Sloshed into the New Year

Rain, folks, the rain!

So...it's now 2007. What does that number bring to mind? It could have been my 30th wedding anniversary this year. Well, I did make it halfway with 15.

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Had fun last night, New Year's Eve, at the celebration in town. Missed having J join me, but maybe next year. Volunteered and got my "button" to add to my collection. I got to see and hear the Bullock Brothers, The Bells of Harvey Park (our own super handbell ringers), and a really good folk duo, Tamarac. I always like the Bullock Bros and George Sr. has written a book that I'm going to try to get. He forgot to bring copies to sell (tsk, tsk). Tamarac was a pleasant surprise. Their second set had alot more umph to it than the first and I really enjoyed it. They performed some original songs and Dylan, Kingston Trio, Baez, John Denver, and Beatles numbers.

Other than a quick drive to pick Amanda up from work, I hung out at one location. Over the years I have seen alot of the other performers, so staying at the church (where I volunteered) for the ones performing there gave me a chance to see some I wanted repeats of and then the new experience of Tamarac. Others from past years that I have enjoyed: Tony Hilliard (folk and Irish songs), 60's Invasion, Senior Class (barbershop quartet), the Cape Ann Jazz Band, and Volume II (steel drum band).

Next year I'll probably be advertising in the "official" booklet/program that is given out.

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I could not get to sleep last night for the longest time. My sinuses were acting up and then I got a "tickle" in my throat. I was still cold from being out. I finally gave up, got out from under the covers, and took some Advil and got some citrus lozenges. That did the trick and I finally got to sleep around 2 am. Didn't wake up until 8 in the morning which is late for me. Felt like crap but I got up anyway. I guess not being able to get warmed up made me tense up my neck and shoulders while I was sleeping. ACHE! My sinuses were still bad and I had a headache. A hangover without the alcohol. I felt cheated! Top it all off with newspapers to deliver. In the cold and pouring rain.....

Yuck, I got soaked. After the first route I changed my jeans. They were so wet I had to peel them off turning them inside out as I went. My legs were so cold and wet it hurt to do it. Of course there was no way to wear gloves, so my hands were like ice, also. Changed socks and shoes, too, and off to do the second route. By the time that was done, my hands were done. I could hardly get the newsapers out of the bag without getting tangled up in plastic bags. My hands were wet, freezing cold, hurt, stuck and scraped on everything and just plain refused to work right. I was sooooo glad to get finished. I got home, threw in a load of laundry, had some lunch, then crawled back in bed to try to get warm again. It was mid afternoon before I felt near human. Still had the headache and a bit yucky.

So, why do I deliver papers? Why not just the piano business? Sometimes, on days like this, I wonder.

It gets me out. I meet lots of nice people. I get paid (a little) to exercise. I GET TIME TO MYSELF. Yes, I would rather not do it on days like today. I could give it up, although I do like the extra money for fun stuff. I could say I'll exercise anyway. I can go for walks without delivering newspapers....but....would I? Certainly not as much as this requires (4.5 miles, 6 days a week). And, I know, that over time those walks would get less and less, and the time filled with more errands and work. So, for now, I'll put up with days like this because mostly the weather is okay and I know that I would miss my walks if I changed the routine.

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And for the rest of the story. I finished the keys for *that* piano tech on Sunday afternoon. So, I thought, I'll just call his shop and leave a message that they are finished. No one will be there on Sunday late afternoon, New Year's Eve, right? Wrong. His son answers, tech is not there but he will give him the message. Okay, I say. So, I wolf down an english muffin and call it dinner. I need to get ready to head down to town. Literally, folks, I was in the bathroom, undies only, in the midst of changing, when I heard my mom yelling from their house that *that* tech was at their door. He KNOWS I live at the other end of the building. My own place, my own door, my own driveway. What a pain. I'm yelling to her to just hold on...she can't hear me....I'm trying to throw on any clothes that I can get to quickly enough. I head for their house to meet him. He pays, asks some questions about the *problem* bushings (see my Not Gloating post about this). Yes, I told him about the incompetent previous mutilation of a keybushing job ;-) He starts in with "he hopes it's not something that ABC tuner did". "Did I know that ABC tuner has 3 lawsuits against him and is in real bad shape?" And on and on. Give me a break and shut up and grow up. This guy has a lot of unwarranted gripes with the other tech. You know, I may rant a bit and voice a few gripes here, but I do not badmouth like that, within knowns, professionally. Honestly, although I just don't think it's right, it's also in violation of the PTG Code of Ethics.

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Betty called tonight. We were going to meet for breakfast at Flavs on Tuesday morning. We both forgot that they were closing (except Fri and weekends) for the next two months. We're aiming for Friday instead. She's going to call the night before to confirm. Ted wants to join us, too. We haven't had breakfast together since last year this time. Betty says they miss me. I miss them. We used to see each other two mornings a week for breakfast. After Flavs "reopened" in March, we were out of the habit of meeting there.

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Sometime soon I'll be getting together with Jayne. I'm buying a couple things from her. A laptop which will be real good because I can show my dad stuff on the computer. He can't get up the stairs to where my desktop is located. I really wanted to show him some things that Jayne and LB had sent and I had no way. Then Ferd sent that really neat Christmas "performance" and again my dad couldn't enjoy it. Plus a laptop will be good for back up. I'm also buying a miniature table saw, similar to one I have for my key work. Excellent back up, again. It may become my primary, with my older one reserved for back up.

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to meeting up with Jayne again.

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Off to a new year. Starting with a non-hangover. Can or should I read anything into this?