Saturday, September 17, 2011

If I Had A Hammer- A Tale Of A Thursday

This summer, I've been doing a ton of improvements on my house.  Lots of cleaning, painting and floor laying.  I know, Broadside and I own at least two hammers.  I can never find them.  Since they are considered "community property", I know the man I love takes these hammers out to use them and puts them back in hidden places.   This lack of being able to find a hammer was creating a point of frustration in me this week.  Thursday morning, I wanted to hang some decorative plates I had uncovered in the basement clean out.  No hammer was to be found.  I had some other errands to run that day, it made sense to just get another hammer, and put in my studio where I know I can always find it when I needed it.  Off I go on my morning errands.  I plan my trips carefully and I live in a neighborhood where I can do a loop to get the things I need.  First stop was my paint store, where I'm now a Preferred Customer. Yes, that's how much painting I've  been doing.  The people there are friendly and knowledgeable and really are artists when it comes to matching a paint color.  Next stop post office.  As I got back into my car, I noticed a bird had decided my car would look great with a huge spray of poop all over it.  This really looked like the job of more than one bird or bird artists at spraying a car with poop.  My favorite DIY car wash was just down the street, in the loop.  I had cash and coin.  I needed to add a stop to wash away the bird art.
I was wearing pants, that had only one small pocket and were loose fitting (this detail will be important to the story).  I got my quarters for the car wash and put them in the small pocket and attempted to also shove my key ring in there.  I began to wash my car, after about 6 minutes, I was getting the signal that I needed to add coins.  Not wanting to waste time, hurried to dig coins and car keys out of that small pocket.  I didn't want to lose my keys so I tucked part of the key ring into the waistband of the pants. I fed the car wash meter and went on my way cleaning my car. 
As I was finishing a guy with a sweet looking face, walked by the opening of the car stall.  He gave me the thumbs up and smiled.  I smiled and nodded.  I finished up with my car and tugged at my waist to get my car keys.  They were gone!  My heart leaped into my throat and I ran back to the place where I was plugging coins, ran through the car wash area, I looked under my car. Looked in my car and purse. The only person in that car wash was the guy who gave me the thumbs up.  I just knew he had found my keys and had taken them.  In my panic I ran through another parking lot looking for that guy.  I found him.  I asked him if he had seen my keys.  He said no and offered to help me look.  I said that was okay, I needed to call my husband.  As I walked back I heard the guy say, "You'll find your keys.  Nothing ever gets lost."  I saw his smile, as I went back to my car a dug out my cell phone to call Broadside and inform him of the stupid thing I'd done and to come help me.  As I waited in my car for rescue, I kept thinking, here are two of the things I fear the most- loosing my keys and asking others to help me out of an emergency situation.  I've got some work to do here. And do I really believe that nothing is ever lost.  What is lost can be found?
Broadside showed up and we combed the car wash.  We finally gave up.  With new keys in hand, and more errands to do, now making a set of keys, I rejoined my loop.  I sort of finished up my errands.  I had a headache thinking about where those keys might have gone, and how stupid and upset I had been that afternoon.  When I got home, I started hearing a rattle as I walked. It was coming from my pants.  I felt around, went to change them and found my keys!  They had slid down the leg and caught on a thread.  I was relieved, embarrassed and happy all rolled into one.  I instantly heard the guy at the car wash voice.  "Nothing is ever lost."  He was right.
That day I had to face and work with two really unfounded fears. And learned a lesson that nothing is ever lost.   So, as for lost keys, I now have extra sets and I've placed them where I can get them in case my keys go hiding again.   As for not asking people to help me.  I'm looking at that one.  And setting in place ways to get more comfortable with that idea.  It is mainly just realizing that folks don't mind helping.  I don't and do when I can.  Why is that different for others?
I think that guy with the happy round face was an angel. Nothing is ever lost, is a great concept.  I hear all the possibilities of life in that statement.   I'm grateful to that guy for those words.

What do you think about the statement - nothing is ever lost?

Until next week create to feel great!                                          
Oh, and P.S.  I never did buy that extra hammer. One of them is around the house somewhere.

48 projects complete 4 to go! (The last month!!!!)

The project of the week is a tote bag.  On it's way to a Swap-bot friend in Serbia.   It is unusual for me, because I'm working at getting comfortable with mixing prints (my friend wanted mixed prints.) and quilting aspects.  Maybe if I learned to quilt, I'd start getting comfortable with mixing prints.

2 comments:

  1. I like that title: "Create to Feel Great." You are right about that. I have the same passion and I try to pass it onto those I teach here. Following you now Dee Dee. Hope you'll come check out my blog too: www.vintageterrace2.blogspot.com

    Coleen in Ukraine

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  2. Love the tote bag!Your blog is very well written and am enjoying it!
    kraftykj swap bot check out my blog 5

    ReplyDelete