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11-23-07

Lisa, Sue and I drove up to look at a reasonably priced Corolla at a Bremerton dealer. They had two in her price range, and one slightly higher in white that had ABS braking. It was a no brainer to get the white one with the better brakes, but no, Lisa didn't like white, it had to be black. They were going to look around and see what they could find at other dealers, and put the extra money she would have spent on ABS into transfering the car to Bremerton...<span class="frustrated_with_teenager">big sigh</span>. Still, it is totally her money and she can spend it how she chooses. Once again, I think we simply have to take a step back.

Last night we drove down for Thanksgiving dinner at the folks. Mom & Dad, Ed, Mary Ellen, Connie & Brent and their 3 kids, and John and Margee were all there. Mom's dementia is shocking to see. My once proud and intelligent mom is a husk of who she used to be. Still smiles and hobbles around, but says very little, as if stringing words together is simply too much trouble. Getting old is not looking too nice right now. What makes it even harder is how unfair the aging process is. We all remember my Grandma who was still living alone in her own house at 99 up until 1992. She was a charming and funny hostess, well versed in world events and a fountain of wisdom. We all loved her dearly, and then there is my mom, lost in the mists of dementia at 87.

11-20-07

why do I keep having these nightmares about returning to my former career as a pressman? I've not been a printer since 2002, it's bizarre to still be having printing nightmares. I wonder if it's the prilosec pill I take every night for heartburn.

Last night I dreamt I was back at printmanagement trying to clean the water rollers on the 4 color gto. The main pressman had left to work in another office for the day and I had been called in to clean his press.

I used to know how to do that in my sleep, but I couldn't for the life of me remember how to clean the damn water rollers. They are powered electrically, but I didn't know where the switch was anymore, and the ink was drying rapidly while I dithered about how to turn them on to clean the ink off.

One of the small press guys was there, and he was looking askance at my incompetence, wondering why they'd brought in this idiot to clean the $500,000 printing press.

I've been trying to help Lisa spend her hard earned savings on a new car. We visited toyota ofpuyullup and got a price of $16k out the door. I called and emailed around to the various dealers and got it down to 15800 before several said that was the bottom, and they'd be taking a loss any lower. Then I found one who would sell a new corolla for 15400 and suddenly Lisa said all 4 colors in the price were the wrong color. This was after I'd spent at least 4 hours researching, calling and emailing back and forth.

I think that Sue and I have become too involved in her quest for a car. We need to take a step back and let her make all the decisions at her own pace.

11-11-07

It's Sunday morning, and the last time I ate was Friday night. No, I'm not stuck on a desert island, or trapped in a mine shaft, I just decided food was the enemy. I keep ballooning up to 168, and decided to fast for a while. I know it's a bad diet plan, but I did loose four pounds, which must have been the weight of all the food I eat in 36 hours. I think maybe I'll do this one a week, now that climbing season is over.

Fasting clears my mind and makes everything seem sharper. I wonder, is this because the body senses the need for food, and heightens all the senses so when you look around at ordinary things, you see them in more detail, hunting for that apple on the tree?

Since the rains came and I stopped climbing, I've been looking for something to do. I read a bunch of books, but that didn't fill the gap left by climbing. Sue found a turban squash and presented it to me like it was a birthday present. I'd not been able to find one as I got in the mood too late and all the stores had sold out.

I've spent about seven very satisfying hours out in the garage drawing it first in pen and ink, then in colored pencil. I love the way colored pencil interacts with the pen lines. It makes it look less photographic and more like art. I'll post pictures later.

I've also bought a pair of size 15 rock shoes. I had to buy them that long to fit my size 7 EEEEEE foot. The width is almost perfect, now I just need to trim up the heel. Should be a fun project.

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