Perpetual Ruminations

Wednesday

Where to start this...

I suppose with yesterday, since I did not make an entry for the day. Yesterday was my first of three days off for this week. Well, as long as nothing happens that changes things, and so far, nothing has. I slept in, which did me a world of good, but still was up by eight-thirty. Both Rhonda and I lounged around for the better part of the morning, then started our days activities.

Number one on my list was to do a tune-up on the Jimmy. I had purchased all the parts on Monday, just over a hundred bucks for everything; plugs, wires, cap and rotor. Rhonda helped me get set up and then I dug into the task, knowing it was going to be slow going and difficult. The actual tune-up is easy enough, but on this vehicle there just isn't any room to work. I had to jack up the driver side and remove the tire to get at the plugs. The passenger side wasn't as bad, but still a pretty tight fit for my arms. I probably would have had an easier time by removing that tire, also.

I had just got a good start going, two plugs and wires changed when company showed up. I had forgotten she was coming over to pick rhubarb with Rhonda. I had stopped working and taken a short break when she showed up, so I prolonged my break and visited for a short time. Then, I went back to work on the Jimmy while she and Rhonda went down to the rhubarb patch and cut a bunch.

It took most of the afternoon to change out all six plugs, wires, cap and rotor. It was difficult to reach, and I really taxed my arms getting it done, but I got it. The cap sits in the back of the engine, however, and I just could not reach, so I ended up stepping up on the bumper and lying across the engine. This part didn't take real long, but it was enough to keep me there for five minutes or so. It was also long enough to completely re-injure my abdominal muscles.

My stomach is so sore today I can barely touch it, and even without touch, it hurts. I had bruised it badly when I fell on the gate, but it seemed to have been healing well. Now, I'm not sure, it should not have been this painful and done as much additional bruising as this if it was healing.

But, I did get it done and it runs nice. We went for a short ride, just to try it out, then returned to finish up the day mowing grass. After we mowed, it was past time to eat so we ordered a pizza and ran into town to get it. We are too far out for delivery, so we had to drive in, but we also needed to get a few things at the grocery store anyway.

Once we had completed our shopping and picked up  the pizza, we returned home, lit a fire and enjoyed the pizza on the patio next to an open fire. We ended up out there until midnight. Then off to bed, once we had let the fire burn down and carried everything in. We had a quarter bag of marshmallows left, so we toasted them and made a revised version of the popular some-mores. We used those delightful Keebler shortbread cookies, the ones covered in chocolate, and just put a toasted marshmallow on one then added another cookie. They were terrific.

Eventually, we just became too tired and had to call it a night around midnight. No entry, but only because it was a busy day and a wonderful evening. We put things away, then went to bed, to sleep sound until seven-thirty this morning. Up early for coffee on the patio, since it was a beautiful morning.

Both Rhonda and I kind of took it easy all day, but still got a lot done. We figured out a way to filter out the pond, so that's much cleaner again, we set up the screen tent and put the glider in it, and I worked on part of dinner while she showered and she is working on the rest now, while I write.

It's been a very relaxing day and would have been wonderful except for a call that came in just a few minutes ago, from the office. Last week, mid way through my time off, a situation came up and the calls started. We pushed on and made the most of the time off, but it was interrupted, last Wednesday and a mess to return to work. Now, mid way through my time off, my boss is calling me after seven at night. I could understand if it was during business hours and an emergency, but I doubt it.

I did not answer, but will check my voice mail to see what he is interrupting my time off for. It only cements the decission I made to resign from this madness. I mean, a person needs time off from work, right? Of course, when I asked him about turning my phone off, he said it's advised to keep it on all the time and with me, so I can take care of problems right away. I don't think so, not for  just under eleven bucks an hour. Even when I was in the service, we had only one weekend on standby, the rest we were free to enjoy some down time.

So, my writing was once again interrupted and now I'm off to see what the hell he's calling for on my day off.