A Day Lost, A Day Found

A day lost, because I did not spend it at work.

I used a vacation day, today, for a much needed mental break from travel, work, and puzzling out a schedule of portfolio projects. I literally did not sleep at all last night (I've had one hour, as I type, since Sunday morning), which was awful, since I did everything I knew within my power to coax myself to sleep. I trotted out the Sleepytime Tea, the extra Benadryl, the warm milk. Nada.

Possibly, the insomnia is due to the fact that the old bug bear, the "side business," is lurking on the edges of my consciousness. It's actually what's provided the kick in the pants to get me started working on my portfolio, once more. So, of course, I kept thinking about my portfolio, too. Essentially, I couldn't locate the "OFF" switch for my brain.

A day found, because I accomplished an awful lot during this day of vacation.

I bought the gift I will give my sister at her upcoming baby shower.

I visited with my apartment management, and as a result now have a repaired washing machine and will soon have new weather stripping at the bottom of my door (either this evening, or tomorrow morning).

And my end tables will be delivered tomorrow at lunch, because I called the gentleman from whom I bought them. He informed me that he could have sold them 20 times over, this weekend, and that the man who founded Freed's Furniture, a local furniture store, said they reminded him of a line of furniture he once sold for Baker, a line akin to the Thomas Pheasant for Baker specialty lines they do these days. He couldn't remember exactly who designed them, but swore up and down they were vintage Baker.

I don't care who made them, though, because regardless, they're vintage gorgeous.

I carted home my brass lamps from Houston, this weekend, in the back of my mom's minivan, but they need shades. I think the shades will have to wait a month or two, though. I've spent enough money, for now, so they'll sit shadeless and embarrassed on my end tables until I feel comfortable buying the shades for them. Twenty-two inch Coolie shades don't come cheap, you know.

I also brought home some pillows, courtesy of my sister, and 5 yards of black silk jacquard with an orange, yellow, and peach Oriental motif on them. Perfecto! And I'm thinking of the best way to arrange my bookshelves, once I get them moved around and all my furniture is in place. How should I arrange all the linen-covered boxes that hide the hideous DVDs and CDs I've accumulated over the years? The file boxes that house my tax forms and insurance information? It's a tricky design question, and one I'm pondering, since the bookshelves provide the backdrop against which I eat my dinner.

It will probably be a matter of trial and error, in the end.