For the win!

Okay. We managed to rent a car for a not-hideous price for the next four days, so we don’t have to take the bike to Phoenix in 101° heat. Because the thought of that made me want to weep. We did consider going out at night (leaving in the evening, riding for a few hours, sleeping, riding in the early morning), but in the end, the cost of the car wasn’t much more than the cost of two nights’ motel (assuming we’d stop in both directions). This will also allow me to get some work done in the car. :-)

Ken arrived home yesterday while Morgana and I were on our walk, and had the U-Haul unloaded by the time I got back. We returned the truck and then went out to lunch at Fresh & Fabulous to celebrate their move from the small space in the historic Woolworth’s building annex into the large Woolworth building restaurant space. I hope they do well there. The ambiance is all wrong for their Saturday high teas, but if they’ve been doing well enough to support the move to a much bigger space, that’s fantastic! I had their potato-and-garlic soup and oh my gods it was good! and half a sandwich (turkey, muenster, avocado, and bacon on whole wheat ciabatta with pesto mayo, toasted), also nommy. Ken had pear and walnut salad with champagne dressing, which is funny, because they usually have a small portion of pear and walnut salad with the quiche course for high tea.

Then, um… I don’t remember. He was pretty wiped out. We watched a little TV, and he took a nap, and because we hadn’t gone grocery shopping, we ordered a pizza. Then we toddled off to sewing at Morgana’s, where I finished beading the third of four pieces of Italian sleeves and cut out a bunch of fabric to make into presentation bags. Now, to find people willing to cross-stitch a Caidan cross on one or two of them! :-)

Then it was a little more TV catching up (Castle!) and bed…

Today has been go-go-go, it feels. I had a chiro appt, came home briefly, then had lunch with my friend Janice. She’s someone I never really get around to hanging out with, so I suggested lunch, and we did, and we’ve already made another lunch date in two weeks (since next week’s a little busy for me). Suuuushi, nomnomnom!

Then I got home just in time to grab Ken and go get my blood drawn for some tests—I wanted him to drive me home on the off chance I felt wibby afterwards. They didn’t take much, though, so I was mostly fine, except that it was hot and I hadn’t had any tea yet today, so I was hitting an afternoon slump. We swung by the grocery store to pick up a few essentials an ingredients for supper tonight (sloppy joes with ground turkey, plus salad); we’ll have the leftovers on Saturday when we get home from Phoenix. Convenient, that.

Then I bribed Ken to take Eostre to the vet for her follow-up check on her lip (had to take her in for some granuloma last week), which meant I didn’t have to get in the un-air conditioned car again. (I’ve been borrowing Morgana and Brian’s second car while Ken had mine in AR, and up ‘til now the lack of air conditioning hasn’t been a huge issue…). In return for him taking her in, I said I’d make dinner and do all the dishes. Which I probably would’ve ended up doing anyway (or I would’ve cooked and he would’ve done most of the dishes, more likely). So I see this as a Win on my part! LOL

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Currently Reading: Morrigan’s Cross, Nora Roberts
Lately Listened To: Styx & REO Speedwagon, “Can’t Stop Rockin’” single
Recently Watched: Dollhouse

Updated

Bigger sigh. The Saab dealer in Scottsdale couldn’t fix the car w/in a week—I’m not clear on whether it’s because they were booked up or because the car is in that bad shape… I suspect the former, really, because Saabs don’t break down like that. They go and go and go until they get old and one day the decide they’re done and just stop.

So Ken rented a U-Haul and car trailer (which necessitated going to two different U-Haul places), returned the bike trailer, bought 2x4s, put the bike in the U-Haul, put all the stuff from the car into the U-Haul, attached the car to the U-Haul, and then he and his dad started the trek back to California. Last I heard, they should make it to dad’s by midnight, and Ken will crash there. In the morning, he’ll drop the car at my Fabulous Swedish Car Guy’s shop, and then we’ll sort out returning the U-Haul.

And then we’ll figure out how to get to Phoenix on Thursday, and Fresno on Sunday…

Meanwhile, I had my annual exam today, and am going back in a few weeks for an ultrasound, and then another test, and then probably an ablation. Since I went off the Pill, my periods have been insane. This solution is way better than the monthly 3-day migraines I was getting on the Pill....

I also updated my website—check it out!

Now I have a headache, so I’m going to take some drugs, sip some wine, watch a little TV, maybe answer e-mail, and wait for Ken to call and say they’ve arrived safely, so I can go to bed!

Home? Not so much.

So, Ken was supposed to be home today. (There was even a slim chance he’d be home last night, but his dad isn’t as big on long haul driving.) Then I got the call yesterday afternoon.

They broke my car.

Not sure what’s up; there was oil everywhere and it was beyond their ability to fix at the side of the road (keeping in mind that Ken’s an engineer and Dad’s a former auto mechanic). Long story short, they got a tow into Flagstaff, and then a tow into Phoenix (Scottsdale, specifically, where there’s a Saab dealership) tonight.

The irony, of course, is that we’re due to drive to Phoenix on Thursday for the Styx show on Friday. Depending on how long it takes my car to get fixed, this could involve some interesting machinations*.

Sigh. This sucks.

Meanwhile, I’ve spent the past two days finishing up my first Custom Erotica Source commission. It was an interesting experience… I’m given to understand it was an unusually detailed request, so I’m even more curious to see what the next job will bring.

Teresa and I had another confab about PUM and I got some work done on my scenes tonight as well. I’ll hammer on those tomorrow (and possibly into Tuesday; I have some errands and appointments tomorrow, too) and get them sent off. Then I have a few short stories to write and send, and some nonfiction proposals to suss out.

Other than that, there’s sewing night at Morgana’s on Tuesday, and lunch with another friend on Wednesday (suuuuushi!), and then it’s off to Phoenix and Styx, baybee!

*C’mon, isn’t that a great word?!

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Currently Reading: er, various things I can't put my hands on right now
Lately Listened To: the purring of contented cats
Recently Watched: Thriller, a rather odd series from the 1970s that I saw as a child and which completely freaked me out. Thanks a lot, Mom.