Who knew that so many exciting things could happen in the matter of one week.  Yesterday, Chucklebutt and I celebrated our three year anniversary.  Time sure does fly.  When my residents find out how long we’ve been married, they giggle and say we’re practically honeymooners.  I would have to agree.  We did absolutely nothing to acknowledge the day — my own mother even forgot that the 11th was our “hitching” day.  In her defense, however, we’ve been married three times.  Once on the 10th by the local Justice of the Peace, once on the 11th by our dear friend Marlow, and once on a forgotten day in September by Elvis.  We were in Vegas and I just love Elvis!

Anyway, we are celebrating this weekend with a trip to Sedona and Oak Creek courtesy of our economic stimulus package.  Knowing us, we will have some fun adventures to share when we get back.

Chuck surprised me with flowers last week — just because — and he took some great shots of them.

So another milestone I reached last week was my car turned over 222,222 miles.  Whew!  That’s a lot of traveling.  Hecate (her name) owes it all to Chuck.  She would probably be in a shallow unmarked grave were it not for him.  After working on her Monday night, he came in and informed me there was some good news and some bad news.  I told him to hit me with the bad newsfirst.  Simply put, my car is slowly dying (there is some metal on metal action occurring in my engine) and there’s nothing we can do.  Well there is something we can do, but it’s not worth the money.  So were focusing on palliative car care.  Perhaps some new tires.  An oil change here and there.  And once she goes, it’s hello Prius.  Sigh.  It will be the end of an era.  I don’t even remember what the good news was.

The funniest thing that happened to us this week involved a phantom bug and Nicole jumping ship.  We were on our way to Wallyworld about 10pm at night, when all of a sudden Chuck starts shouting expletives and throws his shoe at me.  This was pretty scary especially since he was driving.  At first I thought our car had finally kicked the bucket.  When the shoe came flying, I realized it was a more pressing manner.  Bugs in the car?!  That calls for serious action.  We were at a red light and I bailed right then and there.  When it comes to unidentified bugs, I say it’s every man, woman and child for themselves.  I am my mother’s daughter!  As soon as I was out of the car, the light changed green and he was off.  I met him down the street in a bank parking lot.  Oh yeah, and I was in my pj’s cause that’s the only proper attire for late-night Walmart shopping.  I was a little worried that someone might mistake me for a meth addict — they are known to populate this side of town — but remember, BUGS ARE IN THE CAR!!

I get up to Chuck and proceed to ask him what’s going on.  He has the window rolled down and so I converse with him through the window.  I’m not taking a chance of getting back in the car until I know for sure that the perimeter is secure.  A car pulls up to the ATM and Chuck says to get in car.  He assures me there are no bugs.  Again, he forcefully tells me to get in the car and I proceed to yell, “Don’t tell me what to do!”  I was grumpy and still not 100% sure of a critter free car.  He was grumpy because we looked suspicious hanging out in the bank parking lot.  Also, I guess to the outside eye, it *may* have looked that I was soliciting him.  Leaning over the car.  Talking through the window. I told him we would be in a lot of trouble if we were arrested, because as my mother says, we have no friends and who would bail us out?   Later Chuck told me that he had never experienced an individual hopping out of his car at a redlight.  I didn’t really see what the big deal was.  

Oh yeah, and the bugs?  Apparently I need to clean out my car more often.  It was paper that had crept out from under the driver’s side.  Sheesh!

Happy Friday Everyone!