Yesterday

The good, the bad and the ugly. That was my yesterday.

The Good
Last night I shared the latest three chapters of my novel with the girls in my writers' group. I was so excited about this – excited and nervous. Would they like it? Would they laugh? In my mind I thought the writing was going well but the proof was hearing their reaction and, oh my, never has the sound of laughter been such a joy in my heart. I now feel I'm going the right away and can hardly wait to get back to the computer and write more.
It was also the first time I hosted the group. That, too, was a genuine pleasure, having Dawn, Linda, Paula and Sasha up in my "writing space," the bunkie. I adore these women. So talented, so friendly, so much fun. The more time I spend with them, the more I love them.

The Bad
Tragic news from Dave's hometown, Sundridge, Ontario.
One of the mechanics Dave worked with at the Mac Lang Chrysler dealership was Ben Rich. Ben was there when Dave started and he was still there when my husband left 14 years later. They worked side by side, wrench warriors in the constant battle against squeaky brake pads, engine knocks and wheels that lost their bearings. Ben was an experienced, talented mechanic who Dave looked up to when he was learning the ropes. If Dave ever had a question, he knew Ben would have the right answer.
Yesterday at lunchtime Ben was driving through the village's main intersection, likely headed towards the bank or the hardware store, when he was broadsided by a truck going through a red light. He was pronounced dead a short time later.
Our phone has been ringing off the hook with the horrifying news. So shocking.
Our most sincere condolences to Ben's family, his friends and his co-workers. Certainly the atmosphere at Mac Lang will be subdued, to say the least, at this time. Best wishes to everyone there as they cope with this terrible loss.

The Ugly
Work. Ugh. Well, I took everyone's advice and kept my eyes on the prize. Surprisingly I managed to stay relatively calm as I worked through a mountain of tasks.
Did I finish?
Almost.
In fact, I would have stayed late (and missed the beginning of my writer's group meeting) and finished the last little bit, except that I got a last minute reprieve from the printer. "I LOVE YOU" I e-mailed Kelly, the cheerful customer service rep at Central Ontario Web. She said it wouldn't be any problem at all to get the final few pages to her this morning.
So, I'm off for another day, hopefully nowhere near as stressful as yesterday.
An hour or two to finish laying out Sideroads, then some goofing around and celebrating, then an appointment with the hairdresser to touch up an inch or two of roots.
By the way, HOW COME WHEN I DYED MY HAIR BROWN, MY ROOTS WERE WHITE?
Now that my hair is blonde, HOW COME MY ROOTS ARE BROWN?
Oh, and I had the WORST dream last night!
I dreamt that, as I finished Sideroads, I was laid off! And not even by my boss, by a HAMBURGER!
Don't ask...