July 27 - Great Eastern Tour Day 12

Runs: 0
Money spent: $29.68
Friends seen: 3

8:58 a.m. - Wake up determined to run. Discover it is raining outside. Check to see if it is hot enough to make running in the rain worthwhile. Nope. Putz around hoping the rain will let up. It rains harder. Give up and go shower.

11:02 a.m. - Off to run errands with Mom. The local talk radio conservative is railing on about a report released today that essentially says the mayor and other city officials screwed everyone over in building the Fast Ferry. The news really shouldn't seem all that surprising, as the monstrosity has been a disaster since its inception. At least with this story radio man is not likely to piss me off, as he is prone to do.

11:34 a.m. - Dad calls. My car is ready. Mom is to pay for it. Excellent.

12:49 p.m. - Shopping for a new bathing suit at the end of summer is like combing the jungle for a rare flower. Often times you can come up with half of the plant, but the other half has already left the jungle. Don't understand how the bottom to a suit can be on sale with absolutely no matching top available. Mom continues the hunt while I test out some possibilities. A miracle is delivered in the form of a suit that is both enjoyable and fits. It is both classy and fun. Very pleasing.

2:08 p.m. - The replacement switch to fix the reverse lights on the car cost $62.88. Joke with the mechanic that he can't take any more vacations on us with a payment like that, not to mention Mom and brother's new cars are far more stable than the previous ones. But if a switch can cost almost $63, I doubt he's hurting for cash.

3:12 p.m. - An incredibly bizarre yet intriguing Dr. Phil is interrupted by the mayor's press conference. He feels the need to defend himself against today's Fast Ferry report. Apparently he was listening to radio man too.

4:00 p.m. - Short swim with little brother. New suit is excellent.

5:14 p.m. - Attempt human learning final. Either the professor has set up 3 scenarios in an essay question that all require the same response, or there is a serious error on my part. Double check book and notes, but still unable to find a better option. Ask myself how much I really care about nailing this final, and decide to move on.

7:37 p.m. - Dinner with Panda at my favorite local restaurant, a mom n' pop place that my family patronizes so frequently the proprietor knows me by name despite a lack of parental units and the fact that I no longer live here. Thankful we came on fish fry night; the dinner salad is replaced with the world's greatest macaroni salad. Still not sure what we're doing the rest of the evening, but a 2 person meal for $14 is a good start.

8:45 p.m. - Panda wants to look for husband's anniversary gift, so we head to the mall. She's looking to replace his very expensive sun glasses. Never understood why people buy expensive sunglasses. Sunglasses are meant to be expendable. Case in point being Panda's husband, who lost his first pair of expensive sunglasses and broke the second. This may be a sign he is not meant to have expensive sunglasses. Will have to point this out to husband tomorrow if an opportunity presents itself.

9:23 p.m. - The original plan to go dancing downtown is nixed. Husband somewhat ruined excitement by being overprotective. Panda is also getting tired and doesn't want to be out too late. She chases around 13 year-olds all day at camp, and so her lack of energy is understandable. Friday nights during the school year are never good for me either. Slightly disappointed, but there are alternate plans to meet friends, and the goal of the evening was to spend time with Panda, which is still happening. Dancing can wait.

9:35 p.m. - Meet childhood friend and childhood brother at bar. Internally twitch watching childhood brother order beer from bar. Not used to the youngins' growing up. Blonde girl arrives with boyfriend. Don't get to spend as much time getting to know boyfriend as would like, but he is busy playing darts and the friends are more important to talk to. Panda and I discuss how much the other 2 have changed. We all appear very adult until childhood friend's phone rings. She shakes and leaps up in a panic to go answer it. A boy she has had a crush on since high school calls. Maybe we haven't changed all that much after all.