We got around a foot of snow on Friday. I didn’t go to work. On Saturday, the BF and I went shopping in his car, which is kept in a garage. Walking past, I snapped this pic of Julian, my car:
I considered brushing off the snow and shoveling around the tires, but figured I’d do it later. We had a fruitful shopping trip and saw Slumdog Millionaire (amazing!). We got a couple more inches of snow, so when we got home my car was even more buried. Plus, the plow that came through the parking lot left even more snow behind my car. Milwaukee right now is a filthy, snowy, horrifying mess, in case you were wondering. In fact, the local FOX newscaster, Ted Perry, just said ”it was that breath-stealing, knee-buckling, make-a-nun-swear wind that made life miserable today.” I don’t know if I could have said it better myself!
The BF had a coupon for 40% off any one book at Borders that was set to expire today, so we decided to go shopping again. With horror, we discovered that the temp was below zero and with the wind chill it was -31. We bundled up to make the trek to his car and when I saw Julian I gasped, and wondered how I’d ever dig him out. But I saw that some guys were snowblowing and shoveling the sidewalks at our complex. I think they work for the same landscaping company that handles our summertime mowing and such. I dryly said to the BF: “Maybe I should offer one of those Mexicans twenty bucks to dig my car out” and he said, “Oh my God, I was thinking the same thing, right down to the dollar amount!”
Since neither of us had any cash, he drove me to the nearest gas station where I paid an outrageous fee to Wells Fargo ($3.00– seriously? I know I’m the chump who paid it, but how is that kind of fee okay?) and went back and asked one of the guys if he’d be willing. He said sure and I handed him the cash. Joe and I drove away and went about our freezy business. I remarked that it was clearly a leap of faith– that he had my twenty bucks and saw me drive off, so there was no real reason for him to actually follow through. “But it’s not really being swindled if I went to him and offered him the money; he didn’t smoothtalk me out of it,” I said. But the BF responded that no, that actually would make it worse. Hrmph.
When we got home, I saw that Julian had been dug out of the snow. Sure, there was some snow on top (but today was a very windy, drifty day, so I’m certain it had been cleared), and there’s still some snow behind the front tires, but the sides and back were cleared and Joe’s deluxe scraper/brush combo was next to the driver’s side door. So this scenario was clearly win, win, win. I got what I paid for. The man earned an extra twenty bucks while he was out working in horrendous weather (but dressed for it) anyway, and I get to share a story that perpetuates a postive ethnic stereotype: Most Mexicans in this country are ethical, hardworking people.
So that’s one thing that makes me happy. And here’s another:
I impulse-bought this kitty bed at Target for my girls several months ago. Chloe used it a few times at first, but quickly lost interest. But she’s been sleeping in it a lot lately, and seeing her curled up in it is so cute I want to cry.
Denise