Friday, November 30, 2007

Volunteering

For a while now, I have been spending a few hours each week volunteering at the Lutheran church that I was married at. The pastor has a very busy schedule, and sometimes it can be hard for her to get to all of the things that need to be done. Since my mother-in-law was going to be moving into Morrisburg anyway, I thought that it might be a good way for Sandra to get to see her, if she went with me.
Most of what I do is drafting letters, putting lists into order, and generally assisting with organization. When you are as busy as the pastor is, you have to be able to see your way through.
It feels good to be doing something useful. I've been unemployed for far too long. Pastor Norine tells me that my work has been noticed, and has made her job a lot easier.
I recommend that everyone volunteer at something at least once in their lives, for a couple of weeks at least. It doesn't have to take up all of your time. Just a couple of hours a week can make such a difference. You gain self esteem, and your hours help somebody who is in need.
It really is a shame that we have to mandate that students do volunteer work to get their diplomas. Maybe, once they have done that time though, they will discover the warm feeling that giving of themselves creates, and will continue.
Volunteers are important to so many parts of our society.

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

More decorations

Well, the tree is up. Sandra got it out of the storage room this afternoon, and we spent some time getting the branches together. We took our time getting the branches nicely spread out. We even decided where it would look best to set it up.
All of this just brings to mind how close it is now to the holiday. Sandra and I have been working at figuring out what to get everyone for Christmas. Naturally, I can't get into that here. My family reads this, after all. The most I can say is that we have opted to go with the practical for the most part.
We actually discussed what each of us would like most, within a set budget. Some things are traditional now. For example, Sandra always gets a cat calendar. It's just a given. Myself, I really need a new pair of moccasins. Or perhaps a book from the For Better or For Worse collection.
But, back to the tree. It is a very full tree, as artificial ones go. Tomorrow, Sandra and I will probably spend the evening getting lights all checked out and put on. Then it's on to the decorations. Being in the window, we will have to make certain that the lights and balls go all the way around, at least at the top. It will add to the decorations visible from the outside of the apartment.
I'm looking forward to seeing the tree all lit up, with the rest of the lights in the apartment turned out. It'll save a lot of power, when you think about it. I can't imagine that the decorations take much more power than the lamps that we use each night.
When the pictures come out, I'll post a few.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

My oldest niece is getting set for college. She's decided to go into teaching, and has picked out several colleges and universities to apply to. Still, it is a nerve wracking time. All of the schools she has picked are a fair distance from home. I gather that she is already upset about leaving home, though she doesn't leave for several months.
She will do well enough in school, I think. Eventually, she will even come to accept being away from home. It's a question of adjustment.
I think the best advice I can give Steph is to look at the final result of her education, the profession that she has chosen. She has yet to decide what to do with that education anyway. Does she want to teach in high school, or little kids?
As for leaving home, it will always be here for her. Her aunt and I are only an e-mail away when she needs to talk. There are plenty of holidays, and we do expect her to come home every chance she gets. That's the college tradition. You come home once a month and bring all of your laundry with you.
Change is a hard thing to deal with, and the big changes often start to affect you long before they ever happen.
My mother-in-law's move and my sister-in-law's new place are prime examples.
Take heart, Steph. I am going to be a constant, mostly lacking the energy to be anything else.

Monday, November 26, 2007

Dream big?

There's been some times that I wish life could be a little simpler.
I got to thinking about just how much I need, versus my old idea of a dream home. At one point, I got to realizing that if I had the kitchen I once dreamed about, I'd never be able to keep it clean. Cooking for two doesn't require a gourmet workspace. We don't have people over for meals that often, so is a huge dining room such an essential? Heck, we eat in front of the television every night.
People like to dream big. Maybe we should try dreaming sensible.
I think my dream now is just to own a place of our own, something that keeps us warm, has enough space for the things we need and love, and isn't impossible for us to live in.
Let's try saving the big dreams for the things that matter. Peace in the middle east and at home. An end to hunger and child poverty. Curing diseases that take lives far too early. Big dreams are all well and good, but let's have them for the things that really could make a difference and then act on them.
I think what I'm saying here is that sometimes I let things I've seen done go to my head and want to try to do the same. Maybe we haven't evolved that far from monkeys after all.
It's time to come up with goals and dreams that are about what I need to be happy, not what "society" says I should have to be successful. Why should I let someone else tell me what success is anyway?
I used to be quite happy working in a fast food kitchen. Maybe if I had stuck with it, I'd have realized the full extent of how happy that job could have made me. It may have been lowly on the social pecking order, but it was meaningful from where I sat.

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Domestication downside



Sometimes I regret that we have made indoor pets of our girls.

I got up this morning, and both of them were sitting on the dining table staring out the window at a bird feeding on the sidewalk. They looked as if they wanted nothing more than to go out and play for a while. You know that expression two year old children get when you tell them they can play in the snow? That was the look I was seeing.

When we lived in Cardinal, we at least had a balcony. We would open the door, watch the cats sniff the cold air and eventually step out. Then we got the laugh of watching them shake the snow off of their paws. I thought New York cabbies could make quick u-turns! Sometimes Taffy's paws would just barely touch the balcony and she would be back in.

If we had the resources, it would be nice to have a house with a screen porch. In the summer, the cats could lie around in the fresh air, and we wouldn't have to worry about bugs.

I guess that cats, just like humans, occasionally need a taste of nature.

Friday, November 23, 2007

Decorating for the season




Sandra has started getting out the Christmas decorations. She has a couple of ceramic trees that she really loves. They are the start of the season. As time goes on, she will bring out more of the decorations.


Actually, we got started on the decorating last week, with the outdoor garland and bows. It makes the space in front of our apartment look very nice. It's been kinda dreary lately, so anything was an improvement. The building superintendent likes the look of it very much. Whenever the other tenants go by, you can see them look at the decorations and smile. Mission accomplished.


You might be thinking that we are rushing the season. If we put out all of the things we have at once, that would be true. Instead, Sandra has a tradition of getting out just a few things over the course of three weeks or so. The tree and Christmas village are the last of the decorations to go up. That takes place on the sixth of December.


Everything comes down in reverse order. That brings some cheer to the month of January. It isn't until February that everything is finally put away. The over-all effect is to add light to the darkest part of the year.


Thursday, November 22, 2007

Winter's arrival.

Well folks, it looks like winter is here. We got a whopper of a storm last night, and the snow is still falling. It certainly looks a lot better on the ground than when it just rains. Too bad the first snows of the year never last.
Actually, it's just as well this will melt. It's more grainy than fluffy. It was raining before it got cold enough to snow, so uncovering the car wasn't easy.
I'm looking forward to some nice winter weather. A nice, gentle snowfall, a cup of tea and something decent to read. You know how the song goes, chestnuts roasting on an open fire... All I know is, I'm sick of grey, dull days.
The down side is that so many people haven't figured out that it isn't summer anymore. My buddy Jeff came over for coffee last night, and passed three cars in the ditch. It seems to me that if you see sleet, you should have the sense to slow down to a speed you can control. If the weather is too bad, stay home for pity's sake.
I've always been comfortable riding with my wife or her sister. They drive at reasonable speeds, watch what they are doing, and just generally are safer than the average person on the road.
So, keep a thought for winter safety, but do get out and enjoy the snow when it finally does get here for good.

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Comedic Timing

In yesterday's blog, I made a typo that got past the spell checker. This is the value of proper proof reading of all documents. Spell checkers are fine, but things will get by them.
In this case, it was a doozy, and my wife picked up on it and had a great laugh.
When I meant to write that my mother-in-law cannot bend a certain way, making cleaning the bathtub impossible for her, I accidentally dropped the "n" and said she cannot bed that way for medical reasons.
Sandra read this and just about died of hysterics!
Frankly, it isn't an image I really needed in my head. Granted, older folks are entitled to a life too, but I really don't need to know about it. I just don't see a magazine of that sort being a big seller, if you know what I mean.
Anyway, this is a classic case of comedic timing. The right word was misspelled at just the right time and place to make for something funny. To think that people actually have to try for this stuff! All they really have to do is turn off their spell check for a while, and just write. It helps if you have a bit of a tremor to your hands and arms, sometimes missing keys.
Please enjoy any errors that I make in my post, and feel free to point them out. We can all use a giggle now and then.

Monday, November 19, 2007

My mother-in-law, continued

As I have written before, my mother-in-law has been living alone for just over a month now. Being a somewhat older woman, my wife and I worry about her.
Since my last post about her, she has moved into her brother-in-law's home. He and his wife have gone away for several months, and offered her the use of the house. I am glad she accepted. It brings her closer to Sandra and I, to the point that we can visit with her once each week.
The house is actually and ideal spot for her, for the time being. She is right next door to one of her best friends. If it were not for the garage and a hedge, they could wave to each other from the kitchen windows. She is near good shopping and her church.
It's a good situation for Percy too. Leaving your home unattended for any length of time is rather nerve wracking. Now he knows that there will be someone in the house each night. There will be cars in and out of the driveway, deterring thieves. If Mary weren't there, he would have to rely on timers and occasional visits by a neighbour.
Like I have suggested, it's a win-win situation.
Sandra and I have been over to the house once already. I can see where our visits will be a good thing. The carpet is rather thick, and I don't know if Mary is up to vacuuming them. There are a lot of chairs that will have to be moved to do a good cleaning job. The bath is something she definitely cannot do herself, because of the sliding shower doors. She cannot bed that way for medical reasons, so I will clean out the tub for her.
I think the best part of her being in Morrisburg is that Sandra can see her often. They might not always see eye-to-eye on things, but I know that they miss each other terribly. And as I have said, Sandra worries about her. Sandra gets to have her mother back, and I get to look after the both of them.
The down side is that Mary does not really feel at home in the house. If she had moved her things into an empty space, it would be different, but as it stands, she sometimes feels like an intruder. All of Marilyn and Percy's things are there, and she doesn't want to mess with the settings on things. I can understand her position. I'd feel the same way.
Once she is in a place of her own, she will be even better off. Sandra will be more content, and eventually, all will be right with the world. Well, sort of.

Sunday, November 18, 2007

And I dreamed

Lately, I've been having some very strange dreams.
For example, the other night, I dreamed that my brother was suddenly going on a homicidal spree. Somehow it became my job to stop him and clean up the rather gory mess. I don't watch horror movies or anything, so I don't know where that came from. For another thing, my brother, while not the most calm person in the world, is not prone to senseless violence.
Last night was even stranger.
For some unknown reason, a bunch of dope peddlers were trying to force my father and myself into the business. (I know, but who said dreams had to make sense?) The more I'd tell these two clowns to bugger off, the harder they would try. So I just worked my way up the food chain of this little organization, making a right nuisance of myself until they were doing everything they could to avoid me.
Dreams are tricky things. Sometimes they are warnings of things you should be aware of but are not able to consciously deal with. Other times, they are a way for your mind to sort through daily events, to put things together. Then you have dreams like the ones I have just written about. They have absolutely no context in the waking world. It's like every image you have ever seen just got piled in a jumble and put together as a picture.
I can usually tell when I'm dreaming. At that point, I can either ignore the dream, or see where it takes me. Last night, I didn't manage to control anything. I was just along for the ride.
It's kind of like paying ten bucks to see a comedy movie with a bunch of friends, and just not getting it. In the cold light of day, the dream makes even less sense, and is even less entertaining. Not unlike the movie "Dumb and Dumber".

Saturday, November 17, 2007

The Christmas Parade

My wife and I went to see the local Christmas parade last night. It was totally amazing! Each year the parade just gets bigger and bigger. If they add any more, they are going to have to expand the town just to have room. I think that if the parade had gone in a complete circle, there would only have been a five minute gap from the end to the return.
This is the first time Sandra has ever seen a parade at night. I was rather shocked to learn this. In Prescott, it's called "Alight at night" and is when they officially light up the town for the Christmas season. The lights were being checked on the tree earlier in the day. Naturally, all of the floats had lights streaming on them. You could see the light for miles along the route.
Unfortunately, we were a little late in getting there. It was hard to get a good spot to see. Next year we will have to be sure to get in earlier, bringing the lawn chairs and blankets. It was also very cold out. By the time we got home, I couldn't really feel my feet anymore. We could make a proper night of it.
It is amazing how such a small town could put together such a large event. It is all a part of that community spirit. Prescott has an abundance of good people, belonging to wonderful organizations. From the Legion to the Girl Guides, veterans to young children, people in this town care. That feeling spread to neighbouring towns as well, judging by the places that contributed floats and bands. Even towns from the United States took the trouble to add to the festivities.
If only we could get that kind of feeling to last all year.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Vigilance is over rated.

I've been thinking about scaling back on the amount of time I spend worrying about the other tenants in this building. Being a good neighbour is one thing, but I think maybe I've given it just a little too much of myself. After all, we have a superintendent living in the building for a reason.
This isn't to say that I won't help when it is needed. If there is a definite problem that the management team needs to know about, I'll bring it up. After all, I still have a responsibility to my neighbours.
I'm just not going to go out of my way to look for trouble spots anymore. I'm not going to keep my eyes on the traffic in and out of the building at all times. It's time to let the curtain fall and enjoy some privacy and quiet. If there is a serious problem, I'm sure I'll know about it soon enough.
Lately, I haven't been able to tell the super anything he hasn't already known anyway.
Time to look out for my own a bit more, and let the rest of the world take care of itself. It got along fine without me, it will carry on without my watching.

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Intelligent Design?

I watched a television show about the debate over what has been dubbed "intelligent design". Many people are lumping it all into the war between creationism and Darwinian theory. Religion versus science is a never ending struggle. From the days of Copernicus and Galileo, the church has done it's best to keep the strict adherence to the Bible as the basis of our society.
One person on the documentary said that the ultimate goal was to balance science and faith. I have to agree with that .
The goal of Intelligent Design is to get the religious right back into the rule of nations. In a few cases, it appears that they have made the mistake of actually putting that into writing.
The problem is, I like intelligent design as a concept. It just doesn't explain itself the right way.
You see, according to the creationists, the universe was created fully formed, as we know it. Everything is all the plan of God. It just doesn't state where the plan began, who God is and more importantly, how the plan was supposed to work.
I offer this compromise to the empirical scientists and the religious right. The Universe itself is God. It was created in one instant, postulated by science as the big bang, and in the Bible as the void of the beginning. From that point on, the Universe has been evolving, as Darwin hypothesised, following a plan that is the product of the the massed intelligence of the Universe itself. Evolution is the tool of the Universe towards fulfilling the ultimate plan.
This compromise has the effect of putting science into the realm of faith, the faith that there is a plan, and all we have to do is figure out what it is. Religion becomes an integral part of science, a starting point toward understanding the Universe, and a forum for stating theories and letting hard science take over.
I think that, in a way, the teaching of the various faiths has been science disguised as story telling. The Bible tries to explain the way the Universe works. Unfortunately, it is written for a people of a time when there was limited understanding. Taken in context, the scriptures are still valid advice and guidelines for living life. Think of them as the precursor to scientific method.
As the Universe allows us to evolve, we will be permitted to see more and more of the plan. I think that might be the ultimate goal of the design, to get at least one species to the point of knowing the whole, and maybe starting the process all over again.
Unfortunately, we haven't evolved to the point where enough of us can see the plan. We will argue about it for the next hundred years or so. I can only pray that we don't argue ourselves to another dark age. It's taken us over 600 years to get out of the last one.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

The writers' strike

Well, ladies and gentlemen, the television writers strike has begun in earnest. What that means to you and me is, the fall season has just tanked. If you were waiting for a brand new show, you are out of luck. If the reruns are beginning to get boring, you had best run to the library.
I never fully realized just how much our lives revolve around the box these days. Given our access to other forms of entertainment, why do we stare passively at a glowing screen of characters that we cannot interact with? I know that I find some of the stories rather engrossing, and some of the characters do ring true, but those shows are getting fewer each season. The less said about most "reality" shows the better.
Unfortunately, that might be mostly what we will be seeing. On the other hand, now might be a good time for somebody to come up with a truly good reality series, something that might help people.
The strike has come at a very odd time though. Pretty soon, the networks will be trotting out their holiday fare. Many prime time shows would wind up being preempted anyway. Did the writers' guild consider that when it decided to walk out? They are very much in danger of the public not noticing for a good three months. Most shows have enough scripts to last them until about January. Put that together with Christmas specials and other live events, and maybe the networks can hold the strikers at bay for some time.
I think I might take the time away from prime time television to do something a little more interactive. Maybe Sandra and I could play some cards at the table. I might read a good book with music in the background, or even just enjoy some quiet.
Maybe the writers' strike will give us all a chance to blink away the afterglow from the television screen once in a while and notice each other.
Just not first thing in the morning please. I am truly ugly without my first cup of coffee.

Monday, November 12, 2007

Happy Anniversary Honey


Today is the second anniversary of the day I married my wife. I like to think of it as the day that I was finally completed as a person. It sounds corny, to be sure, but my wife, Sandra, is everything to me. Life just wouldn't have much of a point without her.

It was a beautiful evening that year. It hadn't yet gotten too cold out, there was no rain or snow to hinder travel for the guests. The church looked wonderful, with the lights dimmed and all of the candles by the alter glowing. It's what a wedding should look like.

My only regret of the day is that we somehow didn't get many pictures of Sandra and myself at the alter. No formal poses anyway. We were too busy concentrating on trying to get the family gathered for the pictures. We would get into our wedding clothes and have pictures taken, but now Sandra won't fit into her gown. She's lost so much weight.

I think everyone needs to experience a day like the one I had two years ago.

Unfortunately, there is only one Sandra, and she is spoken for.

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Remembrance Day

I just want to take a moment to thank all of the veterans of Canada; past, present and future, for the sacrifices they have made. The freedoms I enjoy today have come at a high price. The fight I wage today, I do in the memory of the fallen. The life I live today, I live because of them. I will honour those souls to the best of my ability.
War is a last resort, to defend the ideal of the common good. I respect those who are willing to pay the ultimate price for what we believe in. Even when the belief isn't commonly held, it can be worth dying for.
Note, I said dying, not killing. To me, killing is reserved for defence of the self and the innocent. In the event of war, you can put a weapon in my hand. You can even make me use it. You just can't make me use it against the helpless or the innocent. I'd rather have an injured prisoner to reason with than a dead person on my conscience.
That last paragraph will likely get me in trouble with many. It is a tough ideal to defend, but it is one that I will take to my death. Life is precious and cannot be restored. I have to be careful with it.
I take this day to remember all who fought for my freedom in the wars of the past. I take this day to mourn the dead, on both sides of those conflicts. I take this day to pray for the safety of those who go into battle today, protecting the innocent. I take this day to hope that, in the future, there will be fewer dead to mourn, and far less need to fight to protect others.
Remember the departed. Remember who they were out of the uniform they died in. If you see a veteran today, give thanks in your heart for what they endured for your sake.

Friday, November 9, 2007

Electric vehicles

I have just been watching a series on the Outdoor Life Network. A guy went from New York City to Washington D.C. on electric bikes powered with electricity produced from garbage. It wasn't the easiest of trips to make, between cold temperatures and a busted throttle cable, but he did it.
On a stop in Amish county, he learned that the Amish are not totally opposed to technology. They are just very conservative about how they use it. By way of example, an Amish man pointed out that they use solar panels to charge the batteries for the signal lamps that the law requires on their buggies. You might consider the Amish the uber energy conservationists.
On the trip, the host of the show also saw some other electric cars, powered from garbage produced electricity. One was a kit, put together by a teacher. It was a small, three wheeled car. Unfortunately, it was a convertible, and therefore pretty cold. Another was a Pontiac Feiaro (however that is spelled) that had been converted to an electric car.
Given the opportunity, I think I might like to have a small electric car of my own. I would have to be able to produce my own electricity though. I wouldn't want to have to charge a car off of the grid. It would just cost too much for my liking. The environmentally responsible vehicle would be a lot of fun to have. I only drive short distances, so it would be practical for me.
Maybe if the manufacturers produced something affordable and usable, maybe they would be in higher demand. Battery technology has come a long way. So has the production of clean energy. It could be time for the green car.

Thursday, November 8, 2007

Good neighbour policy

I told you once that I would write a bit about the way I walk around the building each night. It is all part of my "Good Neighbour" policy, regardless of where I might be living. My idea is that, if my home involves others, as an apartment building implies, I have certain responsibilities as a proper neighbour.
Each night, when I take out the garbage, I take a short stroll about the building. I look at the cars in the lot, to see if there has been any attempt at vandalism. While I don't actually look into the apartments, of course, I do look at the windows, to see if there is damage or if someone has attempted a break-in. Particularly on the first floor.
I also make a habit of noting who comes in and who goes out, with particular attention to strangers. The building I live in has had problems in the past with drug dealers. While the new landlords have taken steps to remove the pushers, it pays to keep a close eye on things.
I am in a very good position to watch over at least the one half of the building. With a window right near the front entrance, I can see the comings and goings, and have made it possible for the superintendent to have a picture of what is happening when he can't be here himself. Some might call it being nosy. I call it looking out for the young families that live in the building with me.
I would hope that my neighbours would share in this policy.

Monday, November 5, 2007

Autumn Aria

We are finally starting to get some autumn weather here. That is both a blessing, and a curse, depending on the time of day and what I'm trying to get done.
I have always loved the fall colours. When other kids complained about having to go back to school, I was too busy looking out of the bus windows at the trees. I could almost hear the leaves crunching under my feet as I went by particularly large stands of maples. Show me a kid that doesn't like to jump into a pile of freshly raked leaves, go on, show me.
I also rather liked going to school. Living out in the boonies, it meant access to a lot of things I had to do without over the summer. A decent library for example. My parents didn't have the time to drive me to the library as a kid, so I had to read the books that I had over and over. With the start of the school year, I could read a new book every two or three days if I chose.
I still like the crisp sound of leaves underfoot. A brisk breeze on a sunny day puts a smile on my face. When the fancy takes me, I'll put on a sweater and go for a stroll and look at the colours. The smell of a wood stove is like heaven to me. There are a number of people in my neighbourhood that use wood stoves to heat on cool evenings. It's a very romantic smell, in my opinion.
The downside of the fall weather is the positive chill at night. The heaters have to come on, and that means a dusty smell for the first while, because you can never vacuum all of the dust out of an electric baseboard heater. It's an added problem this year, since the unit in my wife's bedroom is not working. We are still waiting on the electrician to come and figure out what is wrong with the wiring.
Another problem is that we are getting more rain, and taking out the garbage becomes a pain. For the sake of ten minutes to dump a small bag of trash in the bin and do a check around the building (more on that another time), you get soaked, or at the very least, wet socks.
The weather can't quite seem to make up its mind either. It rains for fifteen minutes, clears up and then rains again. The unexpected showers are a real pain. You can't plan anything outdoors.
All things considered though, I think I'll just put on a sweater, pull up the quilts, and enjoy the season.

Friday, November 2, 2007

My mechanics

Yesterday, I wrote about listening to my wife (eventually) when she said there was a problem with the car. Today, I'd like to tell you a little bit about the mechanics that save my bacon on a regular basis.
Jim and Dave McEwen (I wish I had a picture available) are probably the best mechanics I have ever met. They care very much about their clients. They will not let me drive anything that they deem to be unsafe, even if the law doesn't require something. The twins have been known to go out of their way to steer people clear of what would turn out to be a lemon.
What makes this odd is that they are also in the business of selling used vehicles. If the old stereotypes held, they would be the shiftiest characters in the world. If Jim and Dave give you a quote, they stand by it.
In the case of the latest problem with the car, I literally showed up on their doorstep with no notice. They had their third hand drive me home, so that I wouldn't have to walk, and put it up on a hoist the instant it was available. When they called me, they gave me an honest assessment for the problem and what it would cost to repair. All three of them went to work on it, and then returned the car to me, again so that I would not have to walk across town.
Jim and Dave do not advertise in the papers. They don't have the budget for radio or television. They rely on word of mouth. Well, I have a big mouth, and I am not afraid to use it on their behalf.
Where else am I going to find mechanics that will fit me in at the last minute, do quality work, and then let me pay in installments?

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Always listen to your wife

For the last couple of days, we have been experiencing a bit of a problem with the car exhaust. Again! I indulged in a bit of wishful thinking, and thought that maybe we had just gotten some bad gasoline. Sandra was adamant that it sounded too loud to her.
We had to go out for groceries the other day, so we took a quick drive out to my parents' house. My father, being more agile than I am, was able to get under the car. Yep, the exhaust was in danger of falling apart. He thought the muffler was coming away from the mid pipe.
So, finally listening to what my wife had been trying to tell me for two days, I took the car to our mechanics, who declared that the mid pipe was done and had to be replaced. All three guys at the garage dropped what they were doing and put the car on the hoist. It took them less than half an hour to get her fixed and returned to us.
The lesson here, always pay attention when your wife tells you that something is not right. Wishful thinking will get you stranded on the side of the road somewhere. Most likely when it's cold and wet out. Besides, sometimes another ear is needed to hear these things. Your wife may tell you things you'd rather not hear, but they need to be said.
If your wife tells you the car doesn't sound right, chase it down. If she tells you that you have been hitting the fridge to much, get on the scale tubby. Our wives want what is best for us, and only by paying attention can we hope to learn.
On that note, I'm going to pay attention to my wife again, take my vitamin pill and call for an appointment to get my flu shot.