Memorial Day

Rain fell every day last week. Nuria and I stayed home and watched old movies and TV shows. We also ate popcorn, which we usually do when watching TV.  

Friday morning came and the rain left, so I went to the garage to get my Jeep out and go to the pharmacy to pick up medicine I had ordered. When I turned the ignition key, there was dead silence. The battery was completely dead. I didn't know it at the time, but the "dome light" switch had been left on. By me, on Tuesday night. And there are five dome lights in my Jeep: two for the front seats, two for the rear seats, and one for the cargo bay. They drained the Jeep's seven year old battery down to zero. The battery is already two years past the life of its warranty. I paid $130 for the battery seven years ago, but it was a warranty replacement due to the battery exploding (read about it here), so there was a discount. I think the full price was in the $150 to $170 range. A new battery, same brand and type, is now $200, with a three year warranty: inflation on the price, deflation on the warranty.

I pulled out my old battery charger (more of a trickle than a real charger) and left it on the battery overnight and the next morning the motor cranked like it had a new battery. I drove to the pharmacy for meds and groceries.

Later Sunday, Nuria decided that my car should be washed. So I got out the car-washing tools and a lawn chair, and I lit up a cigar and leaned back in my chair while Nuria washed my car. Now and then I'd remove the cigar from my lips, point to a spot on my car, and yell, "You missed a spot!" 

Just kidding! (I don't smoke. I used to, until the incident at the gunpowder factory.) I got out the vacuum cleaner and cleaned the Jeep's floor carpet, after which Nuria took the vacuum cleaner and cleaned it again. Then she got a bucket of soapy water and washed the outside of the car. But I didn't stand by doing nothing. I stood by with the water hose and rinsed the soap off the Jeep. Rinsing is hard work and I worked up a sweat. 

So today it's Monday and it's also Memorial Day, the day dedicated to remembering our fallen war heroes. From 1868 to 1970, Memorial Day was observed on May 30. But then it was changed to the last Monday in May. Which, this year, is May 30. 

I need to mow my yard, but it's bright and sunny and hot. Tomorrow will be hotter: 95°F. And Wednesday will also be 95°. Thursday and Friday will be a little cooler but with a chance of thunderstorms. Maybe I can get some mowing done late this afternoon. I wonder if Nuria would be interested in learning how to operate a lawn tractor. She did pretty well at washing the Jeep and parking it back in the garage. And then making dinner: tossed green salad, stuffed scallops, and sweet potato. I think she's ready to upgrade to tractor driver.