First Friday Off

I woke up around 6:30 AM on Friday when Lu flushed the toilet. I heard her go back to bed, but I couldn't.

So, I got up and started a pot of coffee. I sat on the couch drinking it, watching the day arrive. Then I shaved and showered. I got dressed and had a second cup of couch-coffee.

We left about 8:30 AM, with me driving the Volvo and her following in the Goat-mobile. The trip to the dealer was rather straight forward, but still took about 40 minutes. She sat in her vehicle while I went in and told them my sad story.

The guy did go out and check the anti-freeze (it's starting to gel again) and my sample. Then I signed a work authorization, agreeing to pay a minimum of $250.00 to "diagnose" the problem. They are supposed to call me today with their preliminary ideas.

We got back home and Lu had her breakfast. Then she started to get ready for today's events: she's visiting her other sister and then spending the night at her childhood friend, Cathy's, house.

Since the lawn was never cut yesterday (the day they told me it would be), I called to make sure I didn't fall off the schedule or something. I just got their answering machine.

Lu left around 1:00 PM and I went in to catch up on taped TV shows. I didn't want to go outside and miss the dealership call. I ate some watermelon chunks, topped with salt, for my breakfast/lunch.

They finally called at 2:30 PM. They say it still might be a head gasket, but think it's more likely it is the oil cooler (you know, the one Sam said was fine, let's replace your turbocharger?) If so, it will cost me an additional $750.00. I said, go ahead, and check it out. (Sigh)

I tried the lawn service again and got through. No, I am still on their schedule, it's just their trailer broke an axle yesterday, so they are way behind. She said they would get to me as soon as they could.

Depressed, I took a nap.

I went outside to get the mail at 5:00 PM. It wasn't bad this morning (in fact, it was a great morning, weather-wise), but now its 81 degrees F. and the humidity has climbed so it's a bit stifling. I trimmed the bush in front of the tree box. It had grown enough so it rather obscured the tree box, which is supposed to be the focal point of that garden.

I got the dandelion digger and my garden gloves out. I want to dig out those picker plants in the back garden and throw them in the lawn before it gets cut.

So, that's what I did. My technique is to use the dandelion digger at an angle, grab the picker plant with my mule-hide gloves and pop the sucker out. I threw the plants into the lawn for their mower to cut up.

So, did I weed the entire back garden? No. But I got all the picker plants out (some of them were over three feet tall!) and a lot of miscellaneous other weeds.

I was back in the house just before 6:30 PM, so I watched the news until 7:00. Oh, BTW, still no grass cutting crew yet. Whoops! I spoke too soon! They showed up just after 7:00 PM. Like a swarm of locust, they descended on the lawn.

Amazing! It was 25 minutes between them pulling up, unloading, cutting the lawn, trimming the lawn and blowing off the driveway before they were gone again. It takes me about three hours just to cut it!

I ate the leftover salad for my dinner. I forgot that Lu asked if she could take the bottled dressing with her and I had said, "Sure." So, I mixed up a balsamic vinaigrette (easy-peasy).

I started watching TV. I fell asleep early but then woke up around 2:00 AM and couldn't get back to sleep.

I finally gave up and moved to the front porch. It was a mild night. We had had severe thunderstorm warnings up, but if they came through when I was sleeping, they didn't leave any rain. No puddles, anyway.

They say leaving the bedroom when you can't sleep helps. Believe me, I've tried all the remedies (tensing and relaxing each muscle in your body, counting backwards from 100, etc.) but none of them are sure-fire.

I went back inside and opened my bedroom window (inspired by the mild air). I did fall asleep, but then was awakened by a horrible noise. It was Caley, smashing down the slats of the mini-blind with her paw so she could stick her head out and sniff outside. Disgusted, I raised the blind so she could look out (and people could look in if they wanted) and went back to sleep.