Thursday, May 19, 2022

Patience is a VIR-TUE!!!

I hear that phrase in my head constantly.  Anyone ever watch The Mummy?  Not the 1930's version, but the one with Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz.  It's one of my all time favorite movies.  I've probably seen it 20 times, which is why those words stuck to some portion of my brain.  Yesterday, it played like a broken record.

It's 70 degrees this morning.  YIKES!!!  There's no cool to be had.  This is not going to be a fun day since I refuse to turn on the air until June.  I may have to relent on that since it's predicted to be 95-100 for at least the next week.  With PG&E's increase in charges, my bill is now $250 with only the well and lights.  The same time last year it was $100.  People ask my why I go to Tucson in the summer.  It's because I can run my air conditioning 24-7 for $150 a month.  SO ---- I guess I'm going to have to tighten my belt even more!  

Patience prevailed however when the gardeners finally showed up after they missed their first appointment.  They dug this sprinkler out to find the pipe 18" below to be broken.  This might be part of my high electric bill problem, running out gallons of water and making the pump run longer.  Gosh I HATE SPRINKLERS!!!  I'm trying to figure out how to landscape the back yard with absolutely no grass at all.  


With that done, I was off to the quilt store for another piece of binding that is hiding somewhere I haven't looked.  But first ... my truck needs food.  Having checked out Gas Buddy, the cheapest diesel is right on the way.  

I don't usually stop in this town.  It's the parolee and murder capital of California.  I won't name the town, but ever since I learned to drive, I've known to stay out of this area.  For cheap-ER diesel fuel however, it's worth getting shot.  Yes, there's a lot of mayhem going on here.  

I pulled up to the pump keeping a sharp eye out, and walked inside.  I immediately looked to see where my escape route would be.  No kidding, you better know your surroundings around here.  


I plunked down my $200, ever watchful of the now five scroungy looking men standing behind me, and went back outside to the truck where I would have a better chance of survival.  As you can see, the pumps are rather trashed.  It says $5.899 a gallon.  Every other station within 30 miles is $6.25.  Anyone remember my fill up in California 18 months ago at $3.69?  Just say'n .........


You know how when you begin pumping you see the numbers rolling by real fast?  That was not the case. In fact, it pumped so slow I could count even the 100 numbers.  It took a full 30 minutes to get 33.9 gallons.  All the while PATIENCE IS A VIR-TUE ran through my head as I scanned the area for anyone with a gun or knife.  No kidding ..... this is not Kansas Toto.  


Whew!!!  I survived!!  At long last my tank was full (with a whopping savings of $15.50) and I was out of there like a shot.  It just might behoove me to pay a little extra for a safer location next time.  

Off I went to the quilt store.  Not only did I find the perfect binding, but looky here!!!!  Cowboy fabric ... extremely hard to find nowadays!  How could I resist?  I even had a $28 credit, making this purchase even sweeter!!  


AND I was able to pick up this little gizzy.  I have over 50 pieces that need their corners chopped off at a specific angle.  What a pain in the patooty that is.  This little gadget will make my life so much easier.


Since this is my second birthday month (it's a long story) I decided to stop in at Micky D's for a strawberry lemonade.  They don't have it any more.  In fact, their menu has become so streamlined they didn't have much of anything.  Okay then .... an Oreo McFlurry it is!!!


Home at last, I took a deep breath, having survived the "Shoot Out" Gas Station AND not getting a brain freeze by eating that ice cream too fast.  Time for dinner.  Remember those thin tortillas I purchased?  They are really great for everything but enchiladas.  They tasted wonderful as a quesadilla, but were so tough in this dish, I could barely cut them with a knife.  


Having met my patience quota for the day, I spent the evening on the couch with Cooper, watching murder mysteries.  Appropriate, yes???  No, concealed carry would not have helped at the gas station since I'm sure everyone else had a weapon, probably bigger than mine!!!


15 comments:

  1. Oh Nancy, just looking at the pump I wouldn't have stayed and definitely not for 30 minutes! I'd definitely pay a little more for a safer place. Prices are so ridiculous! I love the fabric! I have some of the same quilt squares I ordered about a year ago, but haven't done anything with them yet..Your enchiladas look amazing..just unroll and eat the insides! :)

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    1. Sometimes you have to live life on the edge! LOL

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  2. I agree with Shirley. Saving $15.50 isn't worth the risk!
    That fabric is perfect! Lucky you with that purchase.
    Those enchiladas do look yummy, sad that the tortillas didn't meet the standard.

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    1. I was pretty excited to find the fabric. It's hard to locate around here.

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  3. I was so happy to find that Walmart had Sunkist strawberry lemonade again this year. It's a good substitute to Sonic's lemonberry slush. Love that western quilt fabric.

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    1. Really? I'm going to Walmart. I love that stuff!!!

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    2. Their Cherry limeade soda is WAY too sweet but I love the strawberry lemonade.

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  4. Sounds to me that you were just south of Turlock...my first 'girl friend' was from that area, her daddy was in prison. Met her at a church camp, since I didn't drive at the time our friendship (which is what it was) did not last very long.

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  5. Yuck. That gas station looks like you would want to go home and shower! Cute fabric and the enchiladas look yummy. Elva

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    1. I have to admit it was pretty awful. The inside didn't look much better but I wasn't going to take any pictures!!!

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  6. Golly, we live in Calif and I am north of you from what I can tell, but I don’t
    know what town your talking about.... Merced?
    I don’t quilt but that fabric is perfect! We have horse too.
    Always enjoy your posts🤗

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    1. Further north than Merced, but south of Turlock. It's not a place you want to get stuck in. Thank you ... I do love western fabric!!!

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  7. Forgot, the above post re the bad town, is from Linda a.

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    1. No problem ..... there are actually TWO towns around here you don't want to be in at night! I'm not sure why, other than it's cheap housing.

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