The Mad Happenings of a Glass Princess

Right before summer started, Caitlyn cut her hair like any 4 year old does. She grabbed some scissors and just randomly cut it. I happened to call my sister the afternoon that it happened, and I could tell immediately that something was wrong. Stacy NEVER crys, she'd rather be mad and quiet than show the emotion of crying. She is the opposite of me--but I digress. Through her tears, she managed to get out that Caitlyn cut her hair and she felt like she was mourning the loss of it. That it was just part of Caitlyn and now it was gone. She knew she was being silly, but she couldn't shake the feeling. I listened to her, but I never really understood it. Now I think I do...

Yesterday Carolyn and I had a girly day. I had a blast! While we were up in the studio, Jodie stopped by and said she was going to DSW. Carolyn and I had enough to fill the kiln, so we decided to join in on the shoe buying fun! We head downstairs and go in the side door. Before I know what happened, the door swung into the side table houses a small lamp.
The lamp has a shade on it that I purchased in Venice, Italy by this small store right by where you pick up a ride on a gondola. I fell in love with it instantly and I knew exactly what I was going to do with it when I got it home. It was designed to be a hanging light and I thought it would look great over my island in the townhome. I had it shipped home and couldn't wait for it to arrive. When it came, I remember I held my breath as I opened the box for fear that it broke on the trip around the world. Nope, it was perfect! I held it up in the kitchen, over the island and realized that it was too small, and would look funny just as a single pendant. It sat in my dinning room alone for several months as I figured out what I was going to do with this thing--I would stare at it some nights. I finally got the idea that I would take it to a lamp store, see if there was some kind of fitting that we could put on it and make it into a lamp. I ended up at a lamp store in a scary part of town, but the old lady loved the shade as much as I did and we worked for hours putting together pieces from this and that to make it work. It cost me a small fortune when i walked out of there, but she had it rigged up to where I could hook it on any lamp base I wanted. I was sooo excited. I found a small lamp on-line and when I put the two together, it was magic. I LOVED IT. When I moved from the townhouse to the new house, I knew I wanted the lamp where I could see it every night, and I found the perfect place for it. I bought a small black side table that sits between the tv unit and the door. It is a great place to drop your keys and such. There are two things I do when I come home from work--I turn on that light and I open the back door for the dogs. That is my routine.
So, the door is swinging open, smacks into the table, rocks the lamp back and forth, it starts picking up some momentum and then just falls to the tile floor. It happened so fast. My lamp shade in 1000 pieces. I froze, I could NOT move. Carolyn tells me to sit down b/c she knows I'm about to go into shock. My favorite, most expensive piece of glass, the piece that I look at EVERY night--gone. I'm crushed. We clean up all the glass, the large pieces of it are sitting on my island just laying there lifeless, so heartbreaking.
I spoke with Stacy last night and I told her the story. She made a comment that I was mourning the loss of it. At first I snickered and she reminded me of Caitlyn's hair. And it clicked, I understood what she meant. I came home tonight from the grocery store, and I reached for the light switch to turn on the lamp and I became chocked up when I looked over at the table and didn't see the lamp turn on. I also kept looking over that way as I watched tv b/c it looked so dark in that small corner and it was catching my eye that my lamp wasn't turned on. I'm mourning its loss. My lamp shade is gone, maybe it will be destined for some pendants or something, I just can't throw it in the garbage, that would be sinful. What ever the pieces become, I'll make sure I send one to my sister for understanding me.
(luv ya stacy!)

That is the word of the day: Consequences.
I usually keep my acts of stupidity to myself and keep the consequences of them limited to within my household and try not to let them leak out others. That was not so successful last night.
First, let me begin this story with reminding folks that I can be a major dumbass at times. There are times I just don't think, sometimes the hamster is just not on the wheel. I try not to let that happen too often, but it just does sometimes.
I have lived on my 'own' for 13+ years. Never had a utility cut off on me until yesterday. I just plain forgot to pay my power bill. I come home, no power. Reach for the phone, text Jodie; yup, she still has power. A big 'ol question mark hangs over my head, I find a power bill, and call the number.
power guy: "the power has been cut off for non-payment"
nb: WHAT!? HUH? What do you mean?
PG: your bill was due Sept 2.
nb: AND YOU CUT IT OFF NOW? NO GRACE PERIOD
PG: no, no grace period.
nb: WTF!!!!
so we continue to argue, I begin to have a stomach ache from hell--a combo of embarrassment and anger.
If someone were to tell me that they had their power cut off, I would ask how many months they were behind. MONTHS, not 3 weeks. Now, wait, it sounds like I'm not taking responsibility for my actions, I have and I will. I understand that I did not make my payment. But who has ever heard of turning it off after 3 weeks? No warning? No late fee? Come-on, power is a necessity, I can see cable or your cell phone, but A UTILITY!! Just makes me shake my head.
So, now I have to call the one person that I know will allow my dogs in her house and beg her if I can sleep over. I know this phone call is going to be difficult for multiple reasons 1)I have to openly admit I'm a dumbass 2) her husband and son are leaving on a trip this morning and they had to pack and stuff 3) I know she had a long day at work, and the last thing she wants is a spastic Dane mix, a moody brown dog and a basket case for a friend. I have no other choice but to call. Even tho the weather has been nice here, the house is kinda stuffy and no power just sucks. She answers cheerfully and I explain my situation. If she is pissed by any of this, she is hiding it well and tells me to get in my car and come over.
By this time, the house is dark even with the blinds open. I have to go retrieve a flashlight out of my car and start packing by the light of that. The shame of stupidity washes over me again and tears start flowing. I truly hate being a dumbass.
I arrive at Carolyn's and the dogs play, they are beyond excited. I eat a salad I picked up on my way over and try my hardest to stay out of their way. By 9, I was mentally exhausted, I took my dogs and went upstairs. I fell asleep quickly, but soon heard every noise the dogs made. I was terrified that Samson would start barking for no reason and wake up Matteo. They also asked me not to let the dogs on the bed, so I was playing bed defender all night with Samson, I was blocking every move he made to jump up. Around 2:30am, Samson has some wicked gas and then starts crying. I jump up and rush them downstairs--I swear it sounded like a herd of buffalo running thru the house. Samson made it outside in time, I started crying again. After Sam is done with everything we head back upstairs; however, samson does not follow me back to the guest bedroom--he goes into Carolyn and Joe's room. For the love of Pete--really Samson. So I'm trying to get him out of there and get back to bed. After that I really didn't sleep much b/c I thought I'd have to run again to let Sam out.
6am rolled around, and they were up ready to go to the airport, I took a quick shower and headed home. I dropped the dogs back off. They can live in stagnant air for a day (if it was still 108 outside, no way, but it is a cool 79 degrees today w/ clouds). The power company told that it will be reconnected with in 24 hours. So sometime before 6:09 PM I should have power back on. (just shaking my head)
So, besides having to barge in on friends, let's look at the other consequences of my actions:
-everything in the frig must be thrown out, this equals $$$$$
-I could not run the kilns last night
-I had to pay $60 in cut-off and cut-on fees (add that to the ER co-pay (to be blogged about next), and any 'fun' $ Nicole had is now completely gone and no new glass order for her)
-I have a disconnect notice on my record
-additional physical proof that I'm a dumbass
I am so glad today is Friday.

So last night, I could not fall asleep, I tossed and turned, blanket on, blanket off, I was miserable. I could not turn off my mind. Items running thru my head included:
*I didn't want to miss my alarm and not get up and go to the gym.
*I was worried about the bowl I was slumping; was I firing too hot or too long, what if it is ruined? (ugg, another piece I won't have ready for the show).
*Will I tell my boss to bite me after he grills me about the meeting I continued without him on Friday. (not my fault if you HAD to leave @ 2!)
So, I tossed and turned some more. Huffing each time that I did, I looked at the clock--12:45. UGGGG! At that moment, Brody jumped up on the bed, and laid down by my mid-section. That did it. I kinda 'spooned' him and gently pet his side and then next thing I know the alarm was going off at 5am.
Wow, 5am, what was I thinking. LOL. I hit the snooze for awhile and then decided that my day would be ruined if I just didn't get my ass out of bed and off to the gym. I promised myself and I'm tired of breaking promises. So, I jumped up, got dressed and gave Brody the biggest hug and kiss. I didn't have time to do the upper body workout that I wanted too, I would have felt rushed, so I did 30 min on the treadmill. I went home and ran up to the kiln room to check on the bowl. Yup, a little hot and a little long, the bowl isn't sell-able by my standards, but I think it might end up in my house somewhere.
And I didn't tell my boss to 'bite me', but I did tell him that he miss a great conversation and we agreed upon a lot of things. I had to give him the complete low-down of everything. In the end he agreed that it seems like we did good work, but next time don't have a meeting on Friday afternoon. Whatever.

Life is good when...
You are outside, with your dogs laying in the grass, cold working some pieces of glass and have Dave playing on the iPod.