Thursday, July 18, 2013

The livin' is easy



Tomorrow morning at 8:00 a.m., some guys will show up at the chateau with jack hammers and who knows what other kinds of tools. The sidewalk in front of the house is about to be replaced. The first step - of course - is the tearing up of the old sidewalk.

By the time the burly men arrive, I will likely have already beat a hasty retreat since the sound of jackhammers is not exactly soothing. My plan is to hang out at Peregrine Espresso for awhile, then sneak down to the National Gallery of Art before it get too beastly outside. There I believe I will spend most of the day.

I'll meet a friend for an early lunch, take in some of the art, of course. I'm also bringing a book of poetry and another book - and the New Yorker, too - to keep myself amused until it seems safe to venture home.

I love the National Gallery because you can see art, have lunch, shop but also find a comfortable spot on the upholstery to read, rest and contemplate the nature of things. It is a huge institution, a perfect biosphere for a hideous-hot summer day during which burly men break up the sidewalk. All will be cool and calm at the NGA - I hope!

Replacing the sidewalk is never a bad idea, especially when it is a potential liability. Who wants to scrape a knee or twist an ankle on the way in or out of the dentist's office? Or before or after massage therapy, for that matter? The new sidewalk will create a smooth and graceful flow of energy in and out of the chateau. The comings and goings of beings from this building will become even lovelier than they already are. The chateau is a beautiful house. This will be all for the better.

However in the meantime there will be no access in or out of the front of the house. I'll be using the back door - something that never happens. I kind of look forward to it. It's always good to shake up routines, just to see what that brings to the surface. Shake shake it. Why not?

Also of course I won't be working much - I'll see a couple of people who are so familiar it's ok for them to slip in the back way - and I'm doing an outcall to a client who is in the hospital, also a house call to do a tarot reading. I won't be twiddling my thumbs but it will not be business as usual for sure.

I'm going to do a lot of reading, watch some of the movies I didn't have time for when I was sick, and rest - what a concept!

I am loving this summer! May the good times continue. Shalom.


3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I often think of men who must do hard laboring jobs in all weather conditions. Some mornings they must wake up and think, "I really don't want to do this". Then again if they are like our road working crews in Aust, there is an awful lot of resting on shovels during the process.
It sounds like you are having a good summer - enjoy- and yes, jack hammers (along with leaf blowers) must be the most annoying sound ever. Usually outside council work activities coincide with a day I am home sick and need to rest!

Steve Reed said...

Love the manhole cover. :)

I'm always surprised by how many industrial sounds I hear in a day. Right now as I type, I hear a garbage truck and a person hammering, in addition to the normal background noise of traffic and city hum. You're right about jackhammers, though. They're the worst, especially at such close proximity.

Enjoy the museum! One of my favorite places!

Reya Mellicker said...

I'm in awe of the burly men, but nevertheless I will beat a hasty retreat! Soon!