May 10, 2012

Thursday - Cloudy and then rainy

A bad day.

I got up this morning on time, checked email, got dressed and then went out.  It was cloudy, but not actually raining.  I put my rain cape in my backpack, just in case.

I biked over to Machi-kine and when I was crossing a busy main road on my bicycle, my handle bars started wobbling in a very scary fashion.  So scary that I coasted to a halt and walked my bike the rest of the way to the theatre.  

I went in, paid my money and bought my popcorn and drink (aka breakfast) lost and then found my ticket, dropped all the coins out of my purse, picked them up and went into the correct hall.  

The movie was great. It was Mike Leigh’s Another Year and I really enjoyed it.  No guns, no car chases, just interesting people.  Roger Ebert said something to the effect that he would like to be friends with the two main characters and I completely agree with him.  They were lovely people.  Mike Leigh films are more about people than events…basically it was about a year in the life of a middle aged couple, their son, and their relatives and friends.  It starred Jim Broadbent and Ruth Sheen, plus Imelda Staunton had a bit part in it.  A great little film.

After the movie I left the theatre and went over to my bike. It was raining a little, so I put on my rain cape. I walked off with my bike. I was hoping to make it home.  The handle bars came off about 100 meters away from the theatre.  Sigh.  I found that if I held the handle bars in my left hand, and the headset* of the bike in my right hand, I could walk the bike quite easily. I had to steer with my right foot….kicking the tire in the direction I wanted to go.

*I have no idea if that is the right word. I think it is…I looked at lots of labeled bike parts, but can’t be completely sure.

I made a few stops. I bought some food at a bakery, went to the bank to update a passbook and text my husband.  When he got back to me, we discussed what to do.  There was no bike rack at the bank, so I decided to continue on my way to the mall.  It was raining harder and I was getting more tired. I hadn’t worn great shoes for walking in, so my feet were getting more and more sore.

I made it to the mall finally and parked my bike.  My arms were like jelly and I just felt exhausted. I had walked a very long way with my bike. I went into the mall.

I had a restorative tea and sandwich at Doutors in the mall and read a little of my book.  I just finished Box Socials by W.P. Kinsella and it was great.  I can’t believe I hadn’t read it before.  I’ve written about this before on the lovely Jen’s blog, and on Shelfari, but the book was set in an area very close to where I grew up in Alberta.  Many of the bigger villages, towns, and even some of the cities were places that I knew well.  It wasn’t the same timeframe of course, but cool nonetheless.  He even mentioned my college. 

After I felt better, I did a little shopping and then decided just to walk home.  It was miserable out, but I couldn’t see staying at the mall until F came home.

I got home and spent a quiet couple of hours alone.  F came home at his usual time then headed out again to pick up my bike and take it to the shop.  Or so I thought.  He came back and announced that he’d fixed it.  If the weather is okay tomorrow I’ll have to check it.  And even if it isn’t okay, I really should.

I cooked dinner tonight. It was quite nice. We had salmon meuniere, couscous salad and salad.  It was all quite nice, if I say so myself.  F did the dishes and I watched some TV. 

We were having a peaceful evening.  I wrote a sympathy note for a person in AFWJ, I watched some TV and then I was getting ready to go over to the couch when I got myself some water from the kitchen.  I found the cutting board sitting in the basin wrapped in a towel.  F was bleaching the cutting board. No problem. He does that from time to time.  The problem was that my teapot was also sitting in the bleach.  I got rather annoyed.  Very annoyed actually.  I have NEVER asked him to bleach my teapot. In fact, I have asked him on more than one occasion NOT to bleach my cups or teapot.  I can’t stand the smell of bleach and I don’t like the way it affects my things.  He got very angry and told me that I should smash my teapot then.  It went back and forth for a little but then I got the silent treatment.  

I didn’t go over to the couch for my daily crochet session, I stayed where I was.  I was angry and a little scared at how angry he was.  

Suddenly though, he started asking me questions about his computer and languages, as though nothing had happened.  I didn’t really understand it.  

He went to bed a couple of hours ago but I’m still up. I’m bone  tired and really didn’t need all the aggro today.  Hopefully things will be back to normal tomorrow night.  I have to go.  I’m tired.  Night.  Zzzzzzz!