--Drawing Over--
Thank you this week to Jane, Jody, Jamie and Liz. You make it possible.
Dave's brother and sister in law arrive from Oakland. She brings me artesian salt in a little tin. It's pink, and I want to keep it by my bedside as a good luck charm. They also bring us a bottle of California wine as a housewarming gift. David pours it into jelly jars because we are not at the wine glass stage of life yet. He studies the fine pale salt and smiles and says thank you, but he does understand the significance; he doesn't read the blog very often. That seems to sit well with us both.
We have no wine glasses or living room table. Dave says he likes to 'wait for things to arrive' rather than go out and buy them. Since he was born with a lucky star on his forehead, this has always proved an effective strategy. He also has the gift of not wanting and not needing very much. Unlike me! Last Friday, I walked into The Frugal Backpacker and there was a whole wall of sample pieces, which are much cheaper than normal price outdoor stuff yet still remarkably expensive. Everything was my size and looked beautiful and would have given me the life of my dreams, if I could have bought all of it. I had to exit the building. I had to call my mother, then go home and lie down for a little while.
I know that you understand this feeling, that the addition of one more thing could really make the difference. Could really hit the spot. Could really tip the scales. They say that it can always feel just out of reach, and that's the trap, but for me it often feels really really out of reach. Like, maybe a football field away and moving fast.
My chemistry teacher is beginning to lose his patience. Just a little. I hear it in his voice, slightly strained, the way he hesitates for a moment before taking my question. He is a very nice man and I don't blame him.
I ask a lot of questions and they always begin with "wait, back up-". Who ever wants to back up? No one. I'm the only one who asks questions. I guess everyone else is mute. Before the class begins we sit and stare at the board, or down at the phones we've hidden in our laps, and when it's over we shuffle out silently. I've never heard them talk. Yet they must be geniuses. I marvel at how efficiently they appear to understand the concepts of enthalpy and the gas postulates, never asking a question, or sighing, or whimpering, or making an expression of any kind with their faces.
The class, however, is shrinking. It's been a slow drain throughout the semester, gradual and barely noticeable until now. Half the class was quietly flunking and have quietly withdrawn. At least I'm still in the Octagon, even if it makes me frustrated and furious. Anatomy and Physiology is great. It's a steaming hot bath compared to chemistry. I get perfect scores on the tests and I credit that to not having children and not having to work much.
Of course, the dilemma remains of when to have the children and where to find the work.
And I will absolutely figure that out tomorrow.
I'm not complaining about the lack of wineglasses, in fact I've broken enough of those at my parents' house to last until I'm middle aged. I'm really not complaining at all, because we're at a good part in the plot. David may not want much or need much but he wants me and he needs me. We're always walking around thanking each other for everything. We're really polite. At dinner he'll say, 'thank you for making a nice dinner' and I'll say 'thanks for getting all this food at the farmer's market' and he'll say 'well thank you for telling me about the farmers market' and we'll just go on and on. It's got to be awful to be around. Intolerable. I love it.
The semester is almost over, its on its death roll for sure and tougher than ever. But I'll get through it, I'm certain, because I have this fancy salt which is, obviously, more than fancy salt. It's a reminder that sometimes it's better to wait and things will arrive in their own fashion. Damn lucky, tricky star.
Now for a give-away:
 |
| Holli wearing the bicycle tank |
I have been eyeing- hard- everything from Holdfast Outfitters. Holdfast is a company based here in Asheville, created and run by a hard working, talented and very strong climber named Courtney. Holdfast is everything we love here on The Coast- a local gal with gusto, making things by hand that we really want to wear and use.
Holdfast blends functional and comfortable outdoorsy with that minimalist design that's very hot right now. Courtney designs and prints all of her clothes, candles, mugs and more at her home studio.
This Monday's prize is no Mystery- it's a 50$ gift certificate to Holdfast Outfitters. Wow! That splits neatly into 25$ for yourself and 25$ for someone you're fond of. Thank you Courtney!
The clothes, blankets, prints and hardware that you'll find while browsing Holdfast are completely affordable, and the pieces change with the weather. Courtney dreams, designs and creates new things all the time. Here is my pick of the season:
This week's prompt is inspired by a brilliant woman I met through the process of writing this blog. Her name is Anna Lola. I recently saw this stunner on her Instagram, @anna_lola:
That's Anna, before her morning commute. She's committed to biking to school and work despite the freezing Rhode Island temperatures. I am really proud of her for that and it got me thinking. Today's prompt is to leave a comment about something you've done lately that made you proud. Of yourself. THAT'S RIGHT! Something that you did that you are happy about.
I'll start. I can't win the giveaway but I still want to play:
I almost cried at the chemistry tutor the other day. I'm not a crier but I was so frustrated and tired. But I took a minute to think about it, and I decided not to. It would have been a really great way to show the tutor just how upset I was, but ultimately, it wouldn't have been very productive. I'm proud of myself for that one miserable moment.
Alright- what's yours? It can be tiny or enormous. It can be whatever you want.
I will randomly choose the winner of the 50$ gift certificate and announce it at the end of the week. I can't wait to read them- I'm already proud of you.
Follow me on Instagram @melinadream for mountains, dogs and giveaways