Flipping the Sand

Heading back inside from the bakery to wrap up my evening, I scrambled straight onto the dark oak desk where the reading lamp cast a cozy pool of light. Resting right beside an open sketchbook sat a miniature brass hourglass, its sand completely settled at the bottom. You know I couldn't leave time standing still! I gripped the cool brass pillars with both hands, squared my platform boots against the polished wood grain, and gave the heavy frame a decisive flip upside down. Ssshh-whisper! A silky golden thread of sand immediately started pouring through the narrow glass waist, piling into a sharp, gleaming pyramid below. Watching that tiny countdown sparkle under the warm bulb was the absolute coolest cue to wind down.