Bang. Whimper. (with lots parentheses and pictures)

I mentioned before that I was starting a round of catalog work this week. I've been waiting since Monday to hear when they need me and keeping my schedule open. (It's called being "on avail" in the acting biz. Except I'm not in the acting biz and I think actors are paid while on avail.  I am not.)

On Wednesday, I went to look at the property where C. Louise's 8th grade dance (they are calling it a "social") is to be held so I can plan my decorating scheme. (My idea of decorating for a party is balloons and more balloons, yet they put me in charge.) The building is on White Rock Lake.  I used to spend a lot of time at White Rock Lake when I was running. I don't miss the running (okay, sometimes I do) but I miss being at the lake.

Here's the bang part.  On Thursday, I got up an hour earlier than usual and did laundry, made all the beds, cleaned the kitchen - including washing down the cabinets.  Manic.  Then, I drove May to school and set out for the lake.  I started walking and decided I would just go ahead and walk all the way around.  I have run around it many times before, but walking 9 miles takes about 3 hours.  What the hell?  I'm on avail and I needed to accomplish something that doesn't involve a computer, a retail outlet or domestic duties.  I called Not Loni and chatted with her as I started out and she decided to cruise on over on her bike and keep me company for a few minutes.  So, with me setting a blistering 20 minute per mile pace and her not even needing to pedal, we tooled around the lake and it was like being a kid - one of us on foot, one of us hanging out on a bike, not really going anywhere.  She stuck it out for the entire 3 hour cruise.

My day kept getting better with lunch at Taco Joint, a trip to Whole Foods, where I ran into one of my all-time favorite people, and book shelving in Miss M's school library.

Add to that an invitation to join my friends at Lee Harvey's on their last night living in Dallas and you have a pretty great day.  Bon voyage, Chaos and Louise (I can use these names because they aren't their real names anyway.  I love people who use aliases!)

Meanwhile, I called Dr. J. Barkley Rosser's hotel and left a friendly greeting.  My phone rang last night at 10:26 PM - I was already asleep as mentioned in my previous post - and it was Dr. J. Barkley Rosser calling me back (!).  He left me a lovely message which will only encourage me to leave him another message today and then he will leave town and our dance will be over.  But not forgotten.

Here's the whimper part.  The art director for the catalog called last night for me to start working today  - oh, man, I was really starting to enjoy this on avail business.  I had already told my all-time favorite person, when I ran into her yesterday, that I would walk with her this morning.  I did not get up an hour early today to get shit done. Whimper.  I did go to walk with my all-time favorite person and here's how it started out.

Ow.  (It was a total fall to the ground, too - twisted ankle, both knees, over on my side, elbow smashed, feet flying around,  head snapping.) I soldiered on, of course, out of embarrassment mostly, but we got rained on during the walk and cut it short.  Ho hum.  Now, I'm about to jump in the shower and head off to the studio. What a difference a day makes.

P.S.  You don't want to step in dog shit when you're wearing those barefoot shoes.