The Weekend Report

Despite some things that didn't go according to plan it was a good weekend. I guess a lot of the credit for that goes to the weather for a change (excuse the pun).

The plan was for Suz and I to spend Saturday up at her house--She cleaning her car and me cleaning my truck. The poor truck has been sitting virtually untouched for well over a year, and because of that the paint was severely oxidized, the wheels had rust on them, and the trim pieces had green stuff growing around them. It was pretty sad. When we got ready to leave my house Saturday morning imagine my surprise (not!) when my truck refused to start yet again. I played with the key quite a bit, refusing to give in without a fight, and just as it was starting to show signs of the battery dying it started. Rather than abandon our plans for fear of the unknown we proceeded to her house, she following me in her car.

One thing about Suzie's home: It ends up being kind of a social event of sorts sometimes. As I went by her son Denny's house I glanced over to see if anyone was out and about, but I heard her give the usual "beep, beep" behind me. Apparently that signals the troops that she's home. By the time I had backed my truck up through the gate and into her back yard, her 3 yr-old grandson Joe was there. Apparently his auntie Heather watched him carefully as he made his way down the street to grandma's house. He proceeded to help me wash my truck which was pretty fun. I haven't had a little kid help me wash a vehicle since Sarah was small. Little by little we ended up with everyone dropping in. While I was finishing up the wash job Denny went back to his house and retrieved some polish, and when I was finished he started polishing it. It was a pretty dramatic difference! He went around the whole truck, shining it up and granting it some of the glory it used to have in its former years. I was pretty surprised about that. That was a nice thing he did! We never did get her car done because of all the hubbub around there. When we finished my truck we all migrated down the street to Denny and Heather's house for dinner. I should note, however, that my truck didn't want to leave her back yard. Once again it refused to start. It turns over like crazy but won't fire. Then just as before, as the battery was just starting to slow down, it started. I drove it out and backed it up her driveway behind her car. I guess it was good that I did that because later on when I wanted to leave, it refused to start. Nothing I said to it changed its mind either. Apparently the clean & polish job had no affect on its ego, and the swearing also refused to help. I coasted it (Suz gave it a bit of a shove too) across the street and parked it in defeat. Truck = 1, Rick = 0. Suzie gave me a ride home in her car.

Yesterday was Puyallup Fair day. She came over at about 11:30 and we headed out. It was a great weather day for it, and fortunately for us we got there before the traffic jams really started. We had a great time wandering around. We zigzagged all over the place multiple times, enjoying the displays, the performers, and a few of the food items. At one point we detoured outside the gate and I treated her to a couple of interesting meat turnovers from Miller's Fleishkuechle (yes, that's how you spell it--I kept the name off the bag so you can Google it) stand. As usual on a nice, sunny weekend day at the Puyallup Fair, we saw plenty of interesting people and things.

This was a "turning point" year for me at the fair. This was the first year that I refused to drive around and around, looking for a free parking spot and walking a mile to the gate. This year I paid $10 and parked at a car wash a block away from the main gate. It's gotten to the point that the city is slowly but surely taking more and more free parking away from the populace, making it all but impossible except for the earliest arrivals. Or maybe it's just another sign of age. Yeah, that's it.

After we got to my house and hung out for a while resting our feet and having a beer or two, she drove me up to her house to (hopefully) get my truck. It was kinda funny--As we were nearing Denny's house, she said something about not honking this time when she went past so she could just relax at home and get some work done. As we round the curve here comes Denny blasting down the street towards us on a go-cart, wide open and flying! She laughed and laughed--Noting that apparently it doesn't matter if you honk or not. Anyway, I had the new license tab with me (yes, I drove up to her house illegally the day before) and put it on before opening the door and hitting the key. As usual when it has a "fit" and refuses to start, the next time you try (later on or the next day) it lit right off instantly. Figures. At least it's back home now and looking as clean as it has in a few years.

One other important (at least to me) note: The alien on my face seems to finally be gone! After having it fileted off by a laser (or whatever they used) a second time and babying it for the last week and a half, the last little bit of scab departed, leaving only a mild discoloration behind. Finally... Smooth skin I can shave over again!