It's Dark At 6:30 AM and I Don't Like It

This, this is one of the reasons why I don't like Daylight Savings Time.  It's dark when my alarms go off and I don't like to get up in the dark.  I try to avoid getting up in the dark.  I work hard not to get up in the dark.  Today's a bit special because a thick blanket of clouds has rolled over us (I don't think it's just over me, nope, it's as far as I can see all around) shutting off most of the light so it's still pretty dark-ish at 7:30 too.  (wah, wah, wah... pay me no mind, everything and everyone frustrates me lately)  I have to work today, but instead of coming straight home like I usually do I have a knitting guild meeting.  Durwood's going to one of those investment talk and supper things put on by our broker (his broker really, I don't really get all that investing stuff, I figure money=spending, no money=no spending.  simple) and Bob Dole's the speaker.  He's excited to go and hear him.  I'm glad he has the opportunity, plus he gets supper.  What's not to like?  I'm glad I remembered the bag of preemie hats I knitted on our trip to take to the knitting meeting.  We have an ongoing charity to make chemo and preemie hats and I'm addicted to making the preemie ones, although I did reread the pattern when we were in Yellowstone to discover that I've been adding a section, making them too tall all this time.  *shrugs*  Oh well, I'm sure they fit on somebody's baby.  I'm addicted to making them in bright colors too (no surprise), pastels just don't do it for me.  Never have.  Yesterday at work it was crazy.  BLV stopped in right as I unlocked the door at the stroke of 10 o'clock to drop off some files and chat and from then on my only visitors were Nellie the UPS guy and the mail lady until 4:43 PM (I checked) when a couple from Appleton came in to return a mask they'd bought last winter (last winter, people!) that didn't fit. No way was I giving them a refund.  Not only is it against store policy if we can avoid it in any way but after almost a year?  Nope.  Happily they didn't really expect one so I didn't have to force the issue.  I offered them a store credit but he found some gloves and she got some neoprene socks and they ended up paying me $7.38.  (shows you how rare sales are these days if I can remember the exact amount)  While they were there a guy came in to buy a Lycra suit (long arms & legs, zips up the front, total coverage for added warmth under a wetsuit or to keep the sun off when snorkeling).  That means that all both two of my Wednesday customers crammed themselves into the last seventeen minutes of my seven hour work shift.  ?????  Maybe it'd be better if we closed in the day and opened only at night.  (shh, don't tell them I suggested that, I don't want to work at night, not at this advanced age and level of crabbiness)  Today's Photo a Day theme is "something close-up" and I have just the thing.  As I was getting into Beverly for work yesterday I saw that a tiny maple leaf, a weeny itty-bitty one, was stuck to the window so, snap!, I got it.  Now I'm giving it to you.  So to speak.

October 11--Paul Cezanne, Still Life with Apples and a Pot of Primroses.  It was one of those fall days that feel like spring.  The sun shone and the air was cool with that promissory note of warmth that is what gets you through from winter to summer.  Cecile reveled in it even though she knew it was a lie.  Soon the winter winds would blow down from the mountains bringing frost and snow, making them all close up like frightened turtles.  The light in the kitchen pretending to be spring light made the apples on the table glow with citrus colors and the pot of pink primroses that she'd kept in bloom all season reflected the warmth too.  She frowned to see that Paul had rumpled the tablecloth and poured the apples out of the basket.  She clicked her tongue and started to straighten things.  The apples were forgotten when she saw Paul lying behind the table in a pool of blood.

Now, there's a nice grisly start to the day.  Hey, have you seen today's date?  It's 10-11-12.  Pretty cool, eh?  It should at least be sunny on a day with that much magic in its name.  (grump, grump, grump)  I'm off to eat my Cheerios.  Don't feel sorry for me, I love my Cheerios.  Or maybe I'll throw caution to the winds and eat chocolate Chex instead.  Yeah, I'm doing it.  (I'm such a rebel, I can't stand myself.) Adios.
--Barbara