Just some things

Another post on some things going on in my life:

--We're finally getting some cooler weather. Still no rain, but the cooler weather is nice. I can feel Fall approaching. About time too since we've passed the "start" of the season. I decorated for Fall/Halloween last Sunday, so that was fun. Not that I have many decorations, but it was fun nonetheless. I love this time of year!

--I read in a gardening book that vegetable gardens benefit from wood ashes, so I sprinkled the ashes left over from the fire pit (from the 30th bday party) around the plants today. I'm not expecting much (especially since we're getting cooler temperatures) but it was still neat to use something that otherwise would just sit there. At first I was thinking that the ashes help the fertility of the soil, but after I read more, I deduced that it helps keep pests away.

--My car is still in the shop. And not because it's not fixed, but because there's no gas. Anywhere! Apparently when I filled my car up with a mere 5 gallons of gas last Tuesday (because the pumps were so slow) I was putting contaminated gas into my car. The owner of the place has agreed to pay the bill ($340) thank goodness. And like I said, the car's fixed, but now I have the problem of finding gas to put back in it. I thought it was due to Hurricane Ike, but from what I heard on the news today, it has nothing to do with that. The way I understand it, the tankers in Spartanburg (where we get our gas) are only being filled half-way. The NC officials (not sure who that is) have called the gas companies (BP, Exxon, etc) to figure out why this is happening, but they either don't tell them or they don't answer their calls.

The solution to my problem (kind of): the guys at the auto shop siphoned off the little gas that was left from my tank (I guess the water and junk settles out of the gas) and put it back in my tank. So I have enough gas to get home or straight to a station. I've decided to just drive it home & either put the gas I have for my mower in it or just wait until this whole gas shortage thing rolls over. I'm not real concerned about my car being out of commission because my boyfriend is gone this week so I can drive his car if necessary. Also, I got my bike fixed today (another story) so I can ride it to campus. Come to think of it, I kind of like this situation. Maybe folks will actually start to carpool, ride the bus, ride their bikes, or whatever else they can come up with.

--My bike. I'm a novice...and it shows. I broke the tire valve while trying to pump up the tire. :oP So not only was I out a car, but I was also out my alternate transportation. But let's look at the bright side: the guy at the bike shop taught me how to do it correctly, I met a guy at the store that's a member of the WCU bike club and he invited me to join them, and I perused a shop next door (they sell used library and donated books there) where I found a book in the series my boyfriend is reading. It looks like it hasn't even been read & I got it for $3.00.

--I'll leave on a funny note: 2 redneck (sorry) white boys just rang my doorbell selling steaks and seafood out of the freezer in the back of their pickup. Um, sorry guys, but I think I'll pass. :o)