Day full of bad ideas

The day started off innocently enough, but didn't take long to start looking like a a series of bad ideas waiting to happen.

They began with digging the car out from under a couple inches of ice. I broke two ice scrapers and didn't even get the job finished so had to make due. That was... unpleasant.

Then there was the (usually short) trip to the optometrist over what can only be called terrible roads. I made appointments for the kids and I on a holiday so there would be no school absences. Usually an okay idea, but today not so much. Even the highways were in ridiculously poor shape. Where the heck are the plows? I mean, where I grew up, it was about more than sprinkling some salt or sand on the road. You must also plow or things get worse. And worse it got. Almost no asphalt was visible anywhere. The ice is so thick and hard on some roads that you get a serious washboard effect at even slow speeds.

The optometrist visit was not too eventful save two issues. One, I forgot my pre-filled paperwork -- I HATE filling out doctor office paperwork, so I ask for extra copies, scan them in, fill them out electronically and bring in the pre-filled papers... except for today, since I forgot the papers I typed up last night -- so I had to fill out bunches of paperwork by hand... bleh.

Then there was the dilation (thanks to my nice but not-quite-thinking-ahead optometrist). Normally you can tough this one out. But throw in fresh, white snow/ice on a crystal clear sunny day, and even the darkest sunglasses are no match for the glare. So, I was driving down the street WITHOUT MY GLASSES ON, so that I could wear sunglasses, which didn't help much, so my eyes were squinting more than they naturally do, making EVERYTHING very blurry, all the while I was slipping around on the ice, hoping to God I didn't get in a wreck in those circumstances.

So what was the rush? Another appointment. Not long after the eye doctor's visit I had a car maintenance appointment. And how about the timing? This very morning my check engine light went on. Well, it sure seemed fortuitous at first, but now I wonder. A few minutes ago I was told my thermostat is out and with (mostly) labor costs we're talking $533 for this repair. Ugh. Just weeks after Christmas, a week before Darby's birthday party, and the last time I was here, I spent $300+ on a water pump replacement, also mostly labor. Dammit.

Needless to say, I'm sulking right now. Not. Happy. Hopefully I won't have to update this thing with more bad ideas later.


Update: You see! The powers that be decide to skimp on the road clearing and now what? Schools closed tomorrow, to the angst of parents everywhere. There has been no new precipitation since Sunday, and 48 hours later they cannot hold classes because of poor road conditions... I'm sorry, but we simply must do better than that.

On the way back from car maintenance I did see a plow. ONE. PLOW.


Update: Yet ANOTHER snow day tomorrow purely because of poor roads. Unacceptable.