White Lightning Axiom: Redux

I'm back ... barely. Been busier than a puppy with two peters of late. Oddly though, there is nothing of note to really talk about ... nothing banging about my empty noggin of late. I'm on a project right now that just had it's scheduled truncated by 50% so I'll be a tad brief with my posts for the next week or so. That is, provided the effort is not canceled all together like my last one. Now, over the last few days, only a handful of noteworthy events have come to pass. First off, I've re-injured my right knee. Walking down stairs of all things. I've got to remember to make copious use of the hand rails and abandon the practice of taking 2-3 steps in a gait. I'm not as spry as I was once and the joint damage isn't going to let me forget that any time soon. It needs to heal by Feb 3rd when I'm apparently listed for yet another TSD test ... this time with the highly motivated Alexis hot on my tail. She is going for her Yellow Belt now and if I don't keep one step ahead of her, she'll be 'schooling' me all too soon. I wonder what the Orthopaedic physician who diagnosed me 12 years ago would think about my condition today. Given the numerous physical activities I engage in now and the sullen look on his face when he had to break the news, I would think he may have to re-evaluate his preconceived notions.

Monday was MLK day and my new employer gives that as a corporate holiday. Now, the DayCare/ReEducation Facility was open and the Always Alluring Mrs had the day off. It would be great if we could both spend some quality time together but ... there is always a but ... the Tyrants get President's day off. Both the Mrs and I do not. After a quick conversation with my supervisor, we came to an agreement that I would come in on that Monday and be the only person in the complex so I could watch the fortunate twins on February 19th. Being the uxorious type, I let the Mrs take the opportunity to stay home on Monday so she could have a day of slakerdom. We slept in a bit and snuggled before I had to run out the door. She agreed to let the kids sleep in and take them to school instead of me, so I was able to arrive at the complex before the sun cast it's pale, thin light across the slumbering suburbia.

Later in the week, the Mrs comes to pick the Tyrants up from TSD practice so I can stay for the adult class. That happens three times a week so it's not too much a burden on either of us. This particular time, it was Thursday and that is Pizza night in the Haupertonian Household. The pungent odor was heavy in the cargo area of the Family Tank v2.0 as I buckled Alert Alexis into her Gunner's turret. A asked her what she smelled and she shouted out 'Pig Brains!'. Heh, yeah. The Mrs gave me that 'YOUR are going to pay for therapy' look and off they went. My little girl is growing up to be a tom-boy, even if she does like pink sparklely pants. Oh, and her propensity to sing ad-hoc songs like "I don't like your Ma-Ma because she is mean" should not be held against her. I listen to country-western radio and she might be picking up the underlying themes. No complaints here, I'm not a big fan of what some of the more popular rock music is based on. You know, slapping your b*tch down and popping caps in every one's *ss and such. Nope, I'm content with the Tyrants being somewhat red-neck. It works down here in the South. Yes, I consider Pennsyltucky the south. At least this part.

Speaking of the balmy south, it got rather warm here for a week or so, and now it's freezing cold again. Last month's utility bill came out to $170 ... a January record for us! The average temperature was 46F. Speaking of that, there is this:

New PA Driving Law May Affect Your Winter Commute
Effective January 29, 2007 all motorists in Pennsylvania MUST turn on their headlights whenever they use their windshield wipers in inclement weather. This new law applies when wipers are fully on or in intermittent use. Violators may be fined $25 but fees/other costs will increase the amount to $100.
This was enacted by the Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Ed Rendell in November. Pennsylvania now joins Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia in having a wiper-headlight law.[ed. NJ also has this law ... poor research in this article]
While the regulation doesn't officially go into effect until the 29th, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is asking all drivers to adopt the new measure as of January 1.

One last thing. This is regarding the pool parking pricks. You know, the ones that park in spaces next to the handicap spots so you cannot open your doors. Well, the other day, I pull into a spot and there is a woman parked half on the grass and a bit over the line of the HP spot. Sooooo, I pull in and then make a big scene about struggling to open the door to let the kids out. She is sitting in her drivers seat, talking on the cell phone ... oblivious. On top of that, she is plucking hair out of her lower leg whit a tweezer. Eventually, she looks up and notices me trying to muddle through in the 5 inches of space left between the two vehicles. She rolls down the window and announces that she is there to help me! She is going to repark her car to another spot so I can open my doors. I think she was afraid I would muck up her BMW SUV with cripple germs. So, she pulls away and within seconds ANOTHER person tries to park in the exact same spot. I stand my ground and hold my hands 1 foot apart showing the new pool parking prick woman how much space I expect her to leave for me. Tacitly, she complies which leaves her passenger door wedged up against a transformer. Rules are rules and I'm pretty flexible about that sort of thing so long as you don't make my life miserable when you feel the urge to break them. Next time I'll have the twins slide up next to me with a big sign 'Poor and homeless, we live in this parking spot.' I'll need some tattered overcoats and an old tin cup with coins in it.

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Labels: Banalities