PERKY VERSUS QUIRKY

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO


   When I started this blog, I told you that, as it was the beginning of the year, I had decided to make a fresh start and get rid of some bad habits.
  Among them ( I wish I could write ' between ' but it would mean I had just two bad habits ), the fact of getting sidetracked in no time really got on my nerves. So, fighting against that became my early 2015 hobby-horse.
  All throughout Winter and Spring , things went on smoothly. I stuck to my resolution and nearly got over that weak point. Of course, I fell off the wagon every now and then, but I got back on track quite quickly. I stayed focused on my goals, took up plenty of mini challenges, and even managed to overcome my unfortunate tendency for procrastination.
  But boasting a victory was way too soon ...

  In the early days of Summer, I started experiencing symptoms suggesting I was about to have a relapse.You know, things like walking downstairs to do one thing and finding yourself five minutes later upstairs doing something else. First I thought there was nothing to worry about. I looked on the bright side and noticed that being a bit sidetracked could bring unexpected touches of fancy in everyday life ...So,I turned a blind eye to the side effects of what I called "  my little quirk ".
  Unfortunately there is a difference between a quirk and a flaw, and I learned a costly lesson when my quirk flawed the first sunny days of Summer. 
  Let me tell you how a perky busy bee can turn into a quirky crazy bee.

  Last Wednesday the weather was set fair. We were having lunch on the terrace and we realized that if the temperatures kept rising, the terrace would turn into a huge toaster. It really met the conditions ; south-facing and white walls !
   With no time to spare, I turned on my computer and a couple of hours later, I knew everything there is to know about  parasols ( history and anatomy) and how to choose one ( pole, mast, thickness of the material and so on).
   I knew my requirements, so I thought finding the right parasol would be as easy as ABC !
  I went to the nearby garden center. Some parasols fitted all my criteria, but before stepping into the " purchase decision process ", I went to a DIY shop where prices are usually more affordable. And that's when things went haywire. It took me a split second to get sidetracked !!

  As soon as I walked into the shop, I remembered I needed some cleaning products for the garden furniture and a light bulb. So, the busy bee I am started fluttering along the shelves..
  One hour later, after queueing at the checkout for a while, I could put my loot on the conveyor belt :
  A bottle of soft soap, a set of screwdrivers, a tube of wonder glue, a doorstop and a pack of chair leg felt pads !

  Hardly had I come back home when the sun on the terrace dazzled me ...

  The quirky crazy bee had bought a lot of  trifles but no parasol !!

  I was ticked at myself !! Will I ever learn ?? Time will tell. I still have a long way to go but I will strive to never let a quirk turn into a flaw !!
  
  It's a long shot ...