How to waste a morning

My drenched patio

Mornings are my best work time, and I try to guard them zealously. Still, sometimes a doctor’s appointment intrudes. When possible, I try to schedule such appointments first thing in the morning, before the doctor gets behind for the day. That way, with luck, I can salvage part of the morning. None of that worked this morning—a 10:30 appointment for routine tests ate the whole morning, and much of it was my fault. I realized that these days it’s complicated for me to get out of the house alone.

First, I need a checklist of things to remember: phone, credit card, hearing aids, insurance card, medical alert gizmo just in case, handicap parking sticker, the clicker for our electric gate, sunglasses.

Started out the door and realized I had left Sophie outside. Bribed her with cheese to come in, locked the patio door, and tried again.

I have one of those phone cases you wrap around your arms when you jog. I can’t quite jog, but I wrap it around one handle of the walker. I stuffed the keys, handicap permit, and gate clicker in my jeans pockets, put phone, insurance card, and medical alert thingy in that phone case. Gently (I promise) lifted the walker down the two steps by my front door—phone case went one direction, sunglasses flew off my nose in another direction. I generally pick things up from a sitting position—my balance isn’t so good to do it standing. But somehow, I retrieved both items without falling and made it to the car.

The electric gate wasn’t quite open all the way, so it took me lots of maneuvering to get the car lined up just right so I didn’t damage the gate more. Oops, forgot that part of the story. Saturday night a friend was leaving in a car that sits so much lower than my VW that I thought she was already out of the driveway and started to close the gate. She was still inside. Car and gate met—damage to both. Lewis Bundock, who’s kept my house up-to-date and running for over twenty-five years, tells me a part of the gate is pretty well bent and will need rewiring. Not sure about damage to her car. Yes, I called insurance—probably not covered. Am on the gate man’s list.

Anyway, by the time I got to the medical office, only fifteen minutes late, I felt like I’d put in a day’s work. And I was raised in a doctor’s family where it was a cardinal sin to be late for a medical appointment. The doctor might keep you waiting, but you were always on time.

The appointment took a little under an hour, but I figure the whole thing took two hours out of my morning. I’m still playing catch up. But I had to laugh—in going through email while I ate my lunch, I was looking at the New York Times recipes and found one for burnt toast soup. Sounded like it would about fit my day, but I think I’ll pass.

The day of wasted times and mis-steps ends this evening with a lovely soothing rain. Both patio doors wide open, cool, rain-fresh air. Who could wish for more.

Scared dog, curled up at the foot of my desk.

She doesn't like thunder and stays close to me during storms.