No focus Friday…

…as in: What is there to post tonight?

This is when “Post a Day” is a challenge to me; at the end of a day when I feel like I had no focus. Which also means it is  exactly the time I should write a blog post. It causes me to look back at my day and note what was more interesting than I thought it was, or what I accomplished that I forgot about because I ended the day focusing on what didn’t get done.

For one thing, I sent off a large selection of glass and lucite beads to my sister-in-law Karen for the upcoming Empty Bowls fund raising event in Baltimore. I had hoped to be there to help out in person on Saturday, March 12. I was going to lead a family-friendly activity by providing supplies, instructions and help for people who wanted to make a beaded elastic bracelet. It is something that does not require a lot of time or prior knowledge and provides participants with a piece of jewelry to take home. It would have been easy and fun, but I couldn’t be in Baltimore on the 12th and still get home in time for our town’s annual Town Meeting, two days later. So I sorted through the huge stash of beads I haven’t used in a while and those I was willing to give away, and I packed a bunch up in zip-lock bags. I took the time to write out clear instructions and make several copies. I fit it all into a “large flat rate box” from the post office and saved over $5 by sending the heavy box to Karen that way. An accomplishment.

Hint: When working with beads, spread terry cloth hand towels out on the table where people (especially kids) will be working. It keeps the beads from rolling around and it makes them easier to clean up afterward.

As for something interesting: My friend Stefanie called me around 9 a.m to say she was on the island and planning to take her Dip of the Month today since it was 40º. February is such an iffy month. You always think you can wait until a little later for it to get warmer, but the weather does not always cooperate. If someone wants to take a February dip, and you are a member of the club, you better just do it. My plan was to just accompany her to the beach as a life guard, and wait for our friend Cindy to return on the 11a.m. boat and go for a dip with her later in the day when it might be even warmer. (like 47º) I knew as soon as I hung up from Stefanie, that I would feel like I was missing something if I didn’t go in the water with her. So I did. I dipped at 10 a.m. and stayed in my damp bathing suit at home until noon when I went for another dip with Cindy! Yes, my interesting part of the day was also another accomplishment. The oh so rare February Double Dip. The water temperature was 37º.