Making It Up As I Go Along #467

A Few Things

Farewell to the Car

This week I switched cars. Nothing drastic, but my lease was running out and I re-upped with Mazda, getting a newer version of the Mazda 3.

Driving out from Mazda in the new car, I couldn’t help but look over at the black one left behind in the lot. It sat there, a familiar friend that partook in many moments over the last four years. And now the license plate removed, with a dusting of pollen giving the black a yellowy hew… the car looked abandoned.

Despite the stereo system, I often drove that Mazda in quiet. It became a cone of calmness, blocking out the hectic world.

And there have been many family journeys in that car. Driving for hours with my parents… on an autumn day, through the countryside. It became a fall ritual that they would come visit and we’d venture about. Heading to the St. Lawrence, stopping for apple cider along the way. There’s a picture of mom and I outside the stand, sipping cider, with a corner of the old car seen on the side of the picture, still shinny and new… only a few months old.

We drove to the Gatineau Hills, snaking through a ribbon of asphalt and surrounded by yellow, red and orange.

And there was the summer trip to Quebec City. Keeping in touch with my sister’s family via cell phones, planning stops along the way and chatting about everything from politics to farmer fields along the way. The car gently rocking us to sleep as we go. First my father drifting off… then mom slowly growing silent… followed by me, proclaiming them back to wake loudly, for fear that I was soon to go next.

With shift work came other quiet, peaceful moments. After my last night shift, I’d often drive to the 24 hour grocery store before heading home. I’d park in a near empty lot, and head in to pick up my few needed goods.

Heading back out to the car, I’d be loading groceries alone in the lot… at 6:30 in the morning… with the sun rising on the horizon… pink to orange and turning golden in the quiet of the morning… I’d while lifting bags into the back of the car, and look off into the brightening east, hearing the quiet hum of morning traffic in the distance before heading home, me in my car. Mellow, and ready for bed.


Farewell to Working Body Parts

Got the shoulder diagnosis this week, and it’s about as bad as it could be. A complete tear in my rotator cuff… with either a future surgery or the need to build up surrounding muscles to the point of compensation. And although the shoulder generally feels ok most days, it’s weak still, and has me slightly depressed with the idea that it will likely always be somewhat limited from now on. Right now, I’d likely throw a ball farther left handed than I would right… and it feels like it’ll always be this way now… even if that may not be the case.

And at work I went to compensate one day, using my date stamp left handed in order to save the right side from the jar of a few hundred stamps. The end result, my old thumb injury reared its head. My left thumb swelling up and, even after the swelling went down a day or two later, a constant locking and clicking within it makes me feel extra rickety this week.


Enough Already

Even though I’m a hockey fan… and even though one of my favourite teams are in the Stanley Cup final… I’m ready for hockey to end this year. So I can only imagine the fall off in interest from casual fans.

The days are longer, it’s warmer outside, and this has been going on for two months now… I’m ready for hockey to end for the season.


TUESDAY...
--- Silliness at work in the morning. Too many people with too much time on their hands in that joint.
--- Physio right after work. I don’t get out of there until about 8:00… so it’s a long day.

WEDNESDAY…
--- Today was the day the Canucks were supposed to win the Stanley Cup. But they got beat up for a second straight game and now the series is tied at two instead.
--- Hot day, around 40. And the result is the craziest thunderstorm I’ve ever seen. Twenty minutes of Armageddon. Night came at 4:45… hail and snow like rain and wind galore.
--- Clean my stuff out of the car. My last full day with the Mazda… new Mazda to come tomorrow.

THURSDAY…
--- Car day. Go to Mazda at noon and trade in the old car for the newer model. A little nostalgic on the way out, looking at the old car sitting in the parking lot with the license plate off. A good four years with it.
--- Work is fairly busy but fine. Shoulder is touchy today… I think due to carrying my old tires to the car Wednesday night… shows how weak that shoulder is now.

FRIDAY…
--- Shoulder still a step back of where it was a few days ago. Physio tomorrow seems necessary. And my thumb is now swollen for no good reason. Just noticed it getting stiff last night and it remains tight today. No pain… and no concrete thing to point to. All I can think is that I was using my date stamper at work last night, left handed (to save my shoulder). And it’s the left thumb that is gimpy now. Maybe stamping a few hundred times with my left hand isn’t appreciated.

SATURDAY…
--- In bed around 6:30… up around 11:00… at physio for 12:30 and home again by 2:15 or so. Some TV and relaxing. Shoulder is back to where it was before the slip of a few days ago.

SUNDAY…
--- Get Karl today and take him to my building lot. He seems to approve. Lunch together after that and then I head downtown for a bit before a nice drive home along the Aviation Parkway… with the moon roof open along the way.
--- Watch some basketball. Nice to see Miami lose. But every other sport besides hockey just don’t know how to have championship moments. When Dallas wins, Dirk Nowitzki goes straight to the locker room while the rest of the team celebrates on court… some interaction with the Miami players but not much… and then the trophy presentation. And like football and baseball, they give the trophy to the team owner rather than the players. And then once the players actually get it, the owner gets interviewed over the stadium public address system. So when we should be getting the emotion of the players with the trophy, that’s a secondary thing while Mark Cuban talks. Only hockey knows how to do it.
--- Speaking of hockey, the Winnipeg franchise is starting to sound horrendous. Lets the GM go… keeps the coach hanging and then says they’ll interview coaching candidates and he (the existing coach) will be included. And even though everyone is chanting “Go Jets Go” the team will not use that as the name. And today I hear the possibility of calling them the Manitoba Polar Bears? If that happens, Oh man… if that happens…

MONDAY…
--- To Minto’s design centre with Diane (the agent). It’s pick out the stuff for the house day #1. Got much of it done and in a reasonable budget. Hardwood flooring, ceramic tile, upgraded carpet, some upgrades in cupboards and counter tops… and much more. There about three hours and I’m liking how things look.
--- Hockey is killing me. Vancouver lose big in Boston again. Back to Vancouver for a winner take all, game seven Wednesday.