On the cyber road again....

Hey Howdy Hey.

Gosh, it's been 5 whole days since I last posted because we have been without a land phone and cable tv and internet all that time, except for about 3 short periods where they thought it was fixed and it wasn't. There was some kind of physical overload that took both Verizon and Comcast that long to re-allocate, if that makes any sense. But, everything's working now, finally.

I spent a good deal of that offline time sleeping all that I could, due to a really painful arthritii flare and some strained back muscles from the hacking fits I'm still having. Good news on the hacking is that it's down to about once a day now. I've called my doctor's office again, and they are not impressed. According to them, I am performing typically and it will wane away slowly and surely. So, I just try not to think about it and let the days go by. I have also done quite a bit of radio and music listening, which is always good. I even drug out Missy's hand-me-downed mp3 player and enjoyed using it. The songs she originally downloaded onto it back in like 2006 are still on it, LOL. Guess I need to try to download some new ones one of these days, huh?

I've also decided to let you all off the hook and am working on starting a separate political blog with some like minded friends. It will be so separate that I'm not even going to link it on my blogs. I do need to vent my opines, but most of the audience that appreciates it isn't the same one that reads this blog. I finally figured that out during my offline hiatus. I've basically been trying to mix water and oil by hand. Not gonna happen. So, I adjust, because I do have to express that part of me. (P.S. - for those of you who I know will want to know the new blog, I will email you privately. Not to worry. winkwink)

Things here at Casa Miguel are the same old same old, except that I haven't really had a car to drive since the last week of January and I've been learning to adjust to that. Can't remember if I blogged about this or not, but Missy came home then to get her Focus inspected as it expired on 1/31. We'd been considering giving her Focus to my brother's oldest who turns 16 in March, so we let Missy take my CRV back with her to school and we kept her Focus.

Fast forward to now. The Focus is sitting in the driveway and is still not inspected. It developed a loud noise coming from the left back wheel right before she brought it, which is probably something like wheel bearings that need to be repacked or some such, but it probably won't pass inspection until that is fixed. Hubs is going to get an assistant in a week or so at work, which means he can take a half-day off here and there when needed finally, so as soon as that happens, he's driving it to the mechanic for an estimate of what it will take to get it in "Grandma" shape (fix whatever is wrong to get it in good enough working order that your grandma could drive it reliably). And, if it's worth fixing up, as it is a 2001 Ford, after all.

Commentary: If it was my 2002 Honda CRV or Hubs' 2001 Toyota Rav, there'd be no question that it would be worth it. Such is the sad state of American car companies today. Just sayin'.... and I do remain optimistic that the Focus will be worth driving for another year or two after it is worked on.

Anyway, I'm having to wing it without wheels, something I've not done since the fall of 1981. It's strange to not be able to just jump in the car if I need or want to, but I'm also amazed it's not been that tough. I am not driving an uninspected car, because I just don't want to chance a stupid ticket. Hubs doesn't mind, so if I do need a car, he's offered to switch with me and we have done that once when I had a doctors appointment in Houston last week. But I don't want him getting a ticket, so I really try not to switch.

But, for just mailing letters or going to the grocery store, I've been able to manage by just going at night after he gets home. And I really don't need a car every day. So, when Hubs began talking let's get a new car for you, I said okay at first, but now I've insisted upon trying to keep the Focus first. I feel bad we won't be giving it to my brother, but this recession has got me spooked and I neither want to part with a lot of cash right now, nor do I want to take on any more debt. It's like a voice speaking to me from my common sense, and I'm not going to shush it.

The second-hardest part was telling Hubs, although he took it well. Like I told him, we can always buy a new car later. Let's try and see if this car will work for me first. After all, what in the world do I need daily transportation for right now besides going to the doctor in Houston, and we can switch cars on those days, once we get the Focus fixed up.

The hardest part was thinking it all out and taking a decisive stand. Dangit! This latest round of arthritii meds is really taking its toll on my ability to think clearly and quickly about new stuff I have to adjust to. I can totally see now what kinds of problems people with ADD and anxiety disorders go through, because I have similar symptoms at different times. The simplest decisions are taking me forever! And it is so frustrating to me, but I've just had to accept it and go with the flow because there's not a dang thing I can do different right now.

I still have some big ticket items I want to buy (like a new computer and some more furniture, cuz remember that Missy took a lot of our furniture for her apartment). So, I think I almost had an anxiety attack once I remembered that, and then thinking about a new car too. It was just too much. Thankfully Hubs hasn't been pushing it -- I think that is why he acquiesced to my decision without a debate. It's like he knows what I can handle and what I can't. I am so thankful for that, and for him...the old coot. ;-))

Well, time to go do a blog entry on Paper Paisleys and then try to get some blog-visiting in. I am way behind in that department...