Not So Much

We got about an inch of new snow overnight so I went out to shovel it after I got home from getting a haircut.  It was cold--9 degrees--so I wore my new sweater mittens.  They're warm, warmer than the knitted wool ones, but not perfect.  That's okay, I can layer other mittens inside for added warmth.  Of course, I don't think there's a mitten that would stay warm on a windy, 9 degree day.

 

 

After lunch I decided to try one more paper weaving.  I like this pattern better than the ones yesterday and I think this is the last one I'll do.

 

 

Tonight I started February Cast Sock #1 so I'd have something mindless to knit at Friday Night Knitting.  As the evening was winding up I realized that I had two purls where there should be knits way back near the beginning.  I decided that I'm not going to rip back and fix it (I don't think) since it's just a toe cap for a cast.  Who's going to pay that much attention?

12 February--Barbara Malcolm, The Seaview. 

Back on shore we rinsed our gear and hung it on the drying rack alongside the dive shop to retrieve later.  When we reached the Seaview I sent the kids back to Sydans to shower and then asked them to go shopping for food and drinks for that night's cookout.  Marie offered to stay with me, but I wanted to spend an hour alone in my hotel.  Soon I would have guests, and with any luck the next few days would be my only chance to have it all to myself.  I took a shower, dressed in clean shorts and a tank top, and got busy making sure that all of the ice cube trays in my big refrigerator were emptied and refilled.  One of Jim's pet peeves had been reaching into the ice box and finding three cubes in there.  It drove him crazy.  I had developed the habit of always having ice on hand as a consequence.  I had asked Will to bring back a couple bags of ice, and I was sure that Johnno would sell me some of we really ran short, but it never hurt to have more.

I looked through the shelves to see what, if anything, Elizabeth had bought on one of her many ingredient shopping trips that I could use to make some appetizers.  I pulled out jars of different kinds of olives that would make a good start on a relish tray when I heard someone step onto the front porch.

A woman’s voice came from the lobby.  “Hello?  Is anyone here?”  I ran my hand through my hair and smoothed my shorts as I went to see who had called.

 “Can I help you?” I asked as I walked into the room, the afternoon sun shining through the newly hung curtains, painting the room gold.  I shaded my eyes with my hand.  “I’m sorry but we aren’t open yet.”  I turned so that the sun wasn't blinding me to see a woman about my age with a tote bag on one shoulder and a straw hat in her hand. 

“Oh, you aren’t?”  I shook my head and her shoulders slumped.  “I’ve been walking by for the past ten days hoping that you’d be opening soon.” 

“We just finished the renovations and refurnishing yesterday,” I told her, “we haven’t even had a dry run.  I just moved into my apartment in back…”  I stopped making excuses and said, “Were you looking to stay here?” 

A brilliant smile lit her face.  “Oh, yes.  I'm planning to be on the island for another two weeks, perhaps a month, and I made a terrible mistake when I rented a villa at Shoal Bay.” 

“Why?  It’s nice there.” 

She gave a rueful laugh.  “Nice, but pricey.  I saw your website, I like the design by the way, and your rates are much more in my price range.” 

A small fist of cold hit my stomach but excited warmth ran along my veins.  I held out my hand.  “I’m Rose Lambert, owner of the Seaview, and I’d be happy if you’d be my first guest…” 

“Janet,” she said, “Janet Fielding.  I’m a writer.” 

We talked for a while longer making arrangements for Janet to move her things from Shoal Bay to the Seaview on Saturday.  I took her upstairs and she chose the butter yellow room overlooking the ocean.  It’s the one I would have chosen to write a novel in too. 

After Janet Fielding left, I stood in the pale golden light from the fading day and realized that my dream was coming true.  Tonight we would celebrate the completion of one part of my dream, my children, my new friends, and me, but today, right now, the next part of fulfilling that dream had already begun.

I didn't toss anything today.

Today's prompt was to write a thank you letter so I wrote one to Durwood for encouraging me to learn to scuba dive.  Diving changed my life, took me to parts of the world I'd never get to otherwise, and introduced me to many different kinds of people.  I dreamed of him last night.  It was a good dream.

--Barbara