Saturday morning

 It’s below freezing this morning.

(below zero degrees celsius, which looks even "better")

I didn’t wake up at 2.  I didn’t work for three hours for less than 20 bucks.

I didn’t set my alarm clocks – but got up around the usual time because the cat’s ready for his shot and his morning meal.

I won’t be standing around putting newspapers together for 3 and a half hours, in the cold.

I am not unhappy about any of that.

The more I think of it, the more I think I should have been paying more attention.

For example, my 700 papers a weekend was $3500 worth of product- that I was getting less than 5% of.

It occurs to me that I was letting myself get screwed just to "have" a job.

It’s kinda nice to sit here and listen to the morning news while I write with NO sense of "I have to hurry!"

The big news this morning is that "It will be Cold!"

Tuesday looks to be the coldest day of the year so far – 22 degrees F – 5 below 0 C.  Monday itself looks frosty, and the mountains have gotten feet of snow.  I have a set of chains, and they are easy to put on -I like the big cutouts in my car’s wheels – they make reaching through the wheels to connect the inside link of the cables EASY.

If I do have to chain up, that’s 25 – 30 mph at best – not a way to cross hundreds of miles of state.

If that fantasy lottery ticket paid off, I’d buy a set of  Blizzaks for my car – highly rated winter tires.

The tires that came with the Caliber, Firestone Affinity Touring tires, are not all that great a tire.  I got the tires siped (thin lines cut across the tread to increase traction) and that made a noticible difference.  The tires don’t spin as easily in the wet.  I thought it was worth it to make my car safer.  It was more than 60 bucks to have the tires siped, but a new set of tires will be at least 300 bucks – six hundred if I get the Goodyear tires I’ve been looking at.  These tires are an unusual size – 215-60-17.  They tend to be expensive no matter who makes them.  Good thing these Firestones look to be long-lasting tires.

***

That’s at least 60 miles I DIDN’T put on my car this week.  It’s nice to put the seats back up and drive a passenger car instead of my little truckster with all the seats but mine down.  The rain’s let up – I should vaccum the car and get all that debris left over from the newspapers out of my car.

The car’s ready for winter – just had it serviced last week.  It’s still under warranty too – 13,000 more miles or March next year.

I haven’t had any problems with either of the Dodge Calibers I’ve owned – they are Good cars.

***

The Christmas weekend was one I would have had to work through, but now that weekend is free, and although I can’t go away more than overnight (the cat needs his shots), I could drive down to Redding and see the family I didn’t know about two years ago.

I could make that drive while I still have a car….

***

That’s next month.  We’ll see.

***

Just on the news:  "It’s going to get really, really cold Tuesday and Wednesday."  22 degrees overnight.

I think I’ll snuggle up in bed then.

***

He he he.  I’m warm at HOME.

 

*****