Another Yo Yo Day

Quote for the day:
"I like liquor – its taste and its effects – and that is just the reason why I never drink it."
Thomas Jonathan 'Stonewall' Jackson, American Confederate general, born on January 21, 1824

May i add to that, i would never get the errands run.

Called someone about getting another car for #1 Son, and went to meet him at the dealership. That was the beginning of a run that took me all over town, all day long.

There was a vehicle available that was "just within" our price range. At least, that's what i thought. We added a very, very basic warranty, so that we wouldn't have to do major repairs. Came up with a price that was a stretch. Then it was time to go get everything taken care of with the insurance people.

Across town to get the insurance paper that had to be notarized. Got it, and went to Sweetie's workplace, where the nice lady in the office down the hall notarized it for free.* Back to the house to find the title, which was right where it was supposed to be and still in the envelope the state mailed it to me in.

Back to the insurance company, deliver the papers, get the check, off to the bank. Then home, take the kids to school.

Now on to the rental car place to turn in the rental and back to the dealership, where the snags come in, of course.

The key they had with the vehicle, the only key, doesn't quite work right. You have to hold it at just the right angle to get it to turn the car over. They had promised two keys anyway, but didn't have another blank and couldn't seem to locate one. Then there was the matter of me writing them a check.

Ah, the check. I had figured up what it should cost, and it came to almost $500 more. It seems there were plenty of fees they didn't tell me about. So now, instead of being just outside our range, or a bit of a stretch, it is at the "we have no savings, and no way to pay bills the rest of the month" area. Great.

Also, they are supposed to have it cleaned, and make sure there are 5 gallons of gas in it. It was dirty and on empty. "We'll get that taken care of when you come back in for the key!" i was promised. After this, excuse me for being a skeptic.

Finally, after they make you wait an eternity (why? they already have the deal and your check!), we are able to go. #1 Son drives off and stops for gas, we both get home.

Just in time! Go get the kids from school so we can go clean the shelter.

Oh, did i mention dinner? Of course not. For heaven's sake, eat leftovers for once! We have plenty.

Also, forgot that in the middle of it all, Sweetie split his pants open at the seam (too many home cooked meals that he really goes to town on?) and wanted me to drop everything and bring him another pair. Couldn't do it. He had to run errands for the building and put a stop in at the house to do that for himself. Sorry, sometimes you just can't fit it all in.

Like the kittens. They needed to go to the vet. They have the runs again, and are losing weight, which they can't afford to do as they are so little anyway. No way to get them in with all the other running, and tomorrow is work, so they will have to make do with the very strong diarrhea medicine i have in the house and hope i can get a sample in at some point so we can find out what is going on with them.

Next week, i want to hibernate.

*That was big for around here. For those who don't know, in Louisiana, you have to study a huge amount and take a big test to be a notary public in the state. Once you pass, you can do almost anything a lawyer can, except argue in front of the bar and a couple of other things. This harks back to the time when the only attorney in a rural parish might be at the parish seat, and that was a huge distance away on foot or by horse, so you used a notary for everything except going to court at the parish seat. Now it is just that those who have studied and passed don't want it made the way it is in other states, because then they did all the work for nothing. Thus they charge a pretty penny to do everything, because they aren't dime a dozen and can do so.



Today is:

Anniversary of the Elf Wars -- Fairy Calendar

Babin Den -- Bulgaria (Grandmother's and midwives day, celebrating the tradition of the grandmother's role in traditionally helping the new mothers of the family give birth.)

Celtic Tree Month Luis (Rowan) begins

Errol Barrow Day -- Barbados

Feast of Jolly Roger

Feast of Our Lady of Altagracia -- Dominican Republic

Get to Know Your Customers Day (quarterly)

International Fetish Day

International Hot and Spicy Food Day

National Hugging Day

National Granola Bar Day

Own Your Own Home Day

Quebec Flag Day -- Quebec, Canada

Squirrel Appreciation Day

St. Agnes' Day (patron of virgins, Girl Scouts)

Thorrablot -- Ancient Norse Calendar and Modern Iceland (festival for Thor, serving traditional Scandinavian and Icelandic food and drink)

Women's Healthy Weight Day


Birthdays Today:

Robby Bendson, 1956
Geena Davis, 1956
Jill Eikenberry, 1947
Mac Davis, 1942
Placido Domingo, 1941
Jack Nicklaus, 1940
Wolfman Jack, 1939
Benny Hill, 1925
Telly Savalas, 1924
Benny Hill, 1924
Paul Scofield, 1922
Barney Clark, 1921
Karl Wallenda, 1905
John M. Browning, 1855
Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, 1824


Today in History:

Philip II, Henry II, and Richard the Lionheart initiate the 3rd Crusade, 1189
The Swiss Anabaptist Movement is founded, 1525
The first American novel, WH Brown's "Power of Sympathy," is published, 1789
After being found guilty of treason by the French Convention, Louis XVI of France is executed by guillotine, 1793
Edward Jenner's smallpox vaccination is introduced, 1799
The envelope-folding machine is patented by Russell Hawes, Worcester, Massachusetts, 1853
The first US sewage disposal system that is separate from storm drains opens in Memphis, Tennessee, 1880
Kiwanis International is founded in Detroit, 1915
The first slalom ski race is run in Murren, Switzerland, 1922
The Flag of Quebec is adopted and flown for the first time over the National Assembly of Quebec, 1948
A B-52 bomber crashes near Thule Air Base, contaminating the area after its nuclear payload ruptures. One of the four bombs remains unaccounted for after the cleanup operation is complete, 1968
The current Emley Moor transmitting station, the tallest free-standing structure in the United Kingdom, begins transmitting UHF broadcasts, 1971
Commercial service of Concorde begins with the London-Bahrain and Paris-Rio routes, 1976
Production of the iconic DeLorean DMC-12 sports car begins in Dunmurry, Northern Ireland, 1981
NASA's MER-A (the Mars Rover Spirit) ceases communication with mission control. The problem lies in the management of its flash memory and is fixed remotely from Earth, 2004
Black Monday in worldwide stock markets. FTSE 100 had its biggest ever one-day points fall, European stocks closed with their worst result since 11 September 2001, and Asian stocks drop as much as 14%, 2008