rolanni | The revenge of the errands

We were going to stay in today, straighten the house, bake cookies, put up the tree*. But we were out of Important Liquids and I wanted to check the post office box, and it was a sunny day, if a thought nippy, and Steve said he’d come with me, and so. . .

First stop, Agway, to take on Necessary Cat Items, and a mouse with a Certified Mouse Squeak, and! (this is the kicker) its eyes light up. Perfect for the cat on your holiday shopping list.

That done, we went across the river, and the real fun began.

At the post office was the cover art for Carousel Tides, straight from artist Eric L. Williams** (yes, it says Dominic Harman on the inside of the book — printer’s error). It’s an absolutely gorgeous print on canvas — you’d swear it was an oil painting — and Amy will be seeing me on Monday so we can discuss frames.

From the post office to the redemption center, where we off-loaded twelve bucks’ worth of returnables; and thence to the shopping mecca that is Elm Plaza.

We lucked into a parking space, failed to find cookie cutters in Kmart, signed stock at Mr. Paperback where — surprise! — there actually was stock — then leapt into the fray at Hannaford.

An hour and a half later, we were loading Argent the Forester with a most impressive array of bags. Steve cleverly got us out of the parking lot by the back door; avoided a traffic jam by making turn into Arby’s, where we on-loaded a pair of Reuben sandwiches (mmmm Reuben), which we took home. After the groceries were put away and the sandwiches consumed, we found ourselves exhausted by our efforts, and succumbed to a Nap Attack, ably spotted by Mozart.

Cookies are on the bake as I type and I’ve straightened the living room. The tree will wait until tomorrow, as will the laundry, and (sigh) the dishes.

In its way, a festive and unexpected day.

And hoping yours was the same.
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*This would be the ceramic tree that Steve’s mother gave us 30 years or so ago.

**Eric has said that he will happily fill orders for Carousel Tides prints. Contact him from his webpage (there’s a button under the eyeball.

Originally published at Sharon Lee, Writer. You can comment here or there.