Sump

I'm so butch I can replace my own sump pump. The most difficult part? Getting the cast iron hole cover up. Half expected to find a dead body floating in there.

Hello Kitty Carlisle

Sorry to hear Kitty Carlisle died this week at 96, having yet to retire from touring and performing. Who else could have brought class to the smarmy world of 50s, 60s, and 70s gameshows?

Hoppy Easter

Jacob passed his learning permit test on Friday on our way to my parents for Easter. For some reason, I drove anyway. At exactly the half way point, my car overheated. Pulled over, revved it up to get the water flowing, and turned it off to cool down. Very disconcerting. Closest town was 5 miles from the first exit we found. It had no gas station. Nice lady outside the library gave us directions to the nearest truck stop which wasn't really that far. Refilled the radiator with $9 a bottle antifreeze and kept on going. No other overheating incidents, but nearly creamed a deer east of Independence.. Let Jacob finish the drive without incident. On Saturday had Jacob drive me to Wal-Mart and Dairy Queen for an ice cream cake for Cole's birthday. When we got back to Mom and Dad's, he immediately locked the only key I have in the car. Dad called the police and they tried, but couldn't get the little jimmy bar to work, so they called the guy. He had this cool blood pressure cuff pillow thingy that he slipped in between the window and the door rubber. Pumped it up just enough to slip a rod through and hit the unlock button. Asked for $10. I gave him $15. It would have easily cost $50 or more here. Jacob took Mom, Cole, and me on a long country drive Saturday afternoon with no incident, and then drove all three hours back here yesterday. No crash or overheating. Whew. I think it was just a stuck thermostat, but have to take the car in this week anyway so they can check it out then.