A friend and I had a lovely lunch at a local eatery. I had tilapia and she, thinking she should be eating more fish, ordered tilapia also. It came with a mango salsa and four shrimp. Delicious.
Dropping her off after a couple of shopping stops, we both heard a noise coming from the engine of the car. It sounded like 'thwik, thwick, thwick' a soft, swift sound. She said I should let my husband look at the engine. This sent us into uproarious gales of laughter, but I guess you would have to know my husband to join this inside joke.
I was leaving the next day at noon for a two-day conference in Indianapolis, about three hours away. I couldn't risk breaking down on the highway....not much but cornfields between us and Indy.
Jim and I drove right to the dealer. A service representative, let's just call him B, came right out to talk to us. The noise was obvious. It was probably a water pump that would need to be replaced. B said 1) he had no mechanics available right then to look at it, and 2) the dealer had no loaners available and 3) it would take a day or two to get the car in for service.
Jim must have given B his 'grumble, grumble' look because B went into the office and returned with a woman who diagnosed the water pump problem. Jim told her, B standing by, that I needed to leave for Indy the next noon. She said 1) the dealer had loaners, and 2) perhaps they could get it done in time so I could drive my own car.
The loaner auto, and yes I know I should be grateful that they gave me one, was a 2014 model. A low-end model. One that used the key to open the doors. Cloth seats. And a half tank of gas. Like my dad used to say "A piece of junk."
Leaving our car we filled up the loaner with a full tank of gas to get me to Indy.
I searched the Internet for the cost of replacing a water pump. I plugged on our make/model/year of auto and came up with the average cost for this service throughout the USA. Costs ranged from $280-$400. I figured ours would be on the higher end.
The next day, at 11:45 AM, the dealer called....you guessed it, the car was ready. So B told us three big fibbers. We won't waste our time talking to B again if we ever return to the dealer.
Apparently one can't replace a water pump without finding other 'little' things that need attention. Our cost for the water pump was $700. With the 'little' things that needed attention our total bill was over $900. And yes, they did call and give us this estimate but really, they had us over a barrel.
Or as my dad would say, "They saw you coming." They also got our half tank of gas.
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
My World Cup Life
For the past two weeks, and apparently for the next week or so, I have been, and will be, watching soccer.
It seems that even more than the Olympics, the world is focused on this sport competition.
For the last two weeks, I have been sitting in front of the TV with my Group List in front of me. In the sudden-death round, which is taking place as I type, will be over in two hours when the USA either goes ahead or comes home.
The agenda for my day looks like this: 6:30 AM, up and walking at the river, sitting with coffee on the porch reading/studying, 11 AM, game one which is over about 1 PM. Judge Judy from 1-2 PM. An hour after of studying, reading, or free time. At 2 PM game two for the day, which is over around 4 PM unless there is overtime and/or penalty kicks.
This has been my life for the past week.
Before that, while the group games were still going on, there were three games a day and my schedule accommodated all three, with less time for things like laundry, returning phone calls, grocery shopping.
After today, the semi-finals schedule will require amendment of my own schedule.
One of the fascinations of world cup soccer for me is the global interest in this sport. I love watching so many countries sending teams to this international competition. I can't think of another event that brings so many people together. From the Pope to those who watch through Harrods windows in London, soccer takes center stage. I like the connection I feel with those around the world.
A deeper meaning or moral should now appear on this blog, some deep ideal that World Cup Soccer has taught me, but no, there's nothing. I just like soccer.
And that's what I think about it. Now USA, on to Belgium.
It seems that even more than the Olympics, the world is focused on this sport competition.
For the last two weeks, I have been sitting in front of the TV with my Group List in front of me. In the sudden-death round, which is taking place as I type, will be over in two hours when the USA either goes ahead or comes home.
The agenda for my day looks like this: 6:30 AM, up and walking at the river, sitting with coffee on the porch reading/studying, 11 AM, game one which is over about 1 PM. Judge Judy from 1-2 PM. An hour after of studying, reading, or free time. At 2 PM game two for the day, which is over around 4 PM unless there is overtime and/or penalty kicks.
This has been my life for the past week.
Before that, while the group games were still going on, there were three games a day and my schedule accommodated all three, with less time for things like laundry, returning phone calls, grocery shopping.
After today, the semi-finals schedule will require amendment of my own schedule.
One of the fascinations of world cup soccer for me is the global interest in this sport. I love watching so many countries sending teams to this international competition. I can't think of another event that brings so many people together. From the Pope to those who watch through Harrods windows in London, soccer takes center stage. I like the connection I feel with those around the world.
A deeper meaning or moral should now appear on this blog, some deep ideal that World Cup Soccer has taught me, but no, there's nothing. I just like soccer.
And that's what I think about it. Now USA, on to Belgium.
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Botanical Gardens and a Life Lesson
Last week I found myself in St. Louis at the Missouri Botanical Gardens. Acres after acres of manicured lawns and carefully sculpted beds of flowering plants and trees. Each carefully, tediously labeled. The garden's mission is to preserve, research, and showcase growing things.
Chihuly glass sculptures greet the visitor.
Lovely flowers and flowering trees line the meandering pathways throughout the park. Huge Koi slurp around the surface of their pond hoping that the visitor walking toward their habitat has picked up fish food at the visitor center.
A Japanese garden provides a peaceful place to meditate while listening to the rippling sound of water trickling over stones.
Two hours of meandering, stopping to read labels, sitting and enjoying the breeze through the trees is enough to shed stress and slow hurry. A modern-day Eden, a place created for the enjoyment of the senses.
And then....
Yes, in the midst of unique, labeled, groomed trees and flowers appeared dandelions, the bane of the modern gardener, the black eye on the surface of a lawn, the F grade for the horticulturist. In the midst of carefully crafted gardens a weed insists that it will thrive.
And it got me to thinking. I had spent a few hours enjoying a perfectly groomed place only to find out a dirty little secret growing amidst the beauty. Kind of like a life, I thought, perhaps my own life. Perhaps like yours.
We carefully groom our lives to look real good to the casual observer. But if one looks closer, the ugly can be seen.
Sometimes we don't see the dandelions because there is so much beauty in our life and it kind of covers up those little patches of not-so-pretty thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors. For the most part, say 90%, we look pretty good. Sadly, like the one bad apple in a barrel of apples, one dandelion in a life will insidiously put down roots that are almost impossible to eradicate. The one pretty little yellow blossom turns to a fluffy sphere that holds a thousand other dandelion possibilities.
Just my meandering thoughts while meadering.
And that's what I think about it.
Chihuly glass sculptures greet the visitor.
Lovely flowers and flowering trees line the meandering pathways throughout the park. Huge Koi slurp around the surface of their pond hoping that the visitor walking toward their habitat has picked up fish food at the visitor center.
A Japanese garden provides a peaceful place to meditate while listening to the rippling sound of water trickling over stones.
Two hours of meandering, stopping to read labels, sitting and enjoying the breeze through the trees is enough to shed stress and slow hurry. A modern-day Eden, a place created for the enjoyment of the senses.
And then....
Yes, in the midst of unique, labeled, groomed trees and flowers appeared dandelions, the bane of the modern gardener, the black eye on the surface of a lawn, the F grade for the horticulturist. In the midst of carefully crafted gardens a weed insists that it will thrive.
And it got me to thinking. I had spent a few hours enjoying a perfectly groomed place only to find out a dirty little secret growing amidst the beauty. Kind of like a life, I thought, perhaps my own life. Perhaps like yours.
We carefully groom our lives to look real good to the casual observer. But if one looks closer, the ugly can be seen.
Sometimes we don't see the dandelions because there is so much beauty in our life and it kind of covers up those little patches of not-so-pretty thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors. For the most part, say 90%, we look pretty good. Sadly, like the one bad apple in a barrel of apples, one dandelion in a life will insidiously put down roots that are almost impossible to eradicate. The one pretty little yellow blossom turns to a fluffy sphere that holds a thousand other dandelion possibilities.
Just my meandering thoughts while meadering.
And that's what I think about it.
Monday, March 31, 2014
Noah - My Take
Noah the movie was released over the weekend. Today, timing our outing to coincide with students being back in school after Spring Break, my husband and I went out for breakfast and then to the morning showing of this 'epic Hollywood blockbuster' (as it was reported).
Being familiar with the biblical account of the Noah saga and also being suspicious of anything out of Hollywood, I arrived at the cinema with as much of an open mind as I could muster.
The story of Noah, in its original, comes from the Bible. It's pretty straightforward, God (the Creator) with human emotions rues the day He created humans and decides to do away with the whole bunch because of the depth of their depravity. That depravity was well-represented in the film. I liked that the film makers showed the worst of humankind. It's what I'd thought all along (In modern day, only Wolf of Wall Street comes close to the evil that had pervaded the earth).
A subtitle of the film might be "Transformers Moonlight for God." I kind of liked the transformers. Here's why. Reading the biblical account it does take a stretch of imagination that Noah could build the ark by himself with only three young men to help...and maybe a handy woman or two. It made more sense to me to have these strong, guardian creatures around to help and protect Noah than it might have to have flurries of angels with fluttery wings and gossamer garments helping him. So that did not bother me. Poetic license.
It has long been known that God chose Noah because of all the people on earth Noah was the best. Not a sterling recommendation, and the movie shows the evil that lurked in Noah and everyone of his family. And in the film Noah delineates the weaknesses of each family member including himself. I think it's probably not a good idea to think well of myself by comparing myself to those around me. There is a higher standard. I appreciated the script writers bringing this out.
About three-quarters of the way through the film, I got antsy. I was ready for it to be over. It started to drag. I was unconcerned about how it would end. I wanted lunch. The script went so far off the main story, down rabbit trails and cow paths, that I lost interest.
The twins being born on the Ark, Jubal-Cain stowing away, an animal being slaughtered (probably the unicorn) - all that was extra-biblical. And tears, oh my goodness, those two Ark women could cry! And sob! Anyone who knows the events of scripture will begin to see the movie at this point as pure entertainment. Hollywood at its depraved best with one huge redemptive scene that gives the impression that, just perhaps, good overcomes evil.
That's a good take away, because in the end, not the end of the movie or the end of Noah's life, but at the end of everything, Good does overcome evil.
And that's what I think about it.
Being familiar with the biblical account of the Noah saga and also being suspicious of anything out of Hollywood, I arrived at the cinema with as much of an open mind as I could muster.
The story of Noah, in its original, comes from the Bible. It's pretty straightforward, God (the Creator) with human emotions rues the day He created humans and decides to do away with the whole bunch because of the depth of their depravity. That depravity was well-represented in the film. I liked that the film makers showed the worst of humankind. It's what I'd thought all along (In modern day, only Wolf of Wall Street comes close to the evil that had pervaded the earth).
A subtitle of the film might be "Transformers Moonlight for God." I kind of liked the transformers. Here's why. Reading the biblical account it does take a stretch of imagination that Noah could build the ark by himself with only three young men to help...and maybe a handy woman or two. It made more sense to me to have these strong, guardian creatures around to help and protect Noah than it might have to have flurries of angels with fluttery wings and gossamer garments helping him. So that did not bother me. Poetic license.
It has long been known that God chose Noah because of all the people on earth Noah was the best. Not a sterling recommendation, and the movie shows the evil that lurked in Noah and everyone of his family. And in the film Noah delineates the weaknesses of each family member including himself. I think it's probably not a good idea to think well of myself by comparing myself to those around me. There is a higher standard. I appreciated the script writers bringing this out.
About three-quarters of the way through the film, I got antsy. I was ready for it to be over. It started to drag. I was unconcerned about how it would end. I wanted lunch. The script went so far off the main story, down rabbit trails and cow paths, that I lost interest.
The twins being born on the Ark, Jubal-Cain stowing away, an animal being slaughtered (probably the unicorn) - all that was extra-biblical. And tears, oh my goodness, those two Ark women could cry! And sob! Anyone who knows the events of scripture will begin to see the movie at this point as pure entertainment. Hollywood at its depraved best with one huge redemptive scene that gives the impression that, just perhaps, good overcomes evil.
That's a good take away, because in the end, not the end of the movie or the end of Noah's life, but at the end of everything, Good does overcome evil.
And that's what I think about it.
Friday, March 14, 2014
If I Ran the World...
...a lot of recent events would never have happened.
No children fleeing Syria would be hungry, without parents, kept from education, or suffer from anxiety, insomnia, or nightmares.
No country would presume the right to take over another sovereign country just because.
No crazed gunman would attend a movie and then create mayhem.
No drugs would make their way into homes and school yards, street corners and alleys.
No children of five or six would be grabbed off the street and sold into slavery.
No loved ones would show up at an airport to welcome a family member only to be told the plane has vanished.
No child of promise would be told that money, race, religion, sexual preference, or parentage, kept them from educational or job opportunities.
No one would have to explain away yet another blackened eye or bruised jaw.
No one would every be told that their health care coverage did not cover a treatment that would save a loved one's life.
No child would have to wonder if they will have a place to sleep at night, or a home to return to after school.
No mother would have to muster the last of her energy to shoo flies away from her child's eyes, nose, mouth.
...and on and on and on.
BUT, that's not the reality of life on this spinning globe.
Unfortunately, these examples are the reality of OTHERS, not my reality. Because I am not directly effected by any of the above negative events, it is easy for me to flip the channel to a more positive story, put down the newspaper or turn to the comics, and keep my iPhone showing Angry Birds and not the global news apps. In my world, a simple switch can keep me from seeing the world as it really is. What this does, I have come to believe, is that it makes those dire events of my own life not only front and center, but huge and overwhelming.
Like...
...another week of below zero temperatures.
...a clothes dryer that has stopped emitting heat.
...a swimming pool in the backyard that needs repair.
...a dirty car or empty gas tank.
...a friend's slight.
...a day when allergies flare up.
...an evening with two more robo-calls letting Shawn know that he can delay paying his student loans with no penalties.
We can choose to see the BIG picture which at the very least should make us a little less bitchy about our own little problems, or we can continue to see the big picture in our own little worlds, thus isolating ourselves from the larger human community.
The question each must answer is how to acknowledge the realities of life without becoming overwhelmed, frozen with inactivity, or a cloistered nun.
IDK!
No children fleeing Syria would be hungry, without parents, kept from education, or suffer from anxiety, insomnia, or nightmares.
No country would presume the right to take over another sovereign country just because.
No crazed gunman would attend a movie and then create mayhem.
No drugs would make their way into homes and school yards, street corners and alleys.
No children of five or six would be grabbed off the street and sold into slavery.
No loved ones would show up at an airport to welcome a family member only to be told the plane has vanished.
No child of promise would be told that money, race, religion, sexual preference, or parentage, kept them from educational or job opportunities.
No one would have to explain away yet another blackened eye or bruised jaw.
No one would every be told that their health care coverage did not cover a treatment that would save a loved one's life.
No child would have to wonder if they will have a place to sleep at night, or a home to return to after school.
No mother would have to muster the last of her energy to shoo flies away from her child's eyes, nose, mouth.
...and on and on and on.
BUT, that's not the reality of life on this spinning globe.
Unfortunately, these examples are the reality of OTHERS, not my reality. Because I am not directly effected by any of the above negative events, it is easy for me to flip the channel to a more positive story, put down the newspaper or turn to the comics, and keep my iPhone showing Angry Birds and not the global news apps. In my world, a simple switch can keep me from seeing the world as it really is. What this does, I have come to believe, is that it makes those dire events of my own life not only front and center, but huge and overwhelming.
Like...
...another week of below zero temperatures.
...a clothes dryer that has stopped emitting heat.
...a swimming pool in the backyard that needs repair.
...a dirty car or empty gas tank.
...a friend's slight.
...a day when allergies flare up.
...an evening with two more robo-calls letting Shawn know that he can delay paying his student loans with no penalties.
We can choose to see the BIG picture which at the very least should make us a little less bitchy about our own little problems, or we can continue to see the big picture in our own little worlds, thus isolating ourselves from the larger human community.
The question each must answer is how to acknowledge the realities of life without becoming overwhelmed, frozen with inactivity, or a cloistered nun.
IDK!
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Janitor with a Gun
Last week a local middle school needed some work done on some system or another and called in a specialty repair/cleaning crew.
While working on the system in the area of the custodians' office they had reason to move out the computer keyboard. Behind the keyboard they found a handgun.
They immediately reported the find to their supervisor who advised the school authorities who called the higher-ups at the school corporate offices who immediately met with the custodian.
The janitor told the administrators that he had inadvertently driven to work with the gun in his truck. When he realized that he had the gun, he brought it into the school and hid it for the day intending to remove it and take it back home that evening. He is fully licensed to carry the weapon and was certified in gun safety.
This is where the story gets very interesting....
The custodian immediately resigned his position saying he knows that parents and school officials will have a hard time trusting him in the future to be around students.
Read that last sentence again.
Instead of trying to justify his actions, instead of claiming that he did nothing wrong, instead of insisting he is a victim of vindictive school personnel,instead of suing the school system for harassment or unlawful termination, he resigned.
Just like that.
Regardless of what you believe about gun-control laws, or how you feel about a person who has a weapon yet apparently doesn't keep track of it all that well, I think the message here is one we should all learn.
When you make a mistake, own up to it.
When you make a mistake, think about the impact that mistake will have on others.
When you make a mistake, quickly make every effort to 'make it right.'
I like this guy. And in a world made up of millions of folks with no moral compass, I applaud him.
And that's what I think about it.
While working on the system in the area of the custodians' office they had reason to move out the computer keyboard. Behind the keyboard they found a handgun.
They immediately reported the find to their supervisor who advised the school authorities who called the higher-ups at the school corporate offices who immediately met with the custodian.
The janitor told the administrators that he had inadvertently driven to work with the gun in his truck. When he realized that he had the gun, he brought it into the school and hid it for the day intending to remove it and take it back home that evening. He is fully licensed to carry the weapon and was certified in gun safety.
This is where the story gets very interesting....
The custodian immediately resigned his position saying he knows that parents and school officials will have a hard time trusting him in the future to be around students.
Read that last sentence again.
Instead of trying to justify his actions, instead of claiming that he did nothing wrong, instead of insisting he is a victim of vindictive school personnel,instead of suing the school system for harassment or unlawful termination, he resigned.
Just like that.
Regardless of what you believe about gun-control laws, or how you feel about a person who has a weapon yet apparently doesn't keep track of it all that well, I think the message here is one we should all learn.
When you make a mistake, own up to it.
When you make a mistake, think about the impact that mistake will have on others.
When you make a mistake, quickly make every effort to 'make it right.'
I like this guy. And in a world made up of millions of folks with no moral compass, I applaud him.
And that's what I think about it.
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Randomness - Bits and Pieces of Life
"Move to Indiana," the kids said. "We have mild winters," they said. The weekend we moved the area got hit with 19 inches of snow...with only three road scrapers in the county. That was ten years ago. Last week the temperatures dipped to -7 degrees, with a windchill of -14. Granted it was cold all over the country but it did bring back memories of their words that lured us to southern Indiana.
The lure was the family but I like to 'awful-ize.'
------------------------
Kat Karson now knows four tricks. He can High Five, Lay Down, Jump Up, and Get His Own Treat from the can of treats on command. Jim has promised that if I can teach him to roll over he (Jim) will reward me with a trip around the world. I am working hard on this ultimate goal.
-------------------------
The grandchildren have scattered. It wasn't that long ago that they were a gaggle of little girls, dressed alike with huge hair bows who linked arms and hands and went everywhere together. The oldest has a college degree, a job, and apartment, and a boyfriend. The next has has a college degree, a job, an apartment, and a husband. The next is starting her second semester at Indiana University. Her twin has an job, an apartment, a boyfriend, and a new course of study in Indianapolis. Their grandmother has a photo prominently displayed of four little girls in white dresses with pink sashes and huge hair bows sitting touching shoulders, smiling at the camera, oblivious of the grand adventure that awaited them in life.
--------------------------
I am wondering how it will appear to people if Jim and I return this year to London for the express purpose of touring Highclare (setting of Downton Abbey)? I am further wondering why I care how it appears to other people.
---------------------------
One evening Jim was at a meeting, there was nothing on TV worth watching and I decided to organize my scarves. By color and by season, and with time on my hand, I began counting and stopped at 150. Is this considered hoarding?
--------------------------
And that's what I think about it.
The lure was the family but I like to 'awful-ize.'
------------------------
Kat Karson now knows four tricks. He can High Five, Lay Down, Jump Up, and Get His Own Treat from the can of treats on command. Jim has promised that if I can teach him to roll over he (Jim) will reward me with a trip around the world. I am working hard on this ultimate goal.
-------------------------
The grandchildren have scattered. It wasn't that long ago that they were a gaggle of little girls, dressed alike with huge hair bows who linked arms and hands and went everywhere together. The oldest has a college degree, a job, and apartment, and a boyfriend. The next has has a college degree, a job, an apartment, and a husband. The next is starting her second semester at Indiana University. Her twin has an job, an apartment, a boyfriend, and a new course of study in Indianapolis. Their grandmother has a photo prominently displayed of four little girls in white dresses with pink sashes and huge hair bows sitting touching shoulders, smiling at the camera, oblivious of the grand adventure that awaited them in life.
--------------------------
I am wondering how it will appear to people if Jim and I return this year to London for the express purpose of touring Highclare (setting of Downton Abbey)? I am further wondering why I care how it appears to other people.
---------------------------
One evening Jim was at a meeting, there was nothing on TV worth watching and I decided to organize my scarves. By color and by season, and with time on my hand, I began counting and stopped at 150. Is this considered hoarding?
--------------------------
And that's what I think about it.
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