Ah – another “be in the moment” lesson teaching me to live in the here and now!
As many of you know, last fall I was notified that I was nominated and had won Calgary Business Woman of the Year 2010. As surprised as I was – I also refused to acknowledge the significance and wanted to ignore or bury the excitement I felt about it.
(Yes, I avoid feelings like the plague. I would rather think and make sense of things)
So instead of allowing myself to become excited – I denied the feelings and became the feeling. I started doing things without thinking because I was in that ‘state of hyper excitement’ not available to think or even be aware of what was going on around me.
Air head might have been the best description and I am sure my husband, although he refrained from saying it out loud – called me that and a few more choice names before the day was over.
To avoid my ‘day of the event’ excitement and nervousness, I decided to bake bread. From scratch. Yeah – smart huh?
Swedish Cardamom Wreath was my choice and I buried myself in the fragrant aroma of the cardamom – an Indian pepper.
I placed the dough in a slightly warm oven to let it rise. (For those who have visited my home – they will understand that room temperature at my house is not conducive to bread rising!)
After running a quick errand – I came in the house to get the dog and head to the dog park with my hubby. It was a glorious Sunday and I was determined to relax. I checked on the bread and it did not appear to have even begun to rise. So I turned the oven on to 150 degrees, adjusted the wet tea towel over the bowl, closed the oven door and headed out.
We returned home one hour later to a house full of blue smoke and the smell of burning fabric. (smelled very much like wood smoke)
You guessed it. I ran to the kitchen to find the tea towel half burned up – and the dough only slightly risen!
The lecture I endured following the airing of the house was minor compared to the realization that I could have been attending the awards banquet in my jeans and sweat top. Pretty scary stuff for someone so concerned about how they appear to others.
Oh yeah – and the house could have burned down.
I hope I learned my lesson. As much as I like fireman – I would rather see them in a calendar then hosing down the ashes of what once was my house.
Here and now Mandie. Here and now.
Oh – yes – and the bread? It tasted great!
(PS. Thanks to who ever nominated me - and the businesses in Calgary that supported me as well!)
