What's the Total?

It was time, once again, for a visit to some of my favorite car people, Kevin and Lenny.

Sweetie and i switched cars for a day so i could take his in and make sure it's in good shape.

As i walked in, i noticed that, even though they had only been open about 15 minutes, they were already very busy.  Since they were closed for the Memorial Day holiday, this was their make-up day for that.

Lenny greeted me and told me immediately that the coffee was fresh -- they know me so well.  Then he asked what was up.

My Sweetie wants the freon checked in his car, i told him, and it still needs that front end alignment in the worst way.  Give the whole thing a good once over and tell me what else it needs, i added.  Yes, i trust these guys, they do not ever do unneeded work and honor their word and their warrantees.

"Sure, that's easy enough," he answered.  Then he asked if i still had the same phone number and address as he looked me up on the computer.  Yes, i told him, and you know just where it is!

"That's right, I've dropped you off at home more than once," he smiled.  Makes it easy for you to come after me if i don't pay the bill, i grinned back.

Another lady in the waiting area, overhearing the name of my street, asked if she had heard correctly, and it turns out she lives only a few blocks from me.  We spoke for a few minutes, and who should i see walking up than Miss Rose, another neighbor, with her husband, as usual, trying to keep up with her.  She is 82, and has always run circles around him.  Until this year, she always did a walk to raise money for cancer, but she's passed the baton to her daughter now.

Look!  The whole neighborhood is showing up! i joked as i opened the door for Miss Rose and Mr. Steve.  Then i added, i've got the money for that cancer fundraiser, and now i don't have to make an extra trip.  She smiled and thanked me as i handed it to her, and that's one more item off the never ending to do list.

As i settled in with Ol' Bessy, Lenny called out to tell me the good news and the bad news.

"The good news is the A/C is fine, freon level is perfect.  Yes, you do need the alignment.  The bad news is your brakes are shot."

Somehow i knew it.  Sweetie had mentioned something about brakes being a bit "off."

Go for it all, i told him, there's no sense in getting in there for an alignment and not taking care of everything/  And brakes are non-negotiable.

After a couple of hours, Kevin totalled everything up and it was exact, as usual.  As i left i told him i would see him tomorrow with Bigger Girl's car.  It's got an extended warranty, and they do warranty work, and i just want hers looked at this week.

Gearing up for June is not always easy, but it's worth it.


Today is

Ambarvalia -- Ancient Roman Calendar (purification festival to Ceres, date approximate)

Annapolis Valley Apple Blossom Festival -- Windsor to Digby, Nova Scotia, Canada (lots of fun in apple blossom time; through June 3)

Ascension of Baha'u'llah -- Baha'i

BookExpo America -- Jacob K. Javits Center, New York, NY, US (publishers display fall titles; through Saturday)

Castleton Garland Celebration -- Derbyshire, England (a Garland King and Lady ride the bounds of the parish on white horses, after which the garland the King wore is placed on the church tower; possibly dating back to Oak Apple Celebrations)

Democracy Day -- Nigeria

End of the Middle Ages Day -- considered such by many historians because of the fall of Constantinople on this day in 1453

Feast of Mars -- Ancient Roman Calendar

International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers -- UN

Learn About Composting Day -- can't find a sponsor for this day, but there is a week sponsored each year, with information available

Mount Everest Day -- Nepal (declared on the anniversary of first ascent in 1953)

National Coq Au Vin Day

National Senior Health and Fitness Day -- US (don't let age get in the way of staying healthy!)

Oak Apple Day / Royal Oak Day -- England (celebration of the restoration of the monarchy; no longer officially recognized, but many localities have traditions that have grown up around this date which are still celebrated)

Pink Flamingo Day -- Don Feathersone created the first one on this day in 1957

Put a Pillow on Your Fridge Day -- supposedly dating back, in Europe and the Americas, to the days when you put a piece of cloth in your larder for good luck; why it became a pillow no one knows

Republic Day -- Nepal

Runic Half-Month of Odal (home, possessions) commences

Squoosh an Ice Cream Sandwich Day -- rules say you must squoosh, not squish or squash!

St. Bona of Pisa's Day (Patron of couriers, flight attendants, guides, pilgrims, travellers; Pisa, Italy)

World MS Day -- information and resources



Anniversaries Today:

Rhode Island becomes the 13th US State, 1790
Wisconsin becomes the 30th US State, 1848


Birthdays Today:

Noel Gallagher, 1967
Melissa Etheridge, 1961
Adrian Paul, 1959
Annette Bening, 1958
LaToya Jackson, 1956
Danny Elfman, 1953
Anthony Geary, 1947
Al Unser, 1939
Paul Erlich, 1932
John F. Kennedy, 1917
Tenzing Norgay, 1914
T.H. White, 1906
Bob Hope, 1903
G.K. Chesterton, 1874
Patrick Henry, 1736


Today in History:

Ottoman armies under Sultan Mehmed II Fatih capture Constantinople after a siege, ending the Byzantine Empire, 1453
Charles II (on his birthday) is restored to the throne of Great Britain, 1660
Treaty of Middle Plantation establishes peace between the Virginia colonists and the local Natives, 1677
The right of Canadians to keep Indian slaves is upheld at Quebec City, 1733
In Patrick Henry's historic speech against the Stamp Act, he answers a cry of "Treason!" with, "If this be treason, make the most of it!" 1765
Present constitution of Switzerland takes effect, 1874
Chemist John Pemberton places his first advertisement for Coca-Cola, the ad appearing in the Atlanta Journal, 1886
Igor Stravinsky's ballet score The Rite of Spring receives its premiere performance in Paris, provoking a riot, 1913
Ocean liner RMS Empress of Ireland sinks in the Gulf of St. Lawrence with the loss of 1,024 lives, 1914
Bing Crosby, the Ken Darby Singers and the John Scott Trotter Orchestra record Irving Berlin's "White Christmas", the best-selling Christmas single in history, for Decca Records in Los Angeles, 1942
Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay become the first people to reach the summit of Mount Everest, 1953
First of the annual Bilderberg conferences, 1954
Amputee  Steve Fonyo completes cross-Canada marathon at Victoria, British Columbia, after 14 months, 1985
Space Shuttle Discovery completes the first docking with the International Space Station, 1999
Olusegun Obasanjo takes office as President of Nigeria, the first elected and civilian head of state in Nigeria after 16 years of military rule, 1999
A WWII Memorial is dedicated in Washington, D.C., US, 2004