Seven Quick Takes Friday, Vol. 8

I
It's Saturday again. So much so that it is Sunday where most of you are, in fact. But at least I'm posting, right? It has been a long week.

II
A very long week. It started with a trip to the doctor; Little Bear suddenly acquired an angry, peeling rash, which turned out to be either a fungal or bacterial infection... They weren't sure which, but gave us something to help with either, and it has mostly cleared up now.

III
Then water began dripping through the ceiling. Panicked that something would get stained and we wouldn't get our security deposit back, I moved all the furniture, spread plastic on the carpet, and called the landlord... who assured me that it was no big deal; he was just cleaning out the bathroom drain above us and "it must have flooded." No big deal? There is WATER coming through my CEILING...

IV
More excitement: I have an excellent recipe for spiced cranberry relish, which I got from the proprietor of a little bookstore in downtown Steubenville, Ohio, that I make every Thanksgiving. As I was finishing ladling the relish into jars and wiping down the sides, I saw, to my horror, that there was a nasty moldy something in the bottom of one of my "clean" jars. Out came the relish back into the pot, to be boiled to death until I was satisfied that nothing bad could possibly still be lurking in it...

V
Today it was once again time to learn that even a heavy velvet floor-length skirt over leggings is no match for -25. So cold! I think feeling is coming back now...

VI
Of course, one can only properly learn that lesson by being deprived of a nice, warm car in which to hide from the cold.

VII
We had grand designs for this afternoon: picking up my sister, grocery shopping, the fabric store, confession, Mass. Halfway into town, the jeep began shuddering, and by the time we were on our way to the store the "check engine" light was blinking.

Why is it blinking? It doesn't usually blink.

I don't know; check the manual.

Um... It means immanent engine failure.

Oh.

Now our vehicle is sitting at the dealership, waiting for Monday morning when they will hopefully be able to tell us what is wrong and whether we are getting a new transmission for Christmas instead of presents.


I hope your week was less stressful than ours here n the frozen northlands! At least it is warmer wherever you are, I expect. Have a good end of your Thanksgiving weekend, and I'll try to be on time next week!