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Sunday, May 6, 2012

It's Probably Time I Tell This Story...

We all have our Lucille Ball moments that we're not proud of. Later, of course, they are hilarious. But in the moment - not so much.

I was talking to someone a week or two ago and told them that soon I would tell the tale of one of my best Lucy days.

Before I was blessed by the universe with a job that let me office at home, I used to slog to the salt mine every day. I had the same routine. Starbucks at 5:30 AM and on to the dark, empty office at 5:35 to try to get an hour or two of uninterrupted toil in before the phones started ringing.

Sometimes, I was carrying things and I had to organize myself, my stuff, my coffee, and my building access card before I shut my car door.

One morning, I got out of my car - a Yukon - and had to do this, which necessitated putting my coffee somewhere. Why my drink holder was not my first choice, I'll never know, but if I hadn't mentioned it before it was 5:35 AM.

So I chose the roof just above my driver's door. Mind you, I'm not very tall. An ankle biter, in fact, as my dad used to say.

And I started gathering my things. However, I was listening to the radio while I did this so my car was still running. That slight vibration of a V8 engine was just enough to ever-so-slightly jiggle my quad short espresso with steamed breve across the roof of the car and, just as I had all my things in my arms and was reaching up for the cup, straight down on top of my head.

Yep. A boiling hot latte lands on my head and soaks my hair and clothes and purse and papers in coffee and half and half.

Here's where I cuss. A lot. And not genteel, ladylike cussing, like "oh fudge" or "darn it all".  There were some new conjunctions of cuss words created. Artfully, I might add.

And, it's also where I realize there are a lot of advantages to getting to work before everyone else. My shame (and my cussing) was my own, and I had more than two hours to go home and right myself before appearing again.

If only there had been a video of this incident, I might have been typing this blog post from an exotic island beach, my concentration broken only by the polite delivery of a mai tai by a handsome cabana boy.

What? What just happened?

Oh yeah - I spilled coffee on my head. Because that's real life people! :)

In my real life this weekend I've been organizing myself. I've archived more than 12,000 emails, (yes, you read that right) written out some cards to mail (pauses while you faint), boxed up some goodie boxes to mail to friends - long overdue - had my stamp class, pulled out my retiring stamps, worked on a project for my Dad, *sort of* cleaned my office, ordered a new water filter, threw away a bunch of post it notes that were stuck on my office cabinets and generally crossed things off lists. I might actually start Monday even, if not ahead.

Class was fun - I kept the projects simple since I am in that transition period to the new catalog, and the projects were all very bright and light and summery and easy.

The first one was a fun card with the Mixed Bunch stamp set and the matching Blossom punch. I saw the tutorial for this on Julie Davison's awesome blog.

Here's what it looks like closed.
Pin It

And here's how it looks open! Fun and happy, eh?

Pin It

Fortunately, real life does contain some things that work out better than my Lucy moment did, like fun cardmaking classes with fun girls, some of whom, like my downline Melody, bring me sweet gifts like real fresh chicken eggs from her farm, presented in a way only a stamper would...


Now if I can just make sure not to spill them on my head....

Loveyameanitbye.



9 comments:

  1. HA! (Oh, sorry!) I think you win in the domesticity category today. I did a little bit, but man, my Creative Avoidance is in high gear.

    I love that card. Very sunny and bright. :)

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  2. Glad you were ok after the espresso falling on your head, it could have been really bad. I am one of those earlier than most to the office..I have to open the reception area, and I am up at 4:20 am and on the road at 5:15 each day..Railroad for 2 hrs etc.. I have dropped tea, and wasn't pretty..Now I have cold Diet Pepsi at that hour and have my hot tea at my desk...less chance for harm to myself. Thanks for sharing! Love the card you made..So cool and happy.

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  3. thanks for starting my day with a laugh... reminds me of my very finest Lucy moment -- mine involved a skirt tucked into pantyhose. Not my finest moment, but it makes me laugh out loud every time I think of it. Thank God I can laugh at myself!! Love your card :-)

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  4. Really enjoyed the post today, Lydia! Made me grin, not at your misfortune, but at the whole human condition, all the way through. My Lucy and Ethel moment was when a good friend and I set out to see a live stage show in Sarasota. We got to the theater, presented our tickets, severely bullied the "usher" who didn't recognize the tickets into seating us. We ended up right in front of the stage, front row seats. Noticed that ladies around us were carrying flower bouquets. Unusual we thought for a show about being a woman but in this all new age, perhaps they had reason to want to strew the stage with flowers for their favorite "gal pal." 5 minutes before curtain, our "usher" comes with another couple in tow (also bearing flowers) and says there has been some confusion. We convinced him once again that these were our seats showing the tickets once more. Of course, the seat fuzz was summoned and sure enough we were in the right seats, but in the wrong theater. Our venue was across the street!

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  5. By the way, in order to explain the flower bouquets clutched by the women. We were at a Kenny Rogers concert!

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  6. I am so glad there were no CCT cameras outside the office door where I worked. :D Nope, no proof whatsoever of those early to work moments. Wonder why those sorts of things happen to us folk who liked to go to work early to get a start on the day? Hmmm....something to think about.

    Sounds like you are a domestic goddess with MS running a far second with all the stuff you got done! WTG!!! :D

    Thanks for sharing! :)

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  7. did your baristas get the full story as to why you went through the line a second time in such a short period, or didn't you have time for a second latte? having spilled hot milk on my hand before, i know that really hurt.

    this card is so adorable!

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  8. Lydia,

    Reading your comments I noticed that everyone posted on your story first rather than your card, or as one person said nothing about your card. So, I have to say, awesome card! Phew, now that I got that over with I can comment on your story, which as you know I also wanted to comment on that first. Though your paper crafting is so dog-gone awesome, your stories are frieking hilarious! Ouch, on that hot coffee, but 12,000 emails? WOW! No wonder I never hear from you anymore, which by the way, I miss you so very much! So, I hope you have no more painful "lucy" moments, and have a very blessed and crafty week my friend!

    Love ya, hugs, Lisa Atha

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  9. Sorry to hear about the loss of the latte. ;) I often have tohose moments. The best one is the PB & Honey on toast right on the boob. Trying to juggle everything, hot tea, purse, lunch box, binders, papers, books, gym bag, and keys to open the door of the truck. Didn't even make it out of the driveway. I am sure the neighbors were THRILLED with the cussing at 6a.m., along with the diesel running. At least that kinda covered the words coming out of my mouth. shehesssshhh....
    Best wishes for an uneventfull week!!!

    jennik

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