Wednesday, April 01, 2009

CURSES, FOILED AGAIN...

This morning I was looking forward to a day of playing hooky, which is one of my favourite things to do. I find almost all experiences are that much sweeter when you're supposed to be doing something else. (Also known as le grand procrastination.) I had plans, big plans, to drive all the way to Charleston in East Sussex, which I told myself was "research" for something which with a little (a lot of) imagination I could consider the "precursor" to what I'm actually supposed to be working on, which is to do with 1960s mod fashion, so obviously it is vitally important that I thoroughly investigate the 1920s artwork of the Bloomsbury Group. I was supposed to be going to Charleston with a friend who lives down that way, when she can get her hubby to babysit her wee ones, but I am very impatient. This is how I always end up watching films twice at the cinema, because I cannot wait for the person I promised I'd watch a certain film with to become available. Schedules: boo, spontaneity: oui. Charleston kept calling to me, knowing that today is the first day of the year it opens to the public. Everywhere I looked this morning I saw Bloomsbury influenced things. I thought how nice it would be on an actual rare sunny day to drive out of London, away from the unrest and into the countryside. Ahhhhhh....

bazaar_l.d

Like an old, responsible person I check the oil, screenwash etc levels of my car. I bring a jacket in case it gets cold. I drive approximately half a mile and become aware of someone whistling and clappping. Bloody pervs, I think. The boy at the bus stop catches my attention and shouts, "You've got a flat tyre mate." Long story short: I make it to a nearby garage (since I have been driving on the flat tyre unaware, I assume it's ok to continue a bit further) where they inform me that both my rear tyres are f**ked and if I'd gone on the motorway they both would have blown. They fit my little comedy spare tyre, which is only temporary and not allowed near a motorway or over 50 mph and I am not sure if I'm really unlucky, as everything I try to do lately gets thwarted somehow*, or incredibly lucky that the boy at the bus stop saw it and told me.

*First my entire inventory of stock for the online vintage shop I had been planning for over a year was destroyed in the mothalypse and had to be thrown away, along with most of my own clothes; then I got really excited about experimenting with my dad's 1970s Canon SLR (for which I have a huge box of lenses and filters) and the winding on mechanism broke halfway through the first roll of film. It's just like that at the moment and I know it will pass. But I don't want to get too excited about anything, or even state "I'm going to do this or that" because, well, a spanner always seems to get lodged firmly in the works.

But I know that today I was really lucky.

{photo: Louise Dahl-Wolfe/Harper's Bazaar}

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

oh!!!! but what is important is that you didn't get into some accident..seriously.

oh and so sorry...re:the moths..and about wanting to open the vintage store...

these are really trying and wanting to shake your fist to the sky moments for sure...

but know...it will be okay...

i came across a quote by someone...which read: everything will be okay in the end. if it's not okay, it's not the end...

nancyxx

coquette said...

I was just about to write you an email but couldn't resist commenting because A. Bloomsbury Group art, I WANT TO GO WITH YOU (I will again recommend Uncommon Arrangements, so good.) B. that blows about the car but I'm v. glad you're okay. C. Louise Dahl-Wolf, I was just reading up on her after the stylist from W who mentioned Dries Van Noten in tandem with her name on Cathy Horyn's blog. That sounds complicated but surely you know of what I speak! xxx

charlotte said...

oh noooo, it broke.. that's so annoying. is it fixable do you reckon? and also, tyres - wtf?! i reckon that whistling perv boy was your lucky charm. x

Claire said...

nancy: I know, it's ok, it really is and imagine if I had ignored that boy. none of it is so serious in the end really, but maddening one after the other!

Elisabeth: We must go! And of course I will take many pictures on my first recce there. And I know exactly what you're referring to re: Dries/White/Cathy/Dahl-Wolfe! p.s. Got into L D-W via obsession with DV...pps just ordered Runaway - woo!

Lottie: I know, so annoying! I think it's just a small mechanical part. do you know anywhere that might fix it? There are 2 places that sell old cameras I know - one in st anne's court, soho and one in tott ct road that I will try. but someone I know has offered to try if I don't mind the possibility of failure/not being able to put it back together again!

Elizabeth MacCrellish said...

oh honey

trying to think of the right thing to say and all I keep thinking is, oh honey . . . if it's any consolation, if you were a tv sitcom about a hip young urban thing making her way in the world, these scenarios would be comedy gold

~bp

RD said...

Really sorry to hear this, but indeed in this case I think the plus exceeds the minus -- you're alive and well! Though I know it's terribly disappointing to have a clean getaway foiled. You're actually reminding me of the key reason I got a new car, rather than a used one. In my previous cars, each time I drove I was listening for any unusual sounds that might be emanating from the aged intestines of my car...

By the way, I am most impressed that you know how to check the oil!

BB

Claire said...

BB: please tell me you know how to check the oil!

Anonymous said...

What? You don't know how to check the oil. Stop lying!

Claire said...

Of course I do anonymous buffoon, when have you ever had to check it for me?

Anonymous said...

OMG, you have been very lucky!!! I know it sounds silly, but you were, honest. More profound thoughts to be sent via private email.
xxx
Mia