Flat Tires

Yes, that's plural. I was supposed to spend Valentine's Day at a romantic dinner and concert. We were on our way when the Hubs hit a gigantic pothole on 14 mile. Instant flat tire! So, we pulled over and waited for AAA to send someone over to change it. While we were waiting, three more cars, with 4 flat tires total (one lost both his right tires...front and rear) pulled into the same parking lot we were in. It was a busy night for towing services. We ended up taking so long that we missed both our dinner and the show, and the tire store was closed by the time we reached it. So we went home.
Today we set out to get the tire fixed. We had traveled about 1/2 mile from the house when the spare went flat. So, we spent another hour waiting for a tow truck. When we finally got to the tire store, we discovered the original tire was completely destroyed (side blowout from the impact of the pothole), the rim of the spare was bent (but fixable) and the whole front end was out of line. Tomorrow I have to spend some time composing a serious letter to the Macomb County Road Commission.

Church Bells

My new office allows me to look out a window. That is a real pleasure after working in the basement for over a year. But, I have found something even more delightful. I can hear the church bells from the nearby catholic church. I sit at my desk early in the morning and listen to the familiar westminster chimes, while sipping my first cup of coffee. They remind me of my childhood, when the bells of Precious Blood church were a part of every day. Amazing how such a simple thing can bring back so many memories.

The Pancake House

This morning we indulged in one of our favorite guilty pleasures. We went to the Original Pancake House for breakfast. I may have mentioned it before, but this place has the best pecan waffle ever. Match that with a side of bacon, lots of hot coffee and the morning paper, and there is just about no better way to start the day. On the way home we did the weekly grocery shopping. Then I spent the rest of the day inside, catching up on paperwork and watching the Phoenix Open. A good start to a great day.

A Day Off

This snowstorm was very strange for a number of reasons. First of all, I woke up last night to a thunder storm. In February?? Yeah, that was a first for me. The weatherman was calling it "thundersnow" this morning. Until I heard him say that, I was wondering if I had imagined the whole thing.
Then I didn't have to go to work today. This was the first "snowday" I have had in many years. I have always been the one who had to show up because I had subordinate staff depending on me to be at the office. Today, though, my boss thought it would be a wiser choice to just close the practice for the day. That is no small decision, since we see about 500 patients per day, but I appreciate his concern about people trying to travel in this weather.
So, I spent the day doing what I would normally do with "found time". I knitted, cleaned the house a bit, baked some blueberry muffins, and generally enjoyed myself. Tomorrow it's back to the office, but I sure am more relaxed than I would have been driving in this blizzard.

Taxes

I spent this morning doing my income taxes. This is a time when my ultra-detailed approach to life really pays off. Not many people get a kick out of reading the tax guides like I do. There is something about getting everything sorted out and all the numbers in the right columns. Of course, it always helps when there is a good-sized refund on the way. (Yes, I know it's my own money, but I don't seem to hang on to it as well when it's readily available to me.)
My one big objection to filing taxes is the federal government's refusal to provide me a free e-file solution. They seem to feel this is something that should only be provided to low income filers, and the rest of us should pay a tax preparer or purchase some tax software. They don't seem to allow for the middle income geek like me who is too cheap to do anything but send in the paper forms with a 44 cent stamp. Yes, I can wait a few more days for that return. It's worth it to me.

A New Relative

I have been home sick with a winter cold (OK, maybe the flu), so I spent some time this morning browsing a new blog called Nutfield Genealogy. This is a blog by a distant relative through the Flint line, who also lives in the Derry New Hampshire area, I believe. I was led to it by my niece, over the January 12, 2011 post that focused on the Uicker family home in Derry. It was intriguing reading about, and seeing the pictures of, the familiar home that was the hub of our summer visits to New Hampshire when I was a kid.
Her posts cover every topic imagineable, and I spent a couple hours just browsing, reading, and enjoying. It was so delightful, I decided to add her to my list of family blogs. Take a look and enjoy with me.

Money Laundering

It hasn't taken too much financial wizadry to manage the economic times of the past couple years. But, I must admit to a growing list of potential expenses that gnaws at my subconscious mind. The king-sized mattress in the master bedroom is really showing signs of wear. The washer and dryer are 15 years old, and the refrigerator gets noisier every day. The cost of replacing any or all of these is more than I want to consider, but I know it's coming.
Today I started my new year very traditionally. The Hubs made chorizo and beans for breakfast, while I stripped the bed and started the weekly laundry. Before I sat down to a relaxing breakfast, I went to put the sheets in the dryer and discovered the washer had not drained. I reset the cycle to the spot where it should have drained and tried again. It seemed to work just fine, so I went back and enjoyed my breakfast. When I returned to check on the progress, I found the washer had indeed finished draining...onto the floor.
Oh well....we flipped the mattress yet another time, put the sheets in the dryer, and headed out to the appliance store. (Don't tell the refrigerator!)