Forgetting, Mishandling and Fortifying

Yesterday was interesting because I accidentally forgot my reading glasses when I went to work. I can still see, sort of, without them -- I could work on the computer and basically squint and get through the day. But reading was out of the question. I carried my book to work and it was as useful to me as a doorstop.

As it turned out, I spent a lot of time on hold on the phone, and it would have been nice to be able to read. We've been trying to order a book ("Drug Information for Teens, 5th Ed.") and the publisher doesn't allow international orders to be placed online. Instead their web site directs overseas customers to a special phone number which NOBODY ANSWERS! It's like a cruel joke. I sat listening to the tinny synthesizers of hold music for an hour and a half before I finally hung up and sent them an annoyed e-mail. We'll see if they respond. We can get a used copy through Abebooks and I'm tempted to do that.

Meanwhile, I was unable to do any re-shelving because I was tied to the telephone -- which is probably just as well since I didn't have my glasses and God only knows where those books would have ended up.

On Tuesday I came home and Dave reported the squirrels had been into my foxgloves. Indeed, not only had they dug out the planter, but they'd flipped several large rocks and pieces of pottery (meant to discourage squirrels!) ONTO the plants. As you can see above, two of them are now a bit slumped over. I repositioned all the crockery and also put down wire mesh, basically turning the planter into Fort Knox. I've had to do this around the foxgloves in the garden, too.

Finally, since my theme today appears to be my struggle with everyday items, let me tell you about my jacket. I have a navy blue ultra-light puffy jacket that I pulled out of the library Lost & Found at the end of the last school year. It was like new, had been unclaimed for months and it fit me, so I kept it and comfortably wore it for much of this winter. About three weeks ago, though, the zipper -- which had always been a little sticky and might be the reason its owner abandoned it -- broke.

Not wanting to discard the jacket for such a minor reason, I took it to the woman at our dry cleaners who does alterations. She put a new zipper tab on, and it worked great. I was proud of myself for extending the life of the jacket with a simple £15 repair.

Then I decided to wash it. Big mistake! Because I didn't buy this jacket I had no idea what it was made from -- I just assumed it was polyester and fine for the washing machine. (I guess I could have read the tags, but these tags are like "War and Peace" and the print is tiny.) Instead, apparently it contains down feathers. So when I pulled it out of the wash it was disconcertingly flat -- its puffiness was severely diminished and it was clumpy.

I was sure I'd ruined it, but a few days of wearing it appears to have somewhat restored its puffiness. So maybe it's just a matter of time.

Stuff drama!

(Top photo: A gray evening at the local tennis club. You can see, in the background, the crane.)