Super Saturday

I woke up at 6:00 a.m. on Saturday and got right into the swing of things. I had lots of things to do! Before I left, I stripped the bed and started the weekend wash.

First stop was a 9:00 a.m. haircut. I left at 8:30 because I needed gas and didn’t know how difficult traffic would be around I-96.

This was my first time going over the expressway since they shut it down and I was amazed at the work going on! There were cranes, dump trucks, demolition and scaffolding going up and on everywhere!

I got my gas and still was ten minutes early. So, I opened both windows (it was already warm) and listened to NPR until my barber showed up.

After my haircut, I went and got a massage. I didn’t think I would get in before Easter, but she had a cancellation. When I came in, she immediately asked, “Why are you walking like that!?!” I explained I had spent the last several days bending over, standing on the concrete garage floor for hours and both the small of my back and my hips were trashed. Her partner, who happened to be sitting there said, “Well, Margaret, you’re gonna earn your pay today.”

And, she did.

We talked about several things. Margaret suggested I get a workbench rather than bending over. I told her I had one, it just wasn’t 10-feet long.

She wanted to find a cheap wine barrel to make a chair out of it, but the only ones she could find was over $250.00! So, she wondered if I knew how to bend wood. I told her I’d never tried it, but I thought they used steam. I suggested she contact some of the Michigan wineries and see if they had them cheaper.

She also mentioned she had been digging in her garden. I was amazed and said, “I didn’t realize the frost had gone out of the ground yet!” She said she didn’t know, but she had dug down about two feet with no problem.

I felt 100% better when I left (although a bit “pummeled”).

From there I went to Kroger’s to get the few items on my list. Next was Westborn (I told you I had a lot to do!).

Then I stopped at the Wine palace. I needed some port wine for my Sunday dinner. Now, I’ve never bought port wine, so I wandered the aisles for a while, looking for it. Finally, I gave up and asked the owner where it was. He pointed to a corner of the store and said, “In that room.” So, I went in that room. An alarm went off when I crossed the threshold!

The room was about the size of my bedroom. In there were the expensive bottles of champagne and other wines. I saw the port and the first bottle I picked up was $63.00 US! I searched and found one that was “only” $43.00. I left the room (setting off the alarm again) and talked with the owner. I explained I needed just a half cup of port just for cooking. He found me a “cheap” bottle for $14.00.

Geez! What’s up with port?

From there I went to Costco for coffee and more peanuts for the squirrels. It was a mob scene. When I finally got out, I just threw the coffee boxes in the truck bed (first time I ever used it, other than the 12-foot boards for that damn sofa table).  Then I went home. It was just after noon.

I unloaded the truck. I took out the last container of “Sunday Gravy” (Pasta meat sauce I’d made) from the freezer and put it in the sink to thaw.

Sidebar: “Sunday gravy” is what old Italians used to call pasta sauce. It dawned on me that I no longer know any old Italians. That’s sad. Where did Italians go? Damn this melting pot!

Then I went out to the garage, pulled the truck out and got it ready for delivering the sofa table. Using the Owner’s Guide, I removed the truck bed extender. I laid in some leftover siding boards from the shed. I covered those with blankets from the linen closet. Then I put the sofa table in.

I struggled a long time trying to figure out how to attach the hold-down clamps in the sides of the truck bed (this is NOT explained in the Owner’s Guide). But, I finally got it (sorta). I locked in the table with straps and added the flag at the end.

I went to Yahoo maps and printed out directions to Mike and Courtney’s townhouse. Then I programed it into my phone as well. I guess I don’t trust technology, yet. To be fair, the Yahoo maps told me to go on I-96 to I-275 (that’s not gonna happen) But my phone told me to go down Plymouth Road to Ann Arbor Road to I-275. So, that’s what I did.

I stopped after a couple of miles to re-tighten the straps (I always do) and then drove on.

They live in a townhouse complex just south of Cherry Hill off of Haggerty in Canton. I finally got there, but had some problems once inside the complex. Apparently, I can’t distinguish what 1,000 feet is! So, I kept turning in too soon. And, as I might have mentioned, when you back up with the tailgate down, the back system screams at you!

But, I got there. I rang the bell but nobody answered! Oh, crap! So, I called the number Cortney gave me. She answered and said Mike had just left and she would call him.

I waited about five minutes and then called her back. It’s not that I cared, except I really, REALLY had to pee.  She said she couldn’t get in touch with him, so she would be heading back (from Middlebelt and Ford Road).

I thought seriously about using the old farmer’s solution: You open the door to the truck, stand close to the apex of the door and cab and pee. Nobody can see you that way. But, there were kids and adults everywhere, enjoying the sunshine. And I didn’t want to be crude. So, I put mental sandbags on my back teeth and waited.

To be fair, I told them it would be an early afternoon delivery. I should have called when I left home. But, I didn’t.

I had wanted to take some photos at home to show the differece between how it came to the house and how it left, But, I forgot to. So, I did at their townhouse.

I decided to unload the sofa table (to keep my mind off peeing) so I did. I set it on the sidewalk and then got the truck ready for the ride home: blankets inside, hold-down clamps removed, etc.

While it was on the sidewalk, I did a final check on the sofa table. The sanding on the inner legs sucked! It was wavy. I was happy that they wouldn’t be seen, but unhappy I hadn’t noticed it when I could have done anything about it. And the edge of the table was dirty from the ride.

Courtney pulled in and I hurriedly took the table inside. Then I asked to use the bathroom. After an (embarrassing) long while, I was finally drained, washed up and went back to the living room.

She was thrilled with the table, while I kept pointing out its flaws. Then I took my leave.

Back home, I put the truck bed back together and put the tie-down straps, the hold-down clamps and everything else away.

Then I went outside, opened the shed and got out the rake. I pulled off all the mulch from the spot I guessed was right (I didn’t want to dig up Mouse) and then got the shovel. I dug a hole about three feet deep.

Sidebar: I was amazed at the amount of black walnuts I dug up. Apparently, the squirrels are good at burying black walnuts, but have no clue as to where they put them!

Then I buried Scruffy, with full military honors. He was definitely a warrior! About one foot below the surface, I fitted in broken concrete, so no critters would violate his grave. I filled in the rest with dirt, and then got a wheelbarrow full of mulch to top it off.

Rest easy, Scruffy! You deserve it!

I checked my traps and nothing had been disturbed. So, I nailed a 1x4 to the trailer bed for the rats to climb on.

I put everything away, locked the shed and then went inside to wash up.

It was almost 6:00 p.m. and I was hungry! So, I warmed up the pasta sauce in a small saucepan and heated the water in my pasta pan. This time I used half a box (8-ounces) of ribbed penne, rather than the smooth mostaccioli.

When the pasta was done, I drained it and added in the Sunday Gravy. I plated that and added a good handful of grated Parmesan cheese. It was fantastic, and I had seconds.

I watched the news until it ended and then went to a taped movie. I fell asleep before it was over.