LaurenandLloyd.com

where our wasted time becomes your wasted time

car

I inconvenienced a deer

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Wednesday morning, right outside of Seward, by the parade of flags, I noticed a deer on the other side of the road headed away from me. I let up on the gas and then noticed the other deer on the shoulder moving toward me. I did two things next, and I think one of them was wrong. I slammed on the brakes and slammed on the horn both at the same time.

The second deer had time to get to my lane and then spent too much time wondering what I was honking about.

I hit the deer.

But not too hard.

I pulled off the road to check out the damage. I’d seen lots of cars that had hit deer and wasn’t looking forward to seeing the front of the car. But it was surprisingly mild.

I spent a lot of the rest of the drive in to Lincoln trying to put those 1 or 2 seconds in some sort of order in my mind. I think I was going about 50 mph when I saw the first dear. I think I had my foot off the gas for maybe half a second before I hit the brakes and maybe a half second of braking before I hit the deer at maybe 35-40 mph. It could have been slower. I don’t think I could have been going much faster with that little damage.

The deer didn’t go over the car or up on the windshield or anything. There was no blood. The deer walked away. I think it gave me a dirty look for honking.

For Science!

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My school is really good about letting me go to technology conferences (as long as it doesn’t cost any money). Last week I went to the Nebraska Technology Coordinators Fall Meeting and yesterday I went to the Nebraska 1:1 meeting.

They were both in Kearney, which is about 120 miles away. Last week I went in a van full of other technology coordinator type people, but yesterday I was traveling alone, so I did a little experiment. On the way out to Kearney, I took the interstate and on the way back I took highway. Here’s the data:

Start Time End Time Total Time Distance Avg. Speed Gas MPG Total Cost
Interstate 7:05am 8:45am 1:40 120 miles 72 mph 3.86 gal. 31 mpg $13.86
Highway 3:15pm 5:25pm 2:10 113 miles 52 mph 2.55 gal. 44 mpg $9.15

If those speeds seem low to you, it’s because it takes me a while to get up to speed. On the Interstate I was cruising along at about 80 mph, but the trip out has about 10 miles where the speed limit is between 35 and 60 mph. On the Highway, I was traveling at 62 mph,  but  the trip back has about 5 small towns where the speed limit dips down to 35-45 mph. There was also a little construction on the way back and I was just waiting around for a few minutes. I turned the car off.

So? Is it worth taking 30 minutes longer to save $4.71? That’s $9.42 per hour or $18,840 per year (which qualifies for food stamps for a family of 2 –they don’t count cats).

 

4.4 Icees per month

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I love Icees. They are the best thing to drink in the whole world. Lauren would like to put a soda fountain in the kitchen, but I say an Icee machine. She can always let the Icee melt. Lauren has come up with all sorts of reasons for me to have some number fewer than 4.4 Icees a month, and I have had to adapt. My first line of defense is to get them when she doesn’t know about it. So I always have an Icee on Bad Movie Night and when I fill up with gas. But when I fill up with gas I have to get one in a 32 once plastic cup, and Lauren can smell those a mile away (she thinks they end up in the Pacific Ocean, I point out that they are recyclable).

However, we have reached a detente of sorts. I can get Icees if I have a cup with me. So I always travel prepared. The cups are in the back seat. The straws are under the visor (in case you ever need one). I’m the only person who brings Wal*Mart cups into the Wal*Marts.

Hmmm, I seem to be running low.

Long, no spoon.

The cleanest car ever.

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Well, Lloyd wins the prize for Most Productive Saturday.  He spent seven hours cleaning the Honda, and you could perform surgery in there – it’s that clean.

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My day was less productive.  Lloyd helped me take the sticks to the burn pile, and we ran a few errands.  Back at home, I was getting the recycling rounded up and started a conversation with my neighbor.  As we talked, we heard a meowing.  Bob said, “Sharon heard that last night.  We don’t know where it’s coming from.”  Well, it was coming from the cat stuck up in their neighbor’s tree!  Poor thing – all night it had been up there!  I knocked – no answer, so with good intent I broke into their fenced yard and got the little thing out with a ladder.  (I’m just like a fireman!)  The sad part is that this barely-not-a-kitten-herself has recently given birth, because her lady bumps were pretty swollen. I spent the day trying to find her home (and her lost kittens), but no dice.  She followed me all around the block but no one knew where she was from.  She’s hanging out on our front stoop now, but she thinks Lloyd did a fine job with the car.

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Speaking of Dora

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Thanks to the mommies and sundry preschool personnel, I am given to understand that Dora’s schtick is using a map with the assistance of her damn dirty ape. Maps have been on my mind lately, too.

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Published… Again….

Milestone

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Just like a 15th anniversary, except not so much really.

Also happens to be my lucky number

That’s 24,074 miles a year (somewhat more in dog years).