You call this a vacation day?

Today I took my final vacation day of the year. (Use 'em or lose 'em) As with most of my days off, this was a utilitarian one. My car was due for its 60,000 mile service. When such things come up, I take it to the dealership because I figure those guys see Ford's all day, every day and they know them better than a regular mechanic. It costs more, but I still believe that you get what you pay for.

Now, I sit and await the phone call with the final tally of the bill, which will surely be no less than $400.

It is on these days when I realize why single people don't live as long as married people. The dealer is 3 miles down the road, literally a straight line from "Disgraceland," and generally, the walk home does me good. Today, however ... a below zero wind chill made the walk more of a trudge. Bundled-up as I was, the wind (17mph with gusts to 40) cut through me like a knife. Sadly, the vagaries of the bus schedule left me between runs, so I figured if I was going to wait a half hour for the bus I may as well be walking. You soft, married people would have your spouse to cart your ass around, and as such, live a bit longer for the effort, or so they say.

Fortunately, there is a nice diner on the way where I stopped for breakfast and a mid-walk warm-up. Seeing as how the winter chill (it's winter now) was taking a few hours off my life, I figured, why not compound the effect with a nice Western Omelet and some potatoes?

Those hours are the lousy ones anyway, at the end, when I'll already be infirm or in a wheelchair from a horrible disfiguring incident while walking on the highway.