OT: It's a Monday

[Christyhicks]

Found this e-mail I had sent to someone and before I delete it forever, thought it might give someone a chuckle and maybe even some insight into a typical day in my life.     So off topic that you won't want to read it if you only want to read about buses.  Christy Hicks

So, I'm thinking maybe today is a Monday.  You see, it sure felt like a Monday this morning when I smacked my head on the music stand. . . well, let me explain.

Every weekday morning, I wake up at 5:30, shuffle over to the coffee pot (about 3' from my side of the bed. . I'm thinking that maybe Larry and I ought to switch sides so that HE has to do the groggy-eyed coffee shuffle ), pour us each a cup and shuffle over to the bed to start waking up.  Usually, about the time I climb back in and get comfortable, I hear the cat howling at the bedroom door and I also realize I've got to, well, pee . 

So I drag myself back out of bed and shuffle to the doorway, only to be blinded as I start to stumble down the stairs into the dressing room, because, you see, we have an automatic light that turns itself on whenever you enter the room.  It works pretty well, except at 5:30 a.m., when it seems awful bright .  Since about the time I take my first step down, this searchlight-bright beam comes BLAZING on, stumbling down the steps really takes a whole new LITERAL meaning!  I pick myself back up off the floor and stagger over to let the cat into the bedroom, then race him for the bathroom.  If I'm lucky, I can dash into the bathroom and slam the door before he makes it inside, and if he's lucky, he either doesn't make it to the door, or he's able to swish his tail in BEFORE I slam the door .  At this point, it's every man/cat for himself as far as I'm concerned.

I, or we, if that's the case, finish our duty, then I shuffle back to the bedroom to join Larry for my first cup of coffee and a peek at the morning news.  We purposely don't watch the news the night before, not because of all the "bad" stuff, but rather, just because it's going to be the EXACT SAME NEWS in the morning.  Sure, they have different people at the desk, but the story, the clips, etc., are the exact same news that they play at 10:00 p.m. the night before.  Being notorious time savers, we quickly learned that we could gain an extra half hour snooze time by consolidating our news gathering to the morning newscast only.  This also works for the weather, because, since they can't hardly hit the forecast correctly three hours before the storm hits, they surely can't predict it fifteen hours earlier!

Anyway, four cups of coffee later, it's now 6:30 and as much as I'd like to dawdle longer, it's time to meander in get dressed, hit the exercise bike and weight bench, and get ready for work.  Now, one would think that after a year of this routine, I would have it all down pat, but somehow, I manage to climb onto the bike, hit the program button, which starts the torture countdown, and I almost always forget to turn on either the fan, or the "on" position to the automatic light in the dressing room.  This means that, half way through the program, I'll either be pedaling in sweat or in darkness, or if it's a really bad day, sweaty darkness .

This is a dark day .  I'm on the bike, laptop computer on the music stand next to me, I'm pedaling with two feet and one hand, using the other to talk to my office manager online as we start planning the day's schedule.  Blink, I'm in darkness.  Now, why the stupid automatic light can sense the cat's presence every single time he moves (hence the reason that cat has to sleep out in the main house at night, you can imagine the blinking on and off all night), yet, I can wave, stand up on the bike, throw papers at it, and it stubbornly stays off.  Hearing the commotion and books hitting the wall, Larry comes in and asks, "Do you want me to turn the light on?"  Of course, I know he means turn it on permanently, since the minute he steps in it comes on like it's supposed to.  This is obviously a rhetorical question, since he's halfway across the room by now, headed for the light switch, as he knows I've likely forgotten to move it to the "on" position again. 

The office girl can immediately tell that Larry must have turned the light on, as my level of typos drops dramatically now that I'm typing in the light, albeit one-handedly.  (By the way, I AM the world's fastest one-handed typer, since I do it so regularly ).  Pretty soon, it's time to move from the devil-bike to the weight bench for a few exercises designed to prolong my torture and hopefully, some day, result in firmer legs and tighter abs.  The office, via laptop, goes with me everywhere in the mornings, so I set her on the music stand, directly in front of the weight bench, sit down and begin my routine.  By now, I'm awake and warmed up, and I'm in full workout mode.  I start with the arms, then the chest, and move on to the abs.  Unfortunately, I've neglected to lower the stand completely, and evidently it is just a tad closer to the bench than usual, so when I pull down on the bar, fold it under my arms and heave forward, I cram my forehead right into the keyboard .  Larry hears the crash and yells "what happened?  The office girl is trying to understand what "sdkjhgslkh" was supposed to say, and all I can do is laugh hysterically and tell them both, "It's nothing, it's just Monday!"

Christy Hicks

[edvanland]

Thanks for a great laugh. Working seven days a week delivering newspapers, read 1 AM, one of the benefits is no Mondays, course no Fridays or even weekends. Still able to take time off and enjoy the bus, boat and of course the Harley Trike, hey at 69 years old some one has to do it.
Thanks again I always know you post, stories are going to be an enjoyable read.
ED

[Ed Hackenbruch]

Also OT:  Christy,  a couple of years ago i found 2 bottles from your home town of Winona Minn, ( do i remember that right? ) in an old dump in Wa. state. Would you be interested in them? For free? not even a shipping charge?  We have been hauling them around in the bus with us and i know that one of these days they are going to get broken. Sent me an address if you want them and they are yours.  Ed

[Christyhicks]

Yes, Ed, you're right on the money!  I am from Winona, MN.. . . well, actually, first from Fountain City, WI, then moved to Winona when I was 10 and do consider it my "home". 

That's so thoughtful of you to grab those bottles!  I'd be glad to pay the shipping, but I'd rather think that one of these days we could actually pick them up from you in person!!!!  I've heard that there may be a "trifecta" of bus rallies starting in Texas and then Branson and then ours in Carthage next year. . all within about a 10 day period. .  PERFECT for those wanting more bang for their short time on the road, ha ha.  I'm also keeping a thin hope that we may be able to go to Quartzite soon, maybe even this Jan or Feb. . . a THIN hope, but a hope never-the-less! 

Surely, ONE of these days we'll be in the same section of the country!!!!!  Christy Hicks

[Ed Hackenbruch]

We are headed for Yuma right now. Going to be in Moab for a couple of days and a few other places before we get back to Yuma. Q-site is only 75 miles from us.   We were at the first NJT rally in Sarcoxie 5 years ago. Had planned to spend more time back east the next year but the tax man hit us hard for a property sale so i had to start going back to work during the summers in Wa. state.    If you come west drop us a line, we might even take the bus up to Q-site for a few days, and if you don't make it i can still send the bottles.....don't worry about postage.   Ed

[Brian Diehl]

Christy, You always put a smile on my face or make me laugh!  Thanks for sharing your "day" with us.  Now I see mine is not so bad!

[Christyhicks]

Well, Ed, I'll be sure to let EVERYONE know if we can make it out there, THAT'S for sure!!!

Thanks Brian, I figure that everyone has a "mission" and mine must just be to make everyone feel better about their OWN life, ha ha.

Christy Hicks

[Dreamscape]

Christy,

I knew it would be a good read, I had visions throughout the whole story!

When you get the date for your rally let me know, and we'll get them all lined up. Right now it looks liike TBR Sep 30 ending on Sunday Oct 3, 2010, Branson Ealge Rally Oct 5-7, 2010. Then on to yours.

Paul

[Christyhicks]

Glad to entertain you, Paul.

I believe our rally will be Oct 8-12, 2010.   At least, that's the plan unless they change the dates on us! Work for you??   Christy

[Dreamscape]

Christy,

Yip, sounds good. We'll keep our fingers crossed for ya!

Paul