That Universe - What a Sense of Humor

Yesterday was One Of Those Days. No, I don't really mean a bad day. I mean a day where nothing quite went according to plan and then the Universe would throw some curve into the mix that would show me that the plan was probably better off revised. On the one hand, Yay for things working out for the best! On the other hand, hearing the Universe snickering at me behind my back all day got a little old after a while. For instance, I had an appointment for a mammogram scheduled for yesterday afternoon. Earlier in the day I'd spotted something I wanted to photograph along our driveway, so I thought ok, I'll take the camera with me and get the shot on my way out. When I got ready to go, it was pouring rain. So I thought ok, the photo could be interesting in the rain. I'll just roll down the passenger side window, use the zoom, and see what happens. I rolled down the window and took the photo and then the window wouldn't roll back up. I tried the controls on both sides of the car but that window was down and it was staying down. Did I mention the part where it was pouring rain? So I thought ok, I'll run back up to the house, stick the car in the garage and get J (who was luckily home) to take a look at it while I drive his truck to town for my appointment. Made the switch, getting a little wet in the process, but I didn't have time to change, so I took my damp, slightly annoyed self to town and signed in and got the stupid hospital-type bracelet taped around my wrist. I opened my book and read exactly one page and then got called back to radiology. There the nice young woman pointed out that I'd had my mammogram last year on May 15. I'm thinking I'm being praised for being so prompt, but no. She goes on to tell me that if our insurance is with the same company (and it is) that they won't pay unless one full year had passed since my last squishing. Evidently in InsuranceLand, 361 days is not "close enough". And evidently they could not tell me this before I drove 10 miles in the pouring rain to make the appointment. So I thought ok, well maybe this is for the best. When I booked the original appointment, I didn't bother to look at a calendar and hadn't realized that I had booked it for the week I'd be on my period. Mammogram - never exactly pleasant. Mammogram on the week when the girls are at their most sensitive - just stupid. But I would have done it had the Universe and the InsuranceGods not taken a hand. Hear the Universe giggling? So then I thought I'd be nice and put gas in J's truck. Only I couldn't get the gas tank cover off. I tried. And I tried again. I said some Bad Words and tried some more. I'm normally reasonably competent at most things, I swear, but I Could. Not. Do It. Finally I asked a stranger for help and the nice man got the stupid gas tank cover off for me (although he had to work at it a bit, which made me feel a little better). While I was spending a nice long time at the gas station, struggling with the tank cover, it occurred to me that since I was driving the truck (which I hardly ever do) and since the only store in town that sells the correct size air filter for our heat system (pretty much the only reason I ever go to that store) was right across the street from the gas station (a station where I almost never stop), that meant I could go in there and buy a whole case of the stupid filters (a case of them come in a box that wouldn't fit in my car) and I wouldn't have to buy any more for a year. And remember the reason I was in the truck in the first place? Yeah, because of the messed-up car window. Hear the Universe chortling? When I got home, one of the first things I did was ask J how he fixed the car window. His reply: "I started the car and pushed the window button and it rolled up." Hear the Universe roaring with laughter? Yeah. Me too. I'm tellin' ya...One of Those Days. We did get one BIG thing accomplished this week at Casa Richardson. We pulled up the 8-year old, nasty, stained, totally disgusting old carpet in our bedroom and J and I put down a new floor. Yay us!! Check it out: Now picture J and me and our sore legs, backs, and shoulders beaming with accomplishment. (I seem to have used muscles this week that my body had forgotten about!) We need to do the 'puter room too (which is also my workroom and our library) but we aren't quite ready to face that one yet. Just the thought of moving the books and fabric out and back in again, (never mind the furniture!) is just...well, daunting is the word that comes to mind. For today's Daily Art Thang, here's a rain photo where I was playing with focus. (No, this isn't the rain photo that was involved in the car window incident. That was another one.) This first version is one where all I really did to it was crop it a little and resize it for the 'net: "Layers" And this next version is one I fiddled with in Photoshop to try to really emphasize the different layers of the leaves: "Layers 2" I may be scarce this weekend, as I'm off to see my sister, but I'll catch up on emails, comments, and blog visits when I return!