Tuesday, April 6, 2010

april showers

Today started out being what would be a perfect spring day - if we hadn't had perfect summer weather on the weekend. Now it is absolutely pissing down rain. Which means I won't have to water my hydrangea for awhile.
On Sunday, I went to the oneofakind art show where I spent way too much money. The plan was to meet J and we would spend the afternoon together being enthralled with the artisans' amazing craftmanship and sample lots of jams and chutneys. But, she woke up with a headache and wasn't up for it, so in the end the plan was changed and I would head over to her place after the show for tea in her garden. I figured 2-3 hours and I would be exhausted from trailing around and seeing so much stuff.

That's what I thought. Four hours later, I ran out of money. To be fair, some of what I bought were birthday and Christmas presents. And I bought myself a new watch, which I love. I don't normally wear watches, but have been keeping my eye out for something that I could read the time, but looked very decorative. I don't wear much jewellery because I am lazy, not because I don't like it. I kept it on and kept looking at it and smiled every time I checked the time.

And, it being the last day of the show, you can usually get some good deals - "these are $12, but we've had such a nice conversation, you can have them for $10", "these ones are actually $xx, but I'll let them go for $x as it's almost the end of the day and I don't want to have to pack them up and cart them home again". Which is how I came home with 3 beautifully carved eggs. I need to find a spot to display them and when it is sunny again I'll take a picture for you.

Eventually, I had to leave. J was waiting for me in her garden, afterall. I wanted to take some pictures at the Exhibition grounds (where there are beautiful art deco and beaux arts buildings) while the trees were still bare. I may have spent a bit longer than I intended outside in the warm sunshine ... but at 5pm I said, enough, time for tea. And I had to be home in time to watch the last ever Inspector Frost. I got into my car, turned it on and took out my cell phone to say I was finally on my way. And realized it was actually 6pm. Seems, the time on my new watch hadn't been sprung forward. We were going to put it off, but I had gotten her a present which was food, so I still went. I think I hit every red light on the drive (which was in the other direction from home).

We had tea, we went back to the car and I showed her what I bought (that weren't the presents), then went back inside for a few more minutes. At exactly 8pm I left to get home in time for Frost.

At exactly 9pm I pulled into my driveway, silently cursing that I would miss the first few minutes - missing the beginning of a murder mystery is never good. The packages could stay in the car. I reached over to the back seat for my purse. An hour and twenty minutes later, I was back at J's house for my purse with my house keys and cell phone inside. My neighbour with an extra key was not home. There was nothing for it, but to return to Toronto. And holiday traffic had obviously not eased up yet. It had eased for the second homeward bound journey, which only took 45 minutes.

This made up for a totally uneventful previous week, I guess.

34 comments:

  1. And then you missed Frost, that's the very sad ending of it, but you do have all those packages and that nice watch.

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  2. Nora: Oh, I forgot to mention. I got home, again, at about 11:30 and checked the listings to see if/when it would be repeated - and it was on again at midnight! So I stayed up to watch, then went straight to work. It was a very long day!
    Part 2 was on last night - it at least had a happy ending.

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  3. sounds like you have some great things and i love the watch

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  4. What a long day! I´m glad you got some good deals.
    Forgetting my purse is something I´m famous for. I totally get that. :)

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  5. Char: I did get some beautiful things. The watch is hand painted - notice how the numbers are all different sizes?

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  6. Betty: I HATE carrying a purse, but I had my cameras (and lenses) to carry. At least I knew exactly where it was - too bad it was so far to go back to get it!

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  7. That is a beautiful watch - and so appropriate for you!

    Along the same lines as you forgetting your purse: my car was in the shop once many years ago and so I was taking the bus to work. I arrived home in the pouring rain - and discovered no keys in my purse. I could visualize the keys sitting in my desk drawer (no recollection of why I had taken them out of my purse and put them there, but I had definitely done it). I had to take the damn bus back to work, still in the pouring rain, find the janitor to have him let me in to the building and my classroom, pick up my keys, then I headed back home on the bus in the pouring rain. I think I got properly home after 7 pm that day!

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  8. All's well that ends well! (someone said that before me) We never go out before setting the DVR for favorite shows. Marianne has a bunch to watch when we get home tomorrow night.

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  9. Just for the watch it was all worth it. It is so unique. glad you did get a visit, and I am assuming you never saw your show....everything I touched today made me go backwards...thank goodness I did not have any trafic to contend with. Take care.

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  10. Another post which made me smile and smile, but with sympathy too for the necessity of the return trip and all those red lights. That is a wonderful watch!
    We used to have wonderful craft shows each year, where you could browse and buy for hours, and really soak up all the creativity, expertise and beauty, and I made many purchases, for myself and as gifts. Now my house is pretty full, and the craft shows are no longer - except for the little local markets.

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  11. Stuff like that is so frustrating. I love your watch and can't wait to see the eggs and other items.

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  12. Oh dear! Missed your show! Hope you had your DVR set!? And I too love craft shows...and boy can you eat of time and money there. LOL!!! Sounds like you had a wonderful day! Even with the second trip.
    Oh I do so love your watch!! I have a Nightmare Before Christmas watch that I love!!
    Hugs
    SueAnn

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  13. Pinklea: thanks! I also once dropped my car off (after a long night at work, staying up until he opened at 8am), separated my keys for the mechanic, and walked 40 minutes home. Then had to walk back as I'd left him with my house key, not my car key.

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  14. Lew: Luckily, it was repeated later that night (meaning I had to stay up long past my bedtime!). I have a DVR, but can't get it to work.

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  15. Cinner: I am pleased with the watch. Some days are just like that - I took it all in stride and didn't get too upset. (there was a time, I might have had a minor temper tantrum)

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  16. Persiflage: I love going to craft shows. This one is particularly high quality. I also don't need anything else...

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  17. Geewits: you'll love the eggs even more.

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  18. SueAnn: Sometimes they can get a little boring when you see the same artisans and the same crafts every year. Other times, every thing takes your fancy. And some of those jams and chutneys will go wonderfully with all my left over cheeses from Easter dinner.

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  19. I absolutely LOVE that watch! Especially since time seems to have no meaning to cats! It's perfect and a I love the mismatched numbers and its one-of-a-kind-ness!

    Glad you were able to catch your show at a later time. My friend Lynn loves Inspector Frost, too! I'll bet she was watching it. You seriously need to invest in a DVR!

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  20. What a day, but at least you scored the watch. Oh how I love that watch!

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  21. Susan: the mismatched numbers should irritate me... but the new [older] me is charmed by them!
    and I have a DVR, and a VCR, but I can get neither to work ever since I went digital. of course, that was with the old tv...

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  22. Jazz: it was made by a Montreal artist - see www.balit.com

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  23. I just "got" the watch. The 9 is biggest because cats have 9 lives.

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  24. Oh boy! At least you didn't leave the watch anywhere. It's FAB.

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  25. Geewits: that's funny - I hadn't thought of that ... yet.

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  26. Dancingbeastie: OMG yes, that would have been heartbreaking.
    though, as it is I have trouble undoing the clasp, so I think it is safe while I wear it! a watch should never be too serious.

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  27. oh that watch is fabulous!! I bought a watch with a cat on it in New York many years ago and the second hand was the cats tail! No idea where it is now tho'...

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  28. Saj: cats do have a way of disappearing, don't they!

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  29. Some days are like that, The One of a Kind show is an amazing event so much creativitiy and talent to be seen. Have a great week.

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  30. Arggghhh...good thing you like driving! That is a very whimsical watch and, as others have said, perfect for you. If you're in the habit of always carrying a purse you have less chance of forgetting it, I find. I never used to carry one either and when I did, I'd forget it all over the place. Now I feel naked without one.

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  31. XUP: that is one disadvantage to summer weather - lack of pockets! now I need the bag for my camera - if only I'd stopped to take a picture...

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  32. What a gorgeous watch, and also a lovely day all around.

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  33. Pearl Maple: (I missed you above that long chinese porn spam)
    yes, it is amazing. good quality crafts that would make my home very happy.

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  34. SAW: thanks. and all in all, it was an eventful and fun day.
    a year ago, I might have been cursing - but now, it was just fodder for a blog post.

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