Sunday afternoon is not the time to be calling the dentist at home leaving a message saying my temporary crown had cracked and broken and been spit out while in a public eaterie.
Yet that is exactly what I had to do.
The missus called back awhile later, saying the Monday schedule could accommodate me at 10:15am, so I got on the SubFinder computer grid and cancelled the job I had lined up. When the phone system called with a different position, I clicked that I was sick and do not disturb again.
The weather was quite a mess this morning, yet no schools were cancelled. I looked at the jobs grid and saw 8 positions for TA Sub, but my sick day stood firm. Going to the dentist is reason enough to miss work, right?
Anyway, they got me in and out promptly. The roads have been plowed and salted, so I thought shopping would be fine, while I was on that side of town. And it was, traffic wasn’t too much at that time of day, and the sun came out to help melt ice on the car windows.
I decided to return to my quest for a Weekly Planner and my favorite lip balm. Both are very hard to find these days. I did get a nice planner, not quite as good as the last couple years, but I will be able to use it. I paid more than I wanted to, but with only 3 left on the rack, I figured I couldn’t wait for the clearance sale. The lip balm had the correct brand but only in cherry flavor (yuck), so I will have to go back after the delivery truck and stockers fill up the hook next to it.
When my sons were little, dragging them all over for little errands wore them out, and bored them to tears. Not to mention how much I could embarrass them, just by talking to somebody else waiting in line.
Nowadays, shopping alone, when I bump into a buddy somewhere, we can lean on our carts and gab to our hearts delight. She’s a college professor, so Winter Break looms long and lovely for her.
At the credit union where I was making a deposit, there was a lady there playing a piano. Some kind of promotion bringing on the holiday spirit. While I was waiting in line, she was playing the tune of an old hymn, so I hummed a little. She kept messing up the words, so I started to sing them. She caught on real quick, played softer while I was busy with the teller, then called me over before I got to the door.
Next thing I know, we’re singing Hark, the Herald Angels Sing as a duet and other folks in the bank lobby were watching. The pianist explained that her mother began her lessons when she was 7 years old, and oh how she wished she was alive to see her now.
I was thinking that my sisters and sons would be laughing like crazy at me singing in a bank lobby.
Then she asked if I could start the next carol. I began Away in a Manger the way we sing it at the Mennonite Church, and not with the long a-a-ay note done the more popular way.
She played by ear along with me for a line or two, then said, start over.
So we started over, and I sang all three verses I know of the words, with her right in time and tune with me. I didn’t know so many people were in the audience, but when we got done, there was applause. I did a little half bow of acknowledgement.
She wanted me to stay longer, said we make a good team, but I said I had to get the groceries home. As it is, the honey got a bit cloudy because of the cold in the trunk. Not supposed to freeze honey.
Now the dark clouds are coming over again, but I’m indoors and warm, with the tea kettle almost ready to whistle. My treat is hot chocolate and a peanut butter wafer bar.
Here’s hoping this finds you in a good place, making fond memories.
~~love and Huggs, Diane
8 Responses to More time at the Dentist, Planner, Caroling