Check Engine light, Shenanigans...and a suitcase...

It's been an interesting weekend... I hoped to kayak this weekend, but did not make it out on the water... Friday I was on a mission to find out why the check engine light is on in my truck.  It came on over a week ago and I called onstar to see if they could diagnose the problem.  They told me it was something with emissions, to tighten my gas cap and run it for about a week and the light may go out... but if it didn't I would need to get it checked... well it remained lit... my secretary's boyfriend is a mechanic and offered to put his diagnostic machine on it to see what is wrong... it is something with emissions... and the guy running the codes told me it will probably be covered under the waranty... I told dad about it today and he thinks it will also be covered ... I sure hope so... when I had called the garage to make the appointment to get it fixed, he said it could be up to $400... I will take the owners manual... just in case... After that I headed to visit Sara and Maria.  It was a nice visit.  Maria is so smart.  She really is... it was great to see them.  Part way home, I got a headache.. I haven't had a headache in a while... but it was a doozy... and it lasted through the night... I woke up at 3 a.m. and took some advil... and when I woke up in the morning it was still pretty brutal... so I laid low.  I watched some tv and rested...by mid afternoon I was feeling better... and then went to school to support our soccer team.  Last night I slept well, but think that standing around at the game for so long bothered my back...(I forgot to wear sneakers!)  Then today... was spent getting ready for next weekend... when my family will be here to celebrate Thanksgiving... a but early... Since Sis cannot make it up for the real Thanksgiving we are getting together this weekend... we did this last year too and it was a lot of fun.  So today I ran errands... going to Sam's club to get some of the bigger things... then to Walmart for the things I couldn't find at Sam's or didn't need to buy in bulk... and finally Hannaford's for the items I refuse to buy at Walmart... After putting everything away... I began baking... made 5 pumpkin rolls... tried to make 6, but the last one wasn't fully cooked and I didn't realize it until I was trying to tip it out of the pan... but 5 is a great start... We will use one this weekend... I will send 1 home with Dad and Betty... will take one to work, and will keep the other two in the freezer to take to upcoming parties... The other thing I worked on today was the turkey... none of us really eat the dark meat so we have taken to buying the breasts... two would be enough for this weekend's gathering, but I want some leftovers, so I bought three... today I cooked one in the crockpot and have a second cooking now... my plan is to cook and slice them... then freeze the meat until Friday... and then it will be ready to put in the oven Saturday morning... I also wanted to get the onion dip I want to make made, but by the time I was done with everything my back was killing me.  Mixing things can be hard on my back because of the low counters... So instead of making the dip, I relaxed...
It will be fun to have the family here... hoping that I will get a chance to clean a bit more before they get here... which reminds me.. I am thinking about a housekeeper...
I hate that much of my free time is spent cleaning... and feel that I do everything myself... and I want some help... I recently downgraded my cable package... saving $80 per month... which may cover the cost of a housekeeper... I need to call and find out about rates... but I already know a woman who does it, so that should be a step in the right direction.. I also asked a couple of the other female administrators with whom I work about housekeepers... they smiled and said they of course have someone come in to clean... that they can't imagine not having someone... I feel a little guilty... because I feel like I can do it... but... I would rather spend my time doing other things... and I deserve to do something to make my life easier...
Another step to making life easier is... I get a key tomorrow to the exercise room at my school.  I am going to be able to use it to work out!  Sweet!
I am ready to get in shape, to take time each day to do something for myself... and if I have a housekeeper... I can spend more time doing those kinds of things!
Another thing that happened this weekend was I said See ya Later Alligator to a man I had been seeing for a couple of months.  He is a nice person... but clearly not ready for a relationship that involves open communication.  He has a lot on his plate and while I am happy to help and support people as they deal with some things.. I need someone who knows where he is, what he wants, and isn't 'stuck' when it comes to his past.  It was nice having someone to spend time with, a good reminder of the need to put myself out there to meet new people... and also a good reminder that if I choose to not be alone I can find someone to be with... and... sometimes, it is better to be alone!   Then, as it works out... today, as I was running errands, ran into a guy I used to know... we had gone out a couple of times... until I learned that he was married... (he had led me to believe he was not married...)  Once I learned of his marriage we stopped seeing each other... so today he sees me... and asks how I have been...tells me how good it was to see me.. .and as I was getting ready to leave (in my truck) he asks if he still has my number.  I told him I didn't know if he did... and he asked if I had his... I said no... he asked if we could exchange numbers again and I asked if he was married... he hesitated... and I said I knew that meant yes (Of course, knowing he was dishonest before I would not have gone out with him again.) He asked if we were enemies and I said no.  He then said if we were not enemies we were friends... I told him that wasn't true either... that I am not friends with a man who wants to date other women when he has a wife... he again asked about my number and I told him if it would make him feel better to give me his number, he could, but that I wouldn't use it... ever.  He accepted that and finally walked away.  Really?  Then there is a man I went out on one date with this summer... when I abruptly ended that date because I didn't like the way it was going... he kept calling me... and I told him not to... he finally gave up, until last week... and he has called a few times... asking for another chance... It is nice, to know I have choices... and empowering, I suppose, to know I am choosing to be single vs. putting up with such shenanigans!
Total random transition into the holiday season... I need to start shopping  for people... I don't know what to get for people... but for the first year in many I have some things I want ... a great set of sheets... I am done with sheets from Target... or Walmart... I want quality sheets... I am going to save up to buy myself an air conditioner... just for my bedroom... this summer it was HOT and HUMID and my room gets the sun... a suitcase... I also have decided I want to travel more... and the duffle bag is not cutting it... I also, since cutting way back on my cable... would like to get netflix or something comparable like amazon's membership where you can watch tv shows and movies... and eventually I want a smart tv... so I can watch the interned on my television...
I guess that's all for now... hadn't written in a while... there are many kid stories, but feel like I need to keep them to myself for now... I really should write them down somewhere and write a book at some point... in my free time!