Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Where In the World Is Jeanne?

I'm sure that's the question on all of your collective lips. Or on the edge of your collective seats.

Thanks to a tip from 21st C. Mom, to avoid blowing my gasket driving all around creation last weekend, I bid on a car from Priceline, and for $20 a day was promised a mid-sized car in which to lug all of Number One Daughter's many many MANY things back to school. Instead, the nice people at Hertz gave me this:



Now, I'm totally anti-SUV, anti-mini-van, anti-car really, but I gotta say: the world looks different when you can actually see where you are going! And when you don't have to run the heater to cool down the engine. It was awesome. I meant to take photos of me licking the thing, but ran out of time. It only took me 20 years to become a soccer mom. Well, it was fun while it lasted.

On to the road trip!

Well, first, I was here:

(Number One Daughter breaking the blinds in her new just-outside-of-Philly-right-above-a-nail salon-cum-pizza-place-apartment, as the BF cheerfully watches, and the mother takes photos. This room will be shared by two girls.)



And then? I was here!
(Surrounded by topless boys! At last! Dear friends D and B, hubba hubba.)

And now, I'm back in paradise:
(Look at the progress since my last posting!)

Actually, there has been progress.
1. Bathroom. Upstairs landlord responsible for hole in ceiling settled with me for $3,500. Now, I just need to borrow a bit more and I'll have a HOLE new bathroom!

2. Car. Second trip back to the dealer revealed that—are ya ready?—the cap was loose on the radiator. There is no blown gasket, no cracked gasket. In fact, there may not be any gasket of any kind. And, the dealer AT no charge kindly TURNED THE LID on the radiator to tighten it. They swear that a LOOSE radiator lid was causing my engine to overheat. (Is there a mechanic in the house?) I mean, really. Whatever, the car hasn't overheated yet, and now I have it in writing that nothing is wrong with it.

3. Running. Yes, this is a blog about running. Sort of. I ran 90 minutes at the beach with B, pictured above. OK, actually we ran 1 hour and 24 minutes but who's counting. I have no idea if we were running 12 minute miles, 11 minute miles, or 10 minute miles (ha ha), but if past performance is any indicator, 86 minutes got me near 8 miles. Maybe.

We got up at 7 a.m. on a Saturday morning, after a late Friday night spent frolicking, giggling, talking politics, knitting, iPhones, and weddings. Yet B., God bless him, got up at the crack and got me out the door. We ran all over Rehoboth, hither and yon, and had a great conversation. He'd probably say it was a good walk spoilt, but I swear we were running. I felt good afterwards, too!

I was back at NBTR headquarters Sunday night, where I immediately plunged into NOD-withdrawal. Sigh. I'm sure she's missing me too (NOT).

Monday: Couldn't face work. Could. Not. Face. It. But like the Good Soldier I am, face it I did. What I really couldn't face was running before work. So I ran four crappy miles in the evening.

Today, Wednesday, I set out to repeat last week's feat of six miles before 7 a.m. (six before seven! Trademark!) I got through mile five and that was the end of that. I slog/walked the last mile back. I think it must have been the glass of wine I had Saturday night. Or my general malaise. (See, Laurie? I actually had a good run Saturday morning! So no more conjuring me on those rare occasions when your runs go bad! Ha!)

I have three miles to run on Friday, then eight on Saturday with my group.

I have no clever way to end this post. Huh.

How about we end this way? It was good enough for Bogey.



Here's looking at you, kid.

15 comments:

Laurie said...

Too much to comment on woman! This is why you need to post more than once a week. Just sayin.

1. I'm glad you had a good mini-vacation.
2. Hooray for getting a new bathroom, eventually.
3. Bigger hooray for your car not really being broken!
4. Boo for the stupid mechanic who thought it was and caused you grief.
5. I'm glad you had a good Saturday run! But I'm sure I will continue to think of you when mine go bad ;)

21stCenturyMom said...

I had a mini-van in Illinois and after all of those years of avoiding them I had to wonder why. It was a really convenient vehicle and quite easy to drive.

You need to let me represent you more. If you did I would have those jerks who charged you all that money for your car and the jerk from upstairs forking over quite a lot of cash to you. Mr. Landlord has balls of brass not paying every dime of what it costs to replace your bathroom - all of the damage is his fault. grr... Anyhow, glad you are making progress and soon you will have a new bathroom. I do think you need to take him to small claims court for the balance of what it costs, though.

In the meantime be sure to give all of these money sucking jerks HORRIBLE reviews on-line. The earned them

21stCenturyMom said...

I meant "they" earned them. And the dealer deserves a standing ovation.

Black Knight said...

The picture with your number one daughter (working), her bf (watching) and you (taking pictures) is very italian: one person works and many persons watch.
I am glad for your mini vacation and for your good run. Ciao.

Thomas said...

Hey, at least the stars are still on the shower curtain! You know how much I love them.

Susan said...

I just adore this blog! Best one out there!!!!

Rae said...

Yay! Welcome back from your mini-break!!

Mechanics and contractors suck, 100% of the time. I just don't get how they get away with everything!! Ugh!!!

Anonymous said...

Way to go!

I did my 15K last week BTW, and it was better than I expected- ran all 9.3 miles and only a couple minutes off my preferred pace. So thanks for the inspiration!
-Nancy

Vickie said...

Sounds like you had a blast and even got some running in besides! Now back to reality.

Larissa said...

Hot boys and hot sand - doesn't get better than that!

Irish Blue said...

You crack me up! Thanks for being so darn funny that it's hard to be down.

Mmem said...

My son wants me to get a minivan. Because he wants me to be "The biggest guy on the road."

The other stuff is cool, the run on the beach sounds cool, too. Pardon my naivete, but does it hurt to run in sand? It looks hard to do...but very zen, too...

WTG on 5 before 7, that's 5 more than I did before 7, I tell you that.

David said...

We'll always have Arlington.

Rich said...

I don't know whether to laugh or cry about the radiator cap!

IHateToast said...

did it smell like mickie d's? i think all minivans smell like fast food.