LADY ON THE WEB

9 am: Connect to Lady on the Web. At desk in studio. Working on a new line of lace trim for an upscale upholsterer's. Just started.

9:30 am: Made three strips of lace. I think they're turning out pretty nicely.

10 am: Made six strips of lace. At this rate, I'll be finished before lunch!

10:30 am: Made nine strips of lace. Time for a break. I feel quite worn out. I think I'll have some peppermint tea and a croissant, as I had no breakfast earlier.

11 am: Made twelve strips of lace. I've finished a dozen samples. That should be quite enough to show them. I think I shall go to the conservatory and study the flower shapes for an hour.

12 noon: It's definitely time for lunch. I'll see if Mrs. Grimes left me anything in the fridge.

12:05 pm: Oh, good; Mrs. Grimes made the most beautiful curried lentil paté, and a rice pilaf with almonds and raisins.

12:10 pm: Doing the NY Times crossword puzzle, easiest on Mondays! while waiting for lunch to heat up.

12:15 pm: Can you think of a nine-letter word for "extremely outrageous"? I'm stuck on that one ...

12:20 pm: The crossword-puzzle word is "egregious"! It came to me while taking
lunch out of the oven. Just popped into my head, imagine that.

12:30 pm: Eating lunch. Delicious. Grateful to Mrs. Grimes, who is a "treasure."

12:45 pm: Finish puzzle and lunch. Good smell still in the air.

1 pm: Back at desk, ready to sketch and stylize flower ideas.

5 pm: A productive day. Going to take a brisk walk in the cold, must bundle up.

5:05 pm: Just getting my coat, hat, scarf, gloves, for a walk outside before dinner.

5:10 pm: What is that curious animal snuffling about in the hedgerows? I do believe it's a badger!

5:15 pm: There's a family of badgers living in the hedge. I wonder Lord P--'s
dogs haven't routed them.

5:20 pm: Few cars on the road. I suppose people are still on their holiday visits.

5:30 pm: It really is quite cold for this time of year, but the brisk walk feels good ... I say, there's someone else up ahead. Hard to see who, in the twilight ...

5:35 pm: It's a man and a woman, that's certain ... They're walking quite fast. She has on a fur coat.

5:40 pm: It's Lord P-- and Sally Sharpe! What's she up to, on a Monday of all things! I suppose one must say hello ...

5:45 pm: Well, that was certainly a disconcerting conversation. Yes, most disconcerting ... I thought Sally and I were friends ...

6 pm: Back to the house. It's begun to snow.

6:15 pm: Snowing quite heavily.

6:30 pm: I hope the power doesn't go out. Not really that hungry, in spite of my walk. Noodle soup with fresh spinach will do.

6:35 pm: Boiling water for soup.

6:40 pm: Cooking noodles, chopping spinach and scallions.

6:45 pm: Soup's ready.

6:50 pm: Soup's comforting, especially in light of that disturbing conversation with Lord P-- and Sally.

7 pm: Supper over. Expecting Dr. Harkness to come over around 7:30 for chess practice, but wonder if weather will stop him. Worried about him.

7:05 pm: Just phoned Dr. Harkness, but no answer. He must have set out already. Worried.

7:10 pm: Pacing. Go to window, press nose against glass, see swirling patterns, snow blowing all directions with sudden gusts. Think of parents, lost at sea, forces of Nature ...

7:15 pm: Worry reaches peak, pulling on outer garments to go out into storm and find Harkness. Feel sure will find his car in the ditch.

7:20 pm: Wind terrible, icy snow stings eyelashes, nose, cheeks, lips. Visibility poor. Calling out into storm. Stumble over object in road.

7:25 pm: Have turned ankle rather badly. Not sure what to do. Headlights come up rather suddenly, showing snowflakes streaming quickly in all directions.

7:30 pm: Car's Dr. Harkness, irony is he "rescues" me. We drive slowly back to
my house, up my long drive, without incident. He describes his wonderfully reliable studded tires, all four of them, "steady as donkeys trudging up a hillside in Peru."

7:35 pm: Dr. H. and I reach my house safe and sound. My ankle's swelling and painful.

7:40 pm: We go in, I leaning on Dr. H.'s shoulder. He has his cane, but insists I lean on him, and I must, though worried for him and his footing.

7:45 pm: We settle in the living room. Dr H. sets about making fire in fireplace. I am fussed because I can't wait on him. He insists I remain on sofa, with bad foot up on cushion. Brings me aspirin for pain. Makes us both hot milk with cinnamon, sugar and pepper, habit he picked up in South America. We chat re Paracas textiles.

8 pm: Chess practice with Dr. H.

8:45 pm: Dr. H. says he must go but will look in on me tomorrow. I assure him I'm fine, though my ankle hurts rather.

8:50 pm: I call Mrs. Grimes, apologize for the lateness of the hour, and ask her to come by tomorrow to help me out re the ankle.

8:55 pm: I gaze at dying embers of fire and think over day.

9 pm: Disconnect from Lady on the Web.

9:30 pm: Write blog post.