baby it's cold outside

Today I had an appointment at the car dealer for inspection, oil change, and to get my seat checked. I decided about 3 am that walking home from the garage would be a lovely idea. I'd get exercise, take a totally different route, and get the car done.

Bethlehem Ford is at the Allentown/Bethlehem border line in west Bethlehem. Across from the Lehigh Shopping Center. Near the old A-treat factory.Much closer to my brother's than my house.

It was 4 degrees this morning. What the heck was I thinking?

At seven I got dressed. All my long underwear was in the laundry, so I put my flannel pj bottoms back on, then covered them with my jeans. I have no long socks, so I put on regular socks, and then my pedi socks. They have no toes, so I inched them over my heal and scrunched them around my ankles. Then tucked the pj pants into them.

On top I had a long sleeve tee and a fleece. At 8, I added my blue coat and headed out the door. After dropping off the car, I added my hoodie over my coat, two pairs of gloves, my fuzzy hat, and both hoods. And a scarf. I was cold.

I always wanted to take a photo of the tile work on the Ukrainian Church.
Today I got the opportunity and the sun was not cooperating.
Can't complain. It's been a while since we have even seen the sun.

I headed out Union Blvd toward home. The sidewalks on the north side are just as bad as the one's in the hood. Lot's of those homes don't shovel either. What melted yesterday also turned to ice.

At 8th Avenue, I turned down and headed toward Broad. Out Broad to 3rd, then out Spring to 2nd. Over the 2nd Street ram, across the bridge, out Broadway and home.

I walked in the door about 1:40 later. It was about 3.5 slow miles. I was barely in the house when my roomie said: "The car dealer called. Your car is done."

I guess I should have just waited.

last car post. promise.

Yesterday Bonnie and I walked in Fountain Hill in the drizzle. Then I went car shopping. In a downpour.

I ended up buying a 2014 Ford Focus. Same car, different year. Between the accident and the new car my insurance bill shall skyrocket. Guess it's good I didn't buy healthcare. My budget will be on life support next year when that happens.

I still haven't heard from the insurance adjuster. I know they came and looked at the car. I found that out when I went for my plate at the tow truck garage. (My plate is the "save wildlife" original owl version. It's been retired. The new version is a river otter. Not nearly as cute.)

I had little time to research. I wanted to return the rental. It was sucking money out of my account. The storage fees for Aretha are also sucking out money. ($50/day!) I had found some 2014 used cars—my guess test drive cars with under 5k miles—but they were gone by the time I could get there. Daddy used to buy used cars and they were major headaches. Mama used to say "that you bought someone else's problems". So I went with new.

The new version has all kinds of screens, it even counts down your gas level.  It has built in hands free calling. The guy set it up before I left. I don't anticipate using it. I can't multi-task and drive. Even with full concentration, bozos run stop signs and I run into them.

Sorry camera is on it's way to Africa on vacation. My stuff is so well traveled.  I had to use my phone for the pix.

Today I'll be walking across campus for the benefits fair. More on that later. Lunchtime massage. Can't wait.

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Benefits Fair is next week. Oops. Went, nobody there.

not quite the plan

 An un-funny thing happened on the way to my walk on Friday. Meet Aretha. She was my car. Now she's going to the junk yard.

I picked up Bonnie as usual and we headed up to Betsy's. It was warm, bright and sunny. It was going to be a fun walk. The dogs were coming. We are headed out MLK drive an in an instant there was a dark car blocking the road. I didn't have enough time to stop.

I don't remember what happened between slamming on the breaks and the airbag exploding in my face. Boy did it stink. There was smoke everywhere.

Bonnie was the responsible one and got right on the telephone. Did you know you could dial 9-1-1 without unlocking it? It took a few minutes but I got my whits about me and called Betsy and the roomie.

Police arrive. Ambulances arrived. Stories were told. Tow trucks arrived. (Storage for my car is $50 day!)

I've been told that my car will be totaled. And I'll get less than 5K for it. Alan thinks about 2.5K Kelly Blue Book says a fair purchase prices is $6K. Bottom line a new Focus is about $17K. Used are about $12K. I'm pretty much screwed.

Plus I didn't get to walk.

Today we walked the Wegman's loop and then went shopping.  Lydia was interested in ways to make it longer, so I told her a couple. There were no animals out at the stables. Very odd indeed.

It was probably well over 10K steps. But I won't know. I forgot to put my FitBit on.

Afterwards I went for a rental car. The first place wasn't open. Then we went to the airport. I think the rates are higher there anyway. In hindsight the clerk gave me no prices up front. That wasn't right. But I was too stressed to think about it. I was not thinking clear and said yes to their insurance. I never do that. The insurance gives me $20 a day. My bill for 5 days was nearly $600. 

Tomorrow I'm taking the car back, and re-renting w/o insurance. The car rental is $208 for 5 days. The rest is the insurance. (That's an entire quarters payment for my regular insurance, plus some.) If they won't rent to me I'll go to the next place. I'm also going to look for a coupon. Then Lydia and I are walking the Walnutport canal path. Maybe I can also get to Bed Bath and Beyond for a CO2 canister for my soda stream.

Bubbles might help make up for a crappy weekend.