June 30, 2015

Last night, in anticipation of this morning’s need for sleep, I arranged to be late at work.  Wouldn’t ya know, L texted me at 7 something and I couldn’t get back to sleep. It felt good, though, to be able to lie in the hot morning air..ok, maybe it wasn’t hot yet, but it wouldn’t that much longer till it was in the hundreds.  I miss winter.

Soon the kids were up (on my beckoning) as I wanted to go to Old Navy to get some “nice clothes” for CR (shorts, in particular, for Maggie), but Ethan said he had everything he needed so it was just Mags and I.  We headed out in the bus because I wanted to make sure Lizzie was feeling ok for our adventure to Quincy Thursday morning.  Mags complimented me on my  stickshifting <giggle> and we headed onto the highway where…I couldn’t get her into second gear..it wasn’t there..first wasn’t there, either.  No gears anywhere.  I quickly moved over to the right side <GASP!> until I got her into a gear, any gear and we sputtered.  OHNOOOOO…not now!  Not hours before High Sierra!!  I was suddenly in a very sadbad mood.  Still, I have a tendency to overreact, so maybe I wouldn’t need a new clutch.  Plans were changed, however, from Old Navy down the hill, to Styles for Less, just across form the mechanic.  We got clothes for Mags – somehow, by some miracle, there were a pair of shorts that wouldn’t flash my sweet 11 years old’s ass to the world, so we got those.  Puttered over (somehow making it up the little slope in 2^nd gear after waving other cars on) and I walked in to Drew’s office, after elegantly gliding Lizzie in on a side slant.  He saw me walk in and smiled as I’m sure I was expected, then I explained to the issue.  I think I have built up a relationship with him as he got out and test drove it, and told me the gears are fine, it’s probably the link.  They’d check it out later that day – he keeps the parts and I should be able to get it tomorrow.  He even gave Maggie and myself a ride home.  Whew….

Ethan laughed as we walked in the door.  It really is a game of chance when I leave in that bus as to if I’m driving home in Lizzie or someone else.  He had gotten the Tshirt I had ordered (again) for his classmate (Mags left the other one at school and it has long since disappeared…and told me he was glad it hadn’t been signed on the Tshirt in sharpie, as I had done to the other – now gone- Tshirt.  I smiled, because I had kept the autograph receipt from the other shirt.  See how  life works out?  Took Maggie to her friend’s house, then….

Off to work for group and a client and home where I texted Des that the pups were now available for their walk-through of her premises (she very graciously offered to keep the dogs while I’m at High Sierra).  Ethan leashed ‘em up and we headed out.  Oddly, Annie was quitter on this road adventure than ever before.  Ohyeah…the bark hurts much worse than any bite.  I think the dogs will be very happy here as it seems the Thomas family will take excellent care of them. 

 

I looked at Ethan’s “nice” clothes for vacation and was sad – flannel shirts and dark jeans.  We were going to the tropics, not the Arctic, so I convinced him to go with me and we would get him some nice clothes…and it worked!  Khaki pants, shorts and slacks, plus a button-down shirt and nice shirt.  Wow,  that boy is growing up.  

Pictures:  Lizzie's resting home for a night - hopefully; My sunscreen repair yesterday with Plastimake; The 2nd shirt with the 1st shirt's receipt; Annie was very excited to be heading to Des's house, she just didn't know it.