Beautiful Space

They say everything happens for a reason.

It was not quite the weekend I thought I would have, which is good. It was better.

The original plan: write fiction some, work some, go into work Monday early (losing my morning walk, grumble) and leave mid-morning to take Joshua to Northwestern.

Saturday morning early, I had to shoot a video for Sunday's story. As I don't have a car, my first ex-husband gave me a ride (and brought a coffee and a doughnut, too). On the way, a  panicked Joshua called me. Northwestern left a message late Friday with a list of things he must bring to Monday's appointment. Long story, short, that wasn't going to happen over the weekend.

Video done, and waiting to hear back on three more (two in Joliet and one in upper Plainfield), I headed off with Timothy to the bank and mall (for Gloria Jean coffee, of course). That's when the day changed.

We got to the bank, and Timothy could not shut his door. Last year, he had to fix the weld on the passenger side, and he knew it was a matter of time for the driver door. The day had arrived.

He fiddled and fiddled and finally got it to close. He locked the door and knew that his only free day (Monday) would be spent in a body shop.

Let me back up.

So most of Timothy's free days have been gobbled up with stuff, very frustrating for him as everyone needs down time. On Thursday night, while trying to finally mount the TV, he injured his hand with the drill. Yes, at 10 p.m., he and Daniel were off to the ER. Tetnus shot, antibiotics, and no work until Tuesday. So Timothy got an unexpected weekend off, which also didn't make him happy, at first, anyway.

Chores down, coffee acquired, I settled in for a Saturday of fiction-writing. Timothy called me downstairs, very unhappy. The lock hadn't held hold the door in place. His father, who had stayed to help Daniel with the garden, worked with Timothy to make it so. We decided not to go to Homewood for church tomorrow, but to stay in town. Daniel played with the garden and then he and Timothy left to buy a kitchen table, which Daniel assembled.

Back to fiction...

The next day, just as we were about to leave for church, Timothy noticed the left front tire bowed out. Something had broken (a bearing, maybe) and the suspension was shot. There was a real danger, he said, of the tire coming off, especially if he hit a bump at high speeds, meaning highway driving. We realized how fortunate it was that he had hurt his hand and was off work. These car issues would have otherwise happened on the highway.

So church was out altogether, a real bummer since the boys are working next weekend, and we will not only miss church, but a brunch at our church, but I now had extra time to get some work done. 

So, I headed upstairs to the computer and work, just in case Northwestern was a possiblity (We were still trying at this point).

My 2 p.m. interview was only a couple miles away, so Timothy and I walked to it. We were almost home two hours later (with another video accomplished) when one of my video shoots called. She was ready, so we headed back out another couple miles away.

It was a beautiful day for walking and talking, the type of talking we used to have while throwing newspapers. Even though we got caught in the rain on the way back, we had left with an umbrella, and the rain was not bad. 

And for me, a disliker of forms and the filling out of them, I had just completed two videos and an interview with three people, had some unexpected and very pleasant walks, and I didn't have to claim any expenses! :)

Then video fartheset away cancelled, which was good because I would have needed to have found a ride for that one. The other one, in upper Plainfield, called well into the evening and tentatively scheduled for later today, for when the car is fixed, as earlier didn't work for her.

We opened all the windows, and the house was light and breezy and cool. After yoga, I watched an episode ofr Futurama with Daniel and Once Upon a Time with Rebekah. I feel asleep quickly while texting a friend and slept well.

Generally, I get tense on Sunday evenings, in anticipation of the work week. This was not the case last night and into this morning. I'm serene, at ease, and looking forward to the day, which will include my morning walk.

Daniel has a "gloom and doom" mindset. His feeling is that, because I'm mellow and happy, something horrible will happen on Monday and spoil it all. Now I don't have a Cornell Dyer crystal ball, but I do know this.

Anything bad that happens today cannnot erase the wonderful weekend.

And as a sidebar: for those that have followed our tough last couple of years, I really, really, really like this townhome we are currently renting. It's "beautiful space," and living here fills me with joy, peace.

So quick recap: Timothy got a weekend off; I shot three videos and did one long interview, went through a ton of email, did so much on Kellen's chapter nine that I should be able to complete the chapter next weekend; I had two long walks on a beautiful Sunday afternoon; my new home is becoming a real new home with TV hung, garden begun and kitchen table acquired and assembled; I'm ahead for the coming week.

God is good.