BLATHER REVIEW

That Was The Week That Was

So, anyway, I walked out monday morning and discovered that ol' Carmine, my truck (so named for it's color), had a flat tire. Since Chris, my housemate, is dead to the world until at least noon, there was no way I could replace it in the morning. Off to the bus stop I walked.

We've had single digit temperatures and lots of wind all week. It's only a ten minute walk to the bus stop in the morning, but it's a harrowing ten minutes (plus the standing-around time at the stop) when the wind is blowing sleet into your face.

On the way home I had a choice: either stand around in the bus terminal waiting for my connection to the #4 bus, or take the #11 and walk the 25 minutes to home. I opted for the #11. Brrrrrr.
On the way home I picked up a can of Fix-a-Flat (or whatever it's called) so, I could inflate the tire enough to drive it to Town Fair Tire in the morning.

Tuesday morning I got into the truck and turned the key. Nothin'. The battery's dead, either from the cold or from the electrical problem that my mechanics have been unable to identify. There's a short somewhere that causes something called "spool failure" in the battery and need to replace it every two years or so.
Off to the bus stop again.

The problem is that Chris can't drive me around in the morning to get a battery because he sleeps too late, and we can't do it in the evening because I get home too late; about 8:30. (The commute by bus takes about 2 hours each way.) So, I spent the entire week riding the bus and walking long distances in the -10 degree wind chill. This made my legs and back extremely sore, and by Friday I could hardly walk erect.

(Running printing presses for a living, I'm on my feet all day. The only time I sit down at work is when I have my lunch.)

So, anyway, Saturday finally arrives. Time to get a battery and a tire!

I guess I made up for all the sleep I lost during the week, 'cause I slept 'til 1:30pm. I didn't even wake up naturally, I was awoken by Chris. He knocked on my bedroom door, came in, and told me that the pipes had frozen. We've got hot water, but no cold. "I can't take a shower and the toilet doesn't flush," he said.

"Is the kitchen sink frozen, too?" I asked. Chris went to check it out, came back upstairs and told me the cold water in the kitchen runs fine. So the pipes are frozen somewhere in the walls between the 1st and 2nd floor. How the hell are we gonna thaw them out?

Long story short; the bathrub dripped some cold water, so I left the handle open. Sure, it's cold water, but it's warmer than ice so the pipes unfroze after about ten minutes. whew.
Chris took his shower, then left the house. Hey! We need to get a battery and tire! He came back around 5pm.

I asked him for the money for the utility bills. He said he wont have it 'til next week. That means I don't have enough to buy a battery. (The tire, on the other hand, has a lifetime warranty, yay!) So, there'd be no point in getting a tire if I can't get the battery. I'll be riding the bus next week, and I just heard a news report that, starting Tuesday, it's going to get even colder than it was last week. (boo!!)

(I've been really short on cash the past month because of the holidays. Thankgiving, Christmas and New Years all fell on Thursdays. Those Wednesdays were half-days at work, and on those Fridays the shop was closed, and I didn't get paid for any of that lost time.)

Also, I've had trouble eating, lately. I think everything I've eaten in the past week could fit on one dinner plate with room to spare. But, last night I suddenly got hungry. I made a bowl of beans and franks with Bush's Baked Beans and Ballpark Hot Sausages (that look and taste like hot dogs). That's when I began to feel it. A toothache.

Within 20 minutes it went from a dull ache to a sharp throbbing pain. I ate less than half of the beans and franks 'cause I just couldn't stand the pain of chewing anymore. I have an old tube of Anbesol that doesn't seem to work very well (It's about 4 years old). I had a partial bottle of brandy hanging around; it was a good night to put it to use.
I had trouble sleeping last night, constantly waking up and wincing from the pain in that fershlugginer tooth.

I woke up at 10:00am and couldn't sleep anymore. I got dressed and went around the corner to the Dew Drop In Deli and bought some Extra-strength Tylenol and popped three of 'em. The cold weather (slightly warmer today...I think we made it into the 20s) making my legs and back stiff and sore some more.

I went on-line and tried to read a blog or two, but couldn't concentrate. Then I got a great idea: hot bath!
I haven't had a bath in well over a year, and it was high time I had a good hot soaking.
As the tub filled I began to feel the Tylenol working. The pain had lessened to the point where I went ahead and brushed my teeth. Then I undressed and slowly sank into the steamy hot water.

Ooooooooooo. Aaaahhhhhhhhhhh. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

As the water cooled I'd pull the plug and let some water drain, then turn on the hot water again.
After about an hour (or more?) I was as loose as a well steamed sprig of asparagus. In fact, I began to overheat.

So, now I'm sitting here all warm and cozy. I'm beginning to feel the tooth again, so I'll be popping three more Tylenol in a minute. I can't see a dentist tomorrow because I'll be leaving at 6:30am to be in work early to finish a job I started on Friday and will be picked up tomorrow. So Tuesday will be a fun day. Not only do I have to get to a dentist, but I have to figure out how the hell I'm gonna get to the Court house for what will hopefully be the last time I ever have to set foot in a court. (I'm being sued -- it's no biggie.)

If I'm in the mood later, maybe I'll tell ya the real problems I'm dealing with. ;)

Posted by Tuning Spork at January 11, 2004 04:29 PM