The Monday That Isn't

Well, here it is- Monday morning and I'm sitting on the couch in fleece pants. enjoying some Brandi Carlile (who I had the privilege of seeing at the Kent Stage on Saturday. Incredible, by the way.) with Cat 2, writing.

"If you're going to sit on my couch, the least you can
do is give me your full attention."

Since I've been awake I've already accomplished more than I expected.  I made my husband breakfast (last time I did that was in 2008, I think), I cleaned up the kitchen, and there's a load of laundry in the washer.  I'm feeling pretty good about this whole retirement thing.

Later, I'm going to take the Varsity to the store and get the dinner stuff (I haven't decided what that is yet).  Also, I'll be cleaning the first floor in the hopes of getting the house presentable for the movers and Realtors who will be coming next week to give their assessments.

Before all of that though, I'll be riding the trainer.  Once again, its cold and pouring rain.  The Revenio and I do not want to start our lives together in the cold soaking rain on a Monday morning.  Drivers are cranky on Mondays.  I don't want to wash it right after the first ride either.  The rest of the week, however, is supposed to be gorgeous.  We'll go outside tomorrow.

Anyway, I had a realization this morning which has become quite the puzzle.  We are selling our Kia on Friday.  One of my former co-workers is in need of a reliable car, we are need of getting rid of one, and there's no need for us to have two cars now that I'm not working.  There's one tiny hiccup, however.  I need my Jeep to get down to the Valley to ride.  I know, I know.  If I was hardcore I'd just ride down to the Valley from my house.  The fact is though, folks, I'm not hardcore, at least not yet.  Getting down to the Valley is a piece of cake, getting up out of it is another story for this flabby, out of shape chick.  It's a deep Valley, OK?  I'm perfectly comfortable admitting I need to drive down to the Valley for the time being.

That will be a bit tricky now that we will be a one car house.  There are two options.  One, I take my husband to work and keep the Jeep for bike hauling or, two, I get up super early and ride on West Market Street or wherever in Akron before the traffic gets heavy.  If I go with option two, my husband won't be tied to the office and thus will be free to head to appointments, run errands after work, or meet his coworkers at lunch.  However, that means I will have to get up earlier than I did when I was working,  I'm sure you're thinking, "Oh sweet justice!"  If I go with option one, I can ride when its a little warmer and the sun is out in the beautiful Valley.  However, I will still need to get up early to take the Mr. to work.  But, those are the options.  I imagine I will end up going with switch between the two depending on what the rest of the day will entail.  But, rest assured when it's raining, I will be on the trainer.

That's the type of thing you need to deal with in a one car house.  Despite my griping, I'm actually looking forward to the challenge.  Before, I always had the car to fall back on if the trip was complicated or if the weather was less than stellar or I had a large load to haul.  Now that the car is not an option, I will have to get creative.  Plus, those situations that required a car are no longer in my life (aka. meetings, large object hauling, working in Cuyahoga Falls on Tuesdays and Fridays).  It should be pretty doable.  Anyway, I better get used to it since I won't have a car in Luxembourg either.

See?  Retirement isn't all daytime television and eating Bon Bons on the couch.  Well, its time to start that ride to no where!

It's even pretty on the trainer.  Cat 1 (lurking underneath) feels his status as
"best looking thing in the house" is being threatened.