The shortest day of the year is upon us. I’m reaching the point where I’m forging an uneasy alliance with the cold. 25 degrees becomes a touch of summer, compared to 10 degrees. 5 is lovely contrasted with recent memories of -5. Clothing articles get rejected as, “too warm.”
I feel a little sad that these dark, introspective nights are soon to be getting shorter. It’s bleak. To me that’s pretty. I’m sure the Scandinavians have some name for this type of beauty so seasonal here in the Northland.
I’ve been working more than I really want lately, there are so many things I can be doing. Doing nothing is one of them. But we are still down a technician, so the two days my bro is off, there’s only Owner Guy to do the wrenching, and nothing at al would get done if he had to answer the phones all day, price shop parts, blah blah blah. But I’m a pretty good gatekeeper, well testified to by the number of familiar solicitors numbers I see on the CID who hang up when they hear me answer.
But this job has all the good things the car business ever had to offer in California, and about .003% of the crap that would make anyone hate their job. Owner Guy is cool, the rest of the day time staff is so – so, (just kidding, the rest of the staff is my brother.) So, it’s rather like retirement after a life in the salt mines. Tough customers? Of course, but in about a year and a half there’s been like five. I had that man nightmare customers a day in Cali.
I commute 24 miles, which take 34 minutes. People here in the Twin Cities are appalled. What an arduous commute, they say. None of these people have driven the San Diego Freeway or the Ventura/Hollywood Freeway daily at rush hour. Ten miles on the Ventura in the AM routinely could go 45 minutes to an hour. I did 70 minutes front Sana Barbara to North Hollywood and back. Now, I out on my audiobook, hop on 36 to 35w to 494 to 169, and often find myself wishing I had more time to listen.
I’m also playing a lot of Christmas and Holiday music right now. I have a 9 hour play list, plus, whatever I can get Alexa to offer. Have had no energy for a tree. Not yet, and not likely. I’ll take wrapping the gifts over that.
Christmas promises to be delightful or dismal, depending on whether the temps favor rain or snow. I’d prefer temps right about 28 for the next few weeks. No need for rain, to put that treacherous base under the pretty white stuff. Lets stay crunchy, not slippery.
Hope your holidays rock,.
Deep Thoughts (or Not) 