Out of the Frying Pan

   Not referring to my grandson's frying pan. He was a winner in a game on the midway of the Schaghticoke Fair. He chose as his prize not the typical stuffed animal or the usual doodads, but a frying pan. Yes, it was one of the prizes offered. He said it was for his father, but he garnered so much attention with his selection, testament to his individuality,  that when he got home he hung it on the wall of his bedroom.
    But going from the frying pan to what lies beyond is an entirely different matter. My frying pan, figurative of course, brimmed over these past few weeks, fueled by delays, repetitions and misunderstandings which came to a boil or broil almost simultaneously.
  Maybe needed medical attention, I gathered, by the way she was eating and her gazing at me with a low meow, as if I could help her in some way. Or so I concluded. So off to the vet's, but she could not have just a single visit, She needed examinations, inoculations, and medical clearances first. So her primary visit, for dental extractions, had to be scheduled several weeks away, to tomorrow, Sept. 4. Not an optimal time period, as stuff needs to be picked up post-Fair, and her Lyft driver has conflicts with her primary employment.
  As ongoing for many years now, plans for baking fair entries were expected to be as usual, in regular period of time. But conflicts arose. Not only did bakers have  other obligations to work around, primarily sports in nature, but the baking mentor had unexpected appointments as well.
   Recommendation for a procedure was made, the expected date was set, pre-procedural events carried out, well before the month of September, and Fair Time. So far in advance of September, that when another date was set, all the pre-procedural testing had to be repeated. The accepted time lapse is 30 days, not 31.  Medical clearance appointment: Aug. 31, third day of the fair. In addition, in early August, I perceived a minor but potentially significant complication from a previous dermatologist's visit. Only available appointment: Aug. 29, first day of the fair.
   Alternate medical visits with cookie baking, time's of the essence. and of course the entries have to be brought to the designated departments just days before the start of the fair.
   Our upholstered furniture has suffered, time to replace it. Company is coming, Dave will be arriving. Furniture ordered in August, and to be delivered, with old stuff removed, weeks before the Fair. But no, delivery was delayed, then delayed again, so arrival was set for  August 30, my chosen day to attend the fair, but truck arrived too late for that to happen. No fair for me that day.
   So August, with all its activities, has come and gone. Same for the fair, Visitors have also made their appearances and left. The house is empty, just me, the cat and the new furniture.
    Tomorrow is the day after Labor Day: If all goes as planned, the cat will be transported to the vets, to be picked up after her tooth / teeth extractions. We will pick up the fair-ravaged entries, and the ribbons, and attempt to cash the award checks.
     All the activities which overfilled the spaces on my calendar for the last weeks are in the past. Only a single entry remains, the calendar square is marked for one week from today.
   In  exiting the frying pan of the cliche, the  hope is to avoid stepping into the fire.