Whoa, Baby! It's Two-fer Tuesday!

Don't faint and don't get spoiled, but here you go with a second post for this fine Tuesday. It's something I was going to blog last night if I had not fallen asleep at the late hour of 7 p.m.

The season changed yesterday, rudely and abruptly. We've been rolling along with a cool spring and then BAM yesterday shot up into the 90s. I had made a pledge not to turn on my air conditioner before June 1, but I gave it up yesterday evening after I came home from the grocery store and it was 86 degrees in the house at 6:45 p.m.

Here in the land of floor furnace and window units, it's a big deal to change seasons. I had already been living with the heat thermostat set low, but even so have had blankets and a quilt on the bed for cooler nights. Turning on the main window A/C in the living room requires the assistance of a steak knife or thin screwdriver (last night I appropriated a steak knife) because the face plate is just ever so slightly cattywonker and won't allow the "off" button to pop back out unassisted when you try to push a cooling button. So I've learned the secret of the A/C surgery routine and in return was greeted with a face full of dust blowing full force once I accomplished my mission. Hey, it's part of the transition.

Today, of course, the high returned to the 60s. I came home for lunch and had to shut the machine off again because it was cold. Don't know why it didn't dawn on my this morning but I can only plead grogginess. Since I crashed so early, I woke up for a couple of hours in the middle of the night before I could return to slumberland just in time to get deeply, deeply asleep in time for the alarm to go off.

Have I ever mentioned how much I hate waking up to an alarm? Actually, I have to use a combination -- an alarm followed 15 minutes later by an annoying station on the clock radio. Around here the annoying station part is simple. Anything that's played within the range of my radio is guaranteed to be annoying, pretty much 24/7. I cannot get the NPR station from the university 40 miles south of here. It's almost enough to trigger a psychotic break. Hey, maybe THAT'S what happened! Intriguing theory.

I also had to fill my gas tank today. I've been putting it off as long as possible, hoping to make it until my check hits the bank tomorrow, but fortunately I did have enough to go ahead and fill it today. Just barely. My little Civic drank up nearly $40 -- undoubtedly the most it has ever cost me to fill Ruby's tummy in the 13 years I've had her. It almost made me cry. One of my co-workers and I have about decided to start walking to work on days when weather and work schedules make it practical. My problem is an irregular night schedule with a lot of evening meetings at City Hall. I'm just not all that comfortable with walking home from there after dark, although it's only a few blocks on the main street and most nights would be safe enough. Problem is, I read the police logs every day and I know too much about the wacky and crazy things that can happen at that time anywhere in town. And we have our share of town characters who wander randomly and may act inappropriately. Still, on days when I can walk in the daylight and the weather cooperates, I may start hoofing it.

The other alternative we've talked about is riding bikes. I'd love to get a touring bike and I think it would be fun to ride it to work, provided I had a safe place to park it while I'm at the office. Somehow I don't think they'd appreciate me parking it next to my desk. I wonder though - I promise I'd get a really pretty pink one! With a basket! And I'll put flowers from my garden in the basket. Do you think I could convince them it's really just a mobile vase? Hmmm.

I'm toying with the idea of buying a tiny camera that I can carry with me for fun. I have a Nikon D70 SLR digital with a couple of lenses, but the bag is just big enough and bulky enough to be kind of a drag. And I haven't had the time to go on many (read that: any) weekend adventures since I've been here like I used to. I'm considering one of the tiny Canon Elph cameras. They come with a huge number of megapixels these days and the cost is very reasonable. I've looked at a few and a friend at work showed me his today. I'd considered one of the Sonys but he said they aren't very good quality. It'll probably be a while before I have enough free cash to seriously consider the purchase so I have plenty of time to study up on it.

Oh hush. I can hear you out there saying "I think she's only writing to keep from cleaning up more in the living room." Smarty pants. You think you know everything now that I've revealed my love of the Rita music. OK, OK. One more time on the CD and then to bed. We'll see what I can accomplish on the third playing. No matter how much more cleaning I get done, Rita's good therapy nonetheless.

Be seein' you around.