Here we are mid week, autumn is creeping in, leaves are beginning to turn, and that nip in the air has the furnace on but windows still wide open. (That part drives hub nuts, but it's only for a couple of more weeks.)
We're in week two of our experiment of car-sharing and today is my day to go without. I know it's an eco and urban-friendly thing to do, but I'm not used to it yet. In a way, it's a little liberating as I can hardly be "on call" every day, so I know what I can and can't be doing, but still, it IS bugging me. We have set aside money for taxis and that in itself is a huge savings when you consider maintenance, gas and insurance costs of owning a car, but you really think twice about spending the $7 to and from the grocery store when all you want is a head of lettuce and some fresh bread. I suppose I could walk. *grimace*
Anyway, today is laundry, some silver polishing (ugh) and watching Y&R live. What are you doing today?
Not doing a lot besides work today. Trying to fight off the sick feeling. I sure hope this doesn't last all 9 months like it did last time.
Kae I don't think I could go without a car. I have too many independent issues going on. I need to be able to go when I need to and not have to wait on someone else...You definitely have more patience then I do.
I hope it doesn't last long too, Shelly. Poor thing, you. But it's all for a good cause. :)
Patience has never been my long suit, to say the least. For me, it's more about planning and having a Plan B in place as well. That's what the taxi fare in the envelope is supposed to be. But like today, for instance, I'd like some orzo to serve with dinner - no way am I going to run over to the grocery store for a $3 bag of it, so the guys will have to have potatoes instead.
Well, this is one of those days when I've been ON THE PHONE all day long! I was supposed to go up to Rockville, but it's already 3:00 pm, and if I go now, I'll get stuck in rush hour traffic. So, no...
Jim is leaving for Arizona tomorrow, to visit the child, and is SO excited about the trip that I'm not sure he can wait until tomorrow morning's flight! LOL... She, in turn, has made some special preparations for her dad; she made his favorite roulage yesterday, and was going to take some pictures of the process so that I could post them, but discovered that her camera battery is dead. She PROMISES (PROMISES, PROMISES) to take step-by-step pictures the next time she makes it, which is far more often now than I do! She also fussed around with the apartment, getting some additional little bits and pieces for it so that it would look a bit more pulled together, domestic diva that she is. She was worried about the large blank wall behind her couch, so I told her to go buy some fabric, wrap it around some foam board, and hang it on the wall. She loved the idea, so found three large pieces of foam board, and three different fabrics, and hung it all as "art". It was enough to make her feel that she'd "decorated". I think the ultimate plan is to put frames around them too, as they're currently rather unfinished looking, but at least put some color in a blank spot. She also found something for the dining room wall, and got some of Ayva's drawings framed for her kitchen counter. Very cute!
She's found an authenic southwestern restaurant for dinner one night, and they have that little day trip on the Apache Trail planned, so I know they'll have a lot of very fun father-daughter bonding time.
She's still looking for a job, and interviewed yesterday with her apartment complex's management company. They have awesome benefits, and pay well, so please keep your fingers crossed! She also took a test to become a police dispatcher, but hasn't gotten the results yet. She said that it was really difficult! (I can't remember whether or not I already posted about this...)
KaeEll, I'm like Shelly. I'm not sure that I could survive without my car, so I deeply admire your courage for giving this a try. Whenever I've had to have my car serviced, and I've been without it for a few hours, it drives me nuts! It seems that those are the occasions when I suddenly think of some little errand that I want to run, and then realize that my driveway is empty. That causes me a moment of panic because it makes me feel isolated (even though I have nice neighbors all around me), and stuck. You're right, though, about running to the store for lettuce. It's nuts, and we ALL have to break that kind of habit. I'm probably the WORST offender.
I am loving the cool October nights, and sunny days too. And I always have to have a window open at night -- even in the dead of winter. Ted would probably strangle me!
__________________
"It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities"
(Dumbledore to Harry Potter)
I am so glad the costumes fit the kids, Jess. They look adorable in them.
As for the car thing, we have never lived as far away from the subway line as we do here, so Ted and I shared the one car for the longest time. He would NEVER drive to the financial district of town when he could stroll over to the trains. Of course, now that we live a bus ride to the trains, he finds it quicker in non-rush hour times to drive. (He gets free parking at his office.) But if he leaves bright and early, he does prefer public transit, and I'm in luck. But lately, he's had these super early conference calls that he takes here at home, then is in a mad hurry to get to his office, and ends up taking the car. His minivan has all but conked. It still goes, but he won't risk it to drive into the centre of town. No way will I drive that darn thing! We really do need to get it out of the driveway.
I think the secret to this one car for 2 people thing is a lot of prior planning and keeping stocked up on what I will need. We used to have this wonderful little plaza a block away that had everything I could need but it was torn to the ground for townhouses 2 years ago. That was the only reason we bought this far out of the city core, that we could walk to get whatever we needed, and now it's gone. I'll spare you my RANT on that, lol. The townhouses were never built, btw.
Anyway, we're trying it out for now. (grumble, grumble)
Oh, I just saw the PICTURES of the cute little scrubs!! Jessica, your post wasn't there when I first began writing my earlier one.
How CUTE!! Good job, KaeEll. Jess, the kids look adorable.
KaeEll, that totally sucks about the townhouses. I can imagine your rant without your even having to write anything. LOL...
Jim plays around with his morning commute too. He also has free parking, and some free Metro cards. He likes to leave the house at about 8:50 a.m., because this puts him at the express lane at just before 9:00 a.m., when they open it to cars with only one person. If he's late, and hits the express lane at 9:05-9:10, it's too late. Everyone else has hopped on it too, so he's in another traffic jam, but in a different portion of the road!
On some days, like this morning, he'll drive to a metro stop, park his car, and hop the train. It's a constant juggling act! No matter what he does, it seems that there's always some impediment to his having smooth sailing.
I am SO glad that I'm not driving into downtown Washington, DC, on a daily basis anymore. The construction, traffic, and double-parked cars have all become much worse since the days when I was still employed!
__________________
"It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities"
(Dumbledore to Harry Potter)
You guys make me so happy that we have always been blessed to not have to travel far for anything. This little town of Groton is so small you could probably ride a bike everywhere. Something I may consider after having the baby. I wish Vinnie would ride a bike, then I could drive his truck. Haha. When we bought it I thought it was WAY too big. But this last week with my truck in the shop I have had to drive it and boy is it a nice ride. I don't want to give it up. Good news is Vinnie will be going to sea the first week of November and I will be able to drive it then.
Jess the scrubs are adorable. I think I have decided to get Jolene a Pluto costume from the Disney store online. She just loves the little dog and I found a costume for 15 bucks. Not bad and it should keep her warm.
