Fry Day

I don’t have any funny bus stories tonight, interwebs. It’s been one of those days. Yes, I took the bus to work and home, because, well, the car still isn’t ready. I talked to a guy on the bus this morning who remembers when staff parking was $15 a year. I pay that every month now. It’s much more for one of the prime spots, I work in what was a cow pasture a few years ago.

My car. I love my car. We’ve owned it for over 20 years. You get attached after all that time. Even so it is just a machine, just a way for me to get around. Here’s the thing, though: I kinda depend on it. I need to get to work, appointments, the store, take the kids places. I don’t like it when it’s broken, but if I think back over the last 21 years it has been very, very dependable.

So I’ve been car-less for a week. Talking to the shop this afternoon, I may have it back by this time next week. It won’t be cheap. It should fix the problem. Then I can quit bitching about it for a couple / more years until something else breaks. Meanwhile I’m thinking about looking for a part time job. Hopefully involving alcohol, and maybe sleeping. One can dream, right?

Meanwhile, tonight I borrowed the van and went to the grocery store with two of my kids (the fridge, she was bleak), then McDonalds (where my son ate half my salad in addition to his Happy Meal) and finally we’re home. Big breath. I’m worn out from this week at work (covering for someone on vacation), worry about the car, worry about money, just worry.

Worry doesn’t help anything, does it? It’s like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do but doesn’t get you anywhere.

Right now I’m between a child with an Ipod and a child munching on grapes, who keeps trying to tune my (cable) television to channels that are only available on DirecTV. It’s after my bedtime, and I haz wine.

Ah, life is sweet.

bring out your dead

I was waiting for the bus the other day with a dozen other people. It was 5 in the afternoon, 104 degrees and (of course) sunny. So we all lurked in the shade close to the building entrance.

The bus finally appeared, up the street, and the folks waiting slowly lurched into the bright sun toward the actual bus stop 50 feet away. I think it would have made a great zombie scene.

Only instead of yelling “braiiiins” we would all be saying “air conditioniiiiiiing”

And if you were wondering if it’s hot enough here, we keep having water mains break because the ground is crunchy and shifting. Today the main next to my bus stop broke, so I got to walk about a half mile (in the 104 degree heat, ha) since they altered the bus route to miss the construction.

Also? Touchdown Cowboys.

round and round

My car broke down last weekend and has been in the shop since (I am writing this on Thursday). As inconvenient as that may be, I do have the good fortune to live right on the bus route. I take one bus, have a short walk, then take a second bus that takes me right to my office building.

It’s a marvel of transportation technology, I tell ya.

This setup has pros and cons:

con: it now takes almost an hour to travel the 4 something miles to or from work.

pro: the bus is air conditioned. OMG yes. This makes losing a couple hours of my day almost worthwhile.

Since it is summer, the busses are lightly traveled and it has been no trouble at all. When (if?) my car gets fixed I may keep doing this, at least some of the time, although I do miss being able to run errands at lunch or after work (my refrigerator is running on empty right now) and I’ve had to cancel doctor’s appointments, etc. Walking to the store in 105 degree sun is not my idea of a good time.

Another pro: I catch up on my google reader while on the bus!