Diamond in the Rough

I had an truely awful day yesterday as I left my handbag behind after my Artist's Way class at the Botanical Garden in Edinburgh. It happened because I was carrying two bags, had picked up the one with the books in it and had already got out my keys from my handbag. Then I glanced out of the window and could see a traffic warden standing by my car. So I rushed out, made it with about 1 minute to spare before my time was up and was actually congratulating myself. Then some 10 minutes on (on the Queensferry Road) I wanted to apply some lipbalm and discovered I had left my handbag behind. Total panic ensued, I did a U-turn on the Queensferry Road (which with hindsight was a stupid thing to do although I'm really quite proud I did achieve it!) and returned to the Garden which had closed by then. Some staff were still leaving and they went inside to have a look but found no sign of my bag.

It appeared that one of my classmates had tried to catch me up, hadn't managed that and handed my bag to the reception who locked it in the safe but had already left by the time I came back so no-one knew where it was. Anyway, I then drove home encouraging my VW Fox to just keep going please, as I had no phone or any money on me. It did! This morning (need I add after a sleepless night) I phoned the Botanics who knew all about it by then (I had left numerous messages on all their various phones and my tutor had spoken to them too). John decided I wasn't fit to drive and kindly went and picked it up for me. I literally clasped the bag to my heart on his return.

I do regularly leave stuff behind, such as mobiles, cardigans, books etc. (too much arty thinking going on!) but this was a first for handbags and made me realize that carrying my life in one bag is perhaps not such a great thing to do! MUST DO BETTER!!!

Anyway the adrenaline rush wore off, headache took over and I gifted myself a fun day beading. When I finished the Treasure necklace (see this earlier post) the colours reminded me of this unfinished bracelet, that I had bought from Laura McCabe whose design and kit it is, when she was here last year. I did about half of it shortly after but what with my exhibition earlier this year had left it sitting undone. It's not difficult and uses actual metal nuts in it's construction. I had a multitude of things I should have been doing but beading restored my blood pressure to it's usual low level and restored both my mood and my mojo!

Looking back over the past events I was most surprised to discover that I worried most about not having my camera (despite having another one!), as opposed to credit cards, money, mobile phone and diary. That must mean photography is getting ever closer to my heart!!

On a positive note, my tutor, fellow student and Botanics staff had all been so kind, it almost made me cry with gratitude. What a day.

And to top it all, on my drive back yesterday, BBC Radio 2 told me that it would be a very bad week for Virgos. They're telling me!!! Great synchronicity nevertheless.