Day Fifty-six: Plenty of time to work

My title for this post is something I never wanted to use again, even in this context: getting something done under time pressure. But, given what I am working on, it is the best context possible. I am working on a PowerPoint slide show with more pictures and greater explanation than just the poster, which still needs to be finished, can convey.

After breakfast, after cleaning up (breakfast dishes and myself), which was after my daughter and her husband left for their real work; after cleaning off the mud from my tennis shoes, which I hadn't worn since we planted the low-maintenance front yard (at least three weeks ago); after trying to use their computer to access the Internet and failing; I decided that I really needed sunscreen and while I was out might as well get lunch and hook up to a free wifi service.

So, I navigated to Whole Foods Market and bought my sunscreen along with a travel sized bottle of mouthwash and lunch and snacks. It was 11:00 AM when I checked out so I decided to have an early lunch. After eating I walked over to a Starbucks in the same strip mall, sat down with my decaf soy latte and proceeded to use Whole Foods' free wireless. If only I had known. I really didn't need a latte, particularly one that only has the diuretic effect going for it. Besides, Starbucks was warmer than Whole Foods, probably from all the steaming of soy milk. On top of all of that, the Whole Foods signal was weaker at the Starbucks end of the mall.

Except for some final timing, the PowerPoint slide show is done, well, as done as I'm going to make it. Tears have flowed freely all day. I will have to see if NLN is interested in posting it for the Marilyn Westbrook Garment Fund.

After dinner, which my daughter prepared, her artist side arranged the pictures, captions, and titles. (My small role was helping her use all of her tools to cut them all out.) She has made some phenomenal backing and framing choices from her collection of special papers, some of which were selected by Marilyn. Tomorrow night is the actual taping down.

Today I discovered that my Life after Layoff is better when I'm with people than when I'm alone. My ability to share with Marilyn will always be special but the contrast couldn't have been greater today. I was with my son-in-law and daughter this morning and evening and alone in a strange city while they were at work.