There's Nothing Like a Glass of Shiraz After a Long Day. Do you like my haircut?

Word of the Day

Petrool - The slow, seemingly endless strand of motor oil at the end of the can.

Have you ever had one of those days when everything unexpectedly crowds its way into your life, demanding to be taken care of right now? Never mind that there were perfectly empty days in which some of these things could have decided to show up and demand attention. Although we haven't solidified our plans to return to The Lake this summer, HTP and I have been thinking about it. The Gator is getting older but with a little attention, we feel that it should last a while longer. It's a truck and with care, it'll keep on trucking. One of the things that we've been discussing was whether or not our poor old truck would be able to survive another long trip. Could it take the added weight and stress of a trailer. We decided that it was capable but...I get ahead of myself.

Regardless, The Gator needed to be serviced. HTP called the guys that service our Gator and it turned out that we could fit the Gator in for a service on its transmission and whatever else they thought needed doing and service people always find something that needs doing, costly doing, but at least we trust these guys. So, we drove over to the service place (about 45 minutes from where we live...hey...you find someone honest and capable of fixing your car, you stick with them). HTP drove the Gator and I followed in the Chevy. We both drove home in the Chevy. Then...

I haven't had my hair cut since before Christmas. I've been whacking at my bangs on my own. So, I called over to the beauty parlor to see if the gal who normally cuts my hair was available anytime this week. She happened to have an opening at 1 PM...today. I scheduled it. Meanwhile...

The reason HTP and I were thinking about whether or not our Gator would be able to tow a trailer (given the age of the Gator and miles it has on it), was because DD Daughter wants a piano for Ms. En. Coincidentally, HTP and I have a piano, a nice upright grand piano, that is taking up lots of room in our living room, collecting dust, and no-one has played it for over five years...I'm not counting the tiny amount of playing that HTP did this morning when he was checking to make sure the thing still was fairly in tune. We'd decided that DD Daughter could have our piano if she would pay to move it. Originally, she planned to drive here from where they live in Nebraska with Ms. En, then rent a U-Haul and we'd have to hire someone to load the piano into the U-Haul and then she'd drive back to Nebraska, hire someone to unload the piano and then return the U-Haul. Well...HTP and I decided that maybe we could rent the U-Haul, hire someone to load the piano into the U-Haul and then we'd bring the piano to Nebraska on our way to The Lake. All DD Daughter and GI Joe would have to do would be pay for the U-Haul and the loading and unloading.

Then...HTP called a guy who specializes in piano moving, tuning, etc...to find out how much he'd charge to load our piano into a U-Haul. It wasn't all that much but it turned out that this guy is leaving tomorrow morning for...drum roll please...Kansas and then on to the same town (or nearly) where DD Daughter lives. He has three pianos that he'll be delivering to Kansas and then he's picking up another piano there and bringing it to Nebraska. He agreed to move the piano for almost half the going rate....and he agreed to move an antique gate leg table as well...not additional cost. Wow! We couldn't hire a U-Haul and pay for the muscle for the amount he quoted, not to mention wear and tear on The Gator or our nerves.

So, after my hair appointment, I had to unload the piano bench and clean and clear out an area so this guy won't bump into things when he comes tomorrow morning to pick up the piano and the gate leg table. Our house here in Arizona is rather crowded because we moved to this house from a larger house and we've got too much stuff. And now, I'm wondering if he'll also agree to bring a box of piano books for DD Daughter too. I'll know by tomorrow. We'll see. The piano guy is coming to pack up the piano REALLY early tomorrow morning. We'll be up because HTP has an eye appointment REALLY early tomorrow morning too. As a matter of fact, HTP won't be here when the piano guy gets here. I'll have to handle it on my own.

Then...HTP decides that we should have new tires for The Gator and he found a coupon online so, when the service people sent the shuttle to pick HTP up to collect The Gator (it's all done), he plans to take The Gator over to the tire place to get new tires before coming home.

Long story short? After a very long and full day...we're going to be driving to The Lake this summer (don't know exactly when) in The Gator but we won't be towing a U-Haul trailer. Whatever we bring to The Lake this summer will have to fit into The Gator. If you're all worn out just reading my blog today, imagine how I feel.

Murphyism of the Day

Golomb's Don'ts of Mathematical Modeling - Number Two

Don't extrapolate beyond the region of fit.

Catchphrase "Don't go off the deep end."

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

I believe love is primarily a choice and only sometimes a feeling. If you want to feel love, choose to love and be patient.

- Real Live Preacher