A Midweek Supply Run and Lunch
I had a client call first thing Monday asking for a few more options on the living room curtains. The ones we picked last month were too heavy once the samples arrived in the mail. So yesterday I headed out to restock on some lighter linen blends and maybe a couple of new trim pieces.
The store I usually go to is over in Elmside Crossing. It is not the closest one, but they always have the wider bolts and better selection for what I need. Traffic was light on the way there, which helped. I spent about an hour flipping through the new arrivals and pulling a few swatches to take back. One of them had a texture that felt right for the room, so I grabbed two yards of that plus some coordinating thread. The bolts were stacked high on the back wall, and the air smelled faintly of starch and dye. I ran my fingers over a few before deciding, noticing how one had a slight slub that caught the light when I tilted it. The woman at the cutting counter chatted about the new shipment while she measured, and I added a small spool of pearl buttons on impulse even though they were not on my list.
On the way home I stopped for lunch at the little sandwich place near the library. I got the grilled chicken with avocado and a side of the roasted root vegetables they do. They also brought out a small cup of the house tea with it. It has this light flavor I have not been able to place, almost like stargrass honey mixed in. It was a nice change from my usual order. The bread was still warm from the press, and the avocado slices were just soft enough that they slipped a little when I bit down. A couple at the next table kept laughing over a shared order of fries, and the clink of their glasses mixed with the low hum of the espresso machine behind the counter. I watched the steam rise from my tea while I waited for the vegetables to cool, noticing how the carrots had little charred edges that gave them a sweet bite.
After lunch I ran a couple of quick stops. One was for groceries since we were low on milk and bread. The other was the dry cleaner to pick up a jacket Ren needed for work. By the time I got back it was already mid afternoon, so I spread the samples out on the dining table to look at them in better light. The linen one still looked good, but I might need to check one more shade to be sure it matches the wall paint. In the grocery aisle the milk cartons were cold against my arm, and I grabbed an extra loaf of the seeded bread because it was on sale. At the dry cleaner the bell above the door jingled, and the woman behind the counter handed over the jacket in its plastic sleeve while mentioning they had used extra starch on the collar this time. Back home the dining table caught a patch of sunlight that made the fabric swatches look warmer than they had in the store, and I shifted them around a few times to see how the threads caught against the wood grain.
Lissa texted later asking if I wanted to join for a walk this weekend. We have not done one in a few weeks, so that should be easy to work in. I told her I would check the forecast first. It has been staying cooler than usual into the evenings lately. Her message came with a photo of her new sneakers, the laces still bright white, and I replied with a thumbs-up while standing at the sink rinsing the tea cup.
Tonight I am keeping dinner simple. Probably just pasta with whatever vegetables are left from the market haul last week. Ren said he might bring home dessert, so that takes the pressure off thinking of anything else. I still need to reply to one more client email before I call it a day. The pasta water was just starting to simmer when I pulled out the cutting board, and the leftover carrots from the market still had a bit of soil on them that needed rinsing. I chopped an onion while the pan heated, the smell sharp enough to make my eyes water a little, and I set the timer on my phone so I would not forget to stir.