The Condensed Version (Maybe Not to You)

I mentioned that I took my truck in for repairs last Tuesday. I had planned to get it on Thursday because A) I didn't want to go out two days in a row and B) my daughter has Thursday off. Well, late Wednesday night I realized that I should just walk to the garage to pick up my truck because A) I was fast approaching my New York trip where I will be walking all over the place and B) I could really use the exercise. I am not kidding, but I had gotten maybe 5 blocks from my house and saw that the road started to go up as in UP, as in INCLINE and I thought, Okay, I'm going to call my daughter now to come and get me. And it was in the 80's and I was hot. And then I thought, Don't be such a wuss, give it a few more blocks. Let's make this little hill and see what happens.

I made it up the hill. I made a turn, I kept going. After I had made that turn and was keeping going, I realized I didn't even know if that road went through to the main road. I was hoping it did. I came upon some tall boy walking home from school and and asked "Does this road go through to Harwood?" He glanced away from me and I saw that he had earplugs from an ipod or something. So out loud for no reason, I said, "Okay, Thanks." And then I continued on. I saw that the road curved and at first I thought, Oh NO! Is this one of those circles? But then I saw a busy road and knew I was okay. A pair of high school kids passed across in front of me and I joined behind them and slowly increased the distance between us as their younger stronger legs pulled ahead. I kept chugging along and finally there it was: That tan building just up ahead was the place! I was so excited. I got there and crossed the parking lot and was ecstatic! "I made it," I cried! They all looked at me like I was insane. I explained that I had walked. They were all, "We would have picked you up." They didn't get it.

I pulled away expecting my truck to be all smooth and perfect, but it wasn't. It seemed to be doing the same thing - sputtering while at a stoplight. I needed to buy groceries, so I decided to do that and then call them the next day. Meanwhile I was all edorphinomized from my walk and stopped in at the bar next to the grocery store (yes! It reopened as something else!) and was all jubilant: Friday dawned, I woke up early thinking maybe I would get my truck inspected because the inspection sticker had expired while my truck was in the shop. I also called the garage and told them that my truck was still idling poorly and that I would have to bring it back when I had a chance. I ran a little behind for getting the inspection, but still got to Meals on Wheels early. They had changed my route a bit (not for the better) but still it all seemed okay because I had an early start. My 4th delivery was an apartment complex, so I turned off my truck. When I restarted it, the "Check Engine" light started flashing like crazy and then just stayed on. I was furious and called the garage. I yelled, "I took my truck in because the check engine light was on and and it was idling poorly and now it is doing both and yet I paid you guys $434!!" I was mad.

After I finished my MOW route, I went to lunch. I originally had great plans to have lunch at a place near the mall that has lobster bisque on Fridays and then I was going to hit the mall for some spring/summer shirts and birthday gifts for My Sweetie. But now that was all kaput. I ate lunch in the near vicinity and then took my truck back to the garage. I made them drive me home. They told me they had fired the guy that was supposed to have fixed my car. (I hope he doesn't have a family.)

When I was at lunch I had texted my daughter to see if she would take me shopping on Saturday for the shirts and birthday presents. (I didn't want to ask My Sweetie to drive me to buy his birthday presents.) She said "Sure!" Our plan was to start out at 3:30.

On Saturday, after lunch, I was going about my business of getting ready to go out when I got a text from my daughter saying she "didn't feel good" blah blah blah (hangover). So my plans were shot again. My Sweetie drove me to get my truck and when I told them I was going straight to get it inspected, they told me I had to drive it at least 10 miles since the battery had been disconnected. So I called the inspection place to ask about that and they said, "Ten? You need to drive it at least 50 miles to reset the codes before we can inspect it." I was all, FIFTY? Really? I don't drive 50 miles in two months and I can't drive around with an expired sticker. It was very annoying.

We finally decided on going to the mall and riding around. I got my shopping done and we put the 50 miles on the car. We did see some interesting stuff while we were on our mandatory ride. We saw a cowboy all dressed in white on a white horse on a busy road, some neat little country road areas and a Lamborghini:

And My Sweetie took my truck to get inspected Sunday morning. It passed of course. By the way, that "giant" walk I took to get my truck was 1.6 miles. That's pathetic. I mean I did walk it but it was tough. Time to get back on the treadmill. I don't even have two weeks left!