The Donut That Ate Christmas
On Christmas Eve, I went down to the city to Gene's neice's (Starr) house. Lots of pies, cookies, coffee and hot cocoa for the little Christmas dessert-get-together with the in-laws. On the way back about 11:30 that night and only about ten miles from my house, I had a flat tire. Conveniently, I had just pulled the spare out of the car and a highway patrolman pulled up behind me and changed the tire for me.
So -- since I couldn't get the tire repaired on Christmas Sunday, and it wasn't safe to drive that far on the donut spare, I didn't get to be with my family on Christmas Day. Sucks, huh? Oh well, I was in a remarkably good mood anyway in spite of the situation. It was a beautiful day and I worked on some projects around here. And watched some old guys from the neighborhood while they tinkered and tried to get Gene's old car working. I know, I know -- I should have been starting it up every once in a while since "the event" but I just didn't. I still had hoped it would start and I could drive it over to see my family on Christmas but it didn't.
On Monday, I got the tire repaired on my car and some spark plugs for Gene's car (diagnosis of the old guys, but it still didn't start after they'd put them in). Then I went over to see my dad and sister and family for the afternoon. Came back with yummy leftovers. Joe, my brother-in-law, made his famous gumbo. It was so good.
On Tuesday, Gene's sister, Kim, came up and we took care of some car stuff as Gene's car now belongs to another of his neices, Laura, who was without a vehicle. Since it wouldn't start, the new plan was for Kim's son, Sean, to come on Saturday and get it working.
In the meantime, I had to have some major repairs done on the house. They came on Tuesday to do some prep work and bring some materials. Kim and I went to the courthouse/town to take care of car stuff and for me to deliver a file and run some other errands.
A couple of guys from the house repair outfit were left here to wait for delivery of materials. They asked about moving Gene's car out of the driveway so the delivery truck could get closer but had to tell them it wouldn't start. One kid suggested they push it out of the way, but the other didn't like that idea too much. While we were gone, he did it the easy way. He said he'd been mechanic-ing for years (must have started at five since he was still very young) and knew what to do to get it started. (Yes, the key was in it from trying to get it started.) I was very, very excited that Sean wouldn't have to spend his New Year's Eve working on it. So, Kim went back to the city and brought someone back to drive Gene's car back to Laura's.
They worked on the house repairs on Wednesday and Thursday. On Thursday, my sister and brother-in-law came over and checked out the repairs. They took me out to eat at the Catfish place. Yum. Haven't had any in a while.
So now it's Friday. The last Friday of this year. A few days past the three-month mark of "the event." I've gotten rid of Gene's car and our clunker car. And I'm getting ready to go to the post office to mail some files off to clients. Part two of wrapping up Gene's office. And gotten these major house repairs done to the foundation -- now can move on to repairing the floor. Gotta say it -- Gene was a brilliant man, but not a house builder!
I should be out there cleaning out one of the sheds. This one has leaked for a long time and there's some really gross stuff in there now. I got started on it yesterday. That's one project I'd hoped to have completed this week while I'm off work, but it's not looking so good right now. Besides all the icky stuff, there's lots of momentos and et ceteras that bring up lots of memories. I sailed through Christmas but had some boo-hoos yesterday.
The weather has been so nice this week. Yesterday afternoon, I had the door open and Einstein has enjoyed coming and going. He brought in a lizard and tortured it until I saw him smacking his lips. Then a little later, he raced in with something else -- a little mole. Just didn't want mole guts on the rug so scooped it into the dust pan and tossed it out.
One more holiday and I'll have the holiday-season firsts behind me. In case anyone asks, being a widow sucks. And oh yeah, have a Happy New Year.
So -- since I couldn't get the tire repaired on Christmas Sunday, and it wasn't safe to drive that far on the donut spare, I didn't get to be with my family on Christmas Day. Sucks, huh? Oh well, I was in a remarkably good mood anyway in spite of the situation. It was a beautiful day and I worked on some projects around here. And watched some old guys from the neighborhood while they tinkered and tried to get Gene's old car working. I know, I know -- I should have been starting it up every once in a while since "the event" but I just didn't. I still had hoped it would start and I could drive it over to see my family on Christmas but it didn't.
On Monday, I got the tire repaired on my car and some spark plugs for Gene's car (diagnosis of the old guys, but it still didn't start after they'd put them in). Then I went over to see my dad and sister and family for the afternoon. Came back with yummy leftovers. Joe, my brother-in-law, made his famous gumbo. It was so good.
On Tuesday, Gene's sister, Kim, came up and we took care of some car stuff as Gene's car now belongs to another of his neices, Laura, who was without a vehicle. Since it wouldn't start, the new plan was for Kim's son, Sean, to come on Saturday and get it working.
In the meantime, I had to have some major repairs done on the house. They came on Tuesday to do some prep work and bring some materials. Kim and I went to the courthouse/town to take care of car stuff and for me to deliver a file and run some other errands.
A couple of guys from the house repair outfit were left here to wait for delivery of materials. They asked about moving Gene's car out of the driveway so the delivery truck could get closer but had to tell them it wouldn't start. One kid suggested they push it out of the way, but the other didn't like that idea too much. While we were gone, he did it the easy way. He said he'd been mechanic-ing for years (must have started at five since he was still very young) and knew what to do to get it started. (Yes, the key was in it from trying to get it started.) I was very, very excited that Sean wouldn't have to spend his New Year's Eve working on it. So, Kim went back to the city and brought someone back to drive Gene's car back to Laura's.
They worked on the house repairs on Wednesday and Thursday. On Thursday, my sister and brother-in-law came over and checked out the repairs. They took me out to eat at the Catfish place. Yum. Haven't had any in a while.
So now it's Friday. The last Friday of this year. A few days past the three-month mark of "the event." I've gotten rid of Gene's car and our clunker car. And I'm getting ready to go to the post office to mail some files off to clients. Part two of wrapping up Gene's office. And gotten these major house repairs done to the foundation -- now can move on to repairing the floor. Gotta say it -- Gene was a brilliant man, but not a house builder!
I should be out there cleaning out one of the sheds. This one has leaked for a long time and there's some really gross stuff in there now. I got started on it yesterday. That's one project I'd hoped to have completed this week while I'm off work, but it's not looking so good right now. Besides all the icky stuff, there's lots of momentos and et ceteras that bring up lots of memories. I sailed through Christmas but had some boo-hoos yesterday.
The weather has been so nice this week. Yesterday afternoon, I had the door open and Einstein has enjoyed coming and going. He brought in a lizard and tortured it until I saw him smacking his lips. Then a little later, he raced in with something else -- a little mole. Just didn't want mole guts on the rug so scooped it into the dust pan and tossed it out.
One more holiday and I'll have the holiday-season firsts behind me. In case anyone asks, being a widow sucks. And oh yeah, have a Happy New Year.
posted by Ms. Judy at 1:28 PM
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