Can't Find My Bookmark

In An Absorbing Errand, Janna Malamud Smith writes about how we lose track of time when we focus wholeheartedly on any creative endeavor.  Working on the casita has been like that for me.

Mike means it when he says, "We can do whatever you want." and "If you don't like the color, we can paint it over."  He'a cheerful even when he's working in triple-digit heat.  He loves "making Linda happy."

Since I don't have an ice maker, he goes into the kitchen twice a day and empties all six trays into the ice bin.  "The ice man cometh!" he says, twisting plastic trays.

When he drove away in his packed truck,  I felt so lonely.  My playmate was gone!

When Kate called a few minutes later, I told her I was trying to remember what I was doing before I'd gotten so absorbed in this project.  She asked, "You can't find your bookmark?"

That felt exactly right!  I'd gotten a new camera three weeks ago and had only gotten as far as unpacking it and putting a new scrarfy strap on it.  I had things to do, to get ready for, to plan.  I needed groceries.  But I couldn't seem to find my way to the store.

(Not that I literally couldn't find the store, but I couldn't find the motivation to go to it.)

I felt like I was driving a jalopy, gears grinding, climbing the hill back to Solo, a place I know much better than Partnership-With-A-Man.

Now I'm wondering if maybe I've landed in a whole other book.