I actually worked on editing the novel. I went through chapter 1 and answered all the editorial feedback. Then I went through it again and added/revised based on all the backstory work I’ve been doing over the last week. (lemonade, but kind of hard lemonade.) (okay my metaphor is breaking down here.) Then I suddenly realized that the main character’s familiar–the cat who is ON THE COVER ART–is nowhere mentioned in chapter 1. Augh! Who ever told me I could write novels!! And where did all these lemons come from!!
I went and had dinner (lunch leftovers, yum!!), and decided to frame the picture. Unpacked and tidied up the frame. Gorgeous frame! And it was new in its original packaging!! I didn’t even have to throw away some horrific old art, like I was expecting to, with a Goodwill frame.
And….the picture DOES NOT FIT! (lemons! more lemons!!) It’s just a jillionth of an inch too wide all around….GAHHHH!
Phone call to Mark, in despair. He assures me it’s eminently fixable, not to worry. (And I am realizing why framing is so expensive.) I just need to bring it back to Seattle, he will trim it with the mat cutter, again…
I am weary. But, let’s review: partial yoga practice; lunch with friend; shower at the gym; great inexpensive new frame; marvelous cheap new sweater; decent walk; chapter 1 edited: probably, on balance, a successful day.
But wow. It feels like a long way around to get here.