Life at the Landfill, June 7-11, 2004
- We ascertain that my crappy old blue mini-beast is "falling apart." Engineers, y'all will have to ask the Mad Scientist, I have two things to say about this is, one of which is: "Pete, can I borrow one of your trees? Because my trees are not cooperating!"
- We fix my old crappy blue mini-beast to the tune of $500.
- Our kids convince us that it is okay for Mouse to drive to Kalamazoo to pick up Elizabeth. Lizard Breath thinks she can fit everything in the honda but that the beast would be better. And given that the girlz usually avoid the beast like the plague, she must really think she needs it.
- Early this morning, I buy bagels & juice for Mouse, top off the mini-beast's gas tank and take it for one more test drive.
- It is raining and I get on the freeway and realize that I cannot see *anything* because there is water *everywhere*!
- On the other side of the freeway, I see a pickup truck in the ditch with its hood crunched in and tow trucks all over the place.
- I drive to the Baker Rd. exit and decide to return via Jackson Road because I know there is a big back-up on the freeway on the eastbound side going in toward A2.
- I am driving along Jackson Road at the speed limit (50) with all the other traffic and I am coming up to the traffic light at Zeeb by Meijer and it turns yellow.
- I make a quick decision not to try to run it, hit the brakes and stop. It is not a graceful stop. I think to myself that the speed limit is a just a wee bit too fast for these wet conditions.
- The guy behind me makes an even less graceful stop and skids sideways across two lanes of traffic. How he escapes colliding with me or anyone else only the gods know.
- Just for a little comic relief, Mouse and I manage to burn 2 of our 4 bagels black enough to render them inedible. Good thing neither of us wanted more than one!
- With much trepidation, I say good-bye to Mouse and she embarks on her 100-mile trip to Kalamazoo via the I94 Dee-troit/Chicago truck route. I feel as though I have just walked off the end of the plank.