Automotive fracas

I took my car to the auto body shop this morning, meeting with the insurance company's adjuster and the rental car guy.  I just got a call from the adjustor, telling me the cost to fix what seemed like minimal damage will be $1600.  I'll only pay $50, which is grand.  Airbag sensor wire was sheared, bumper damaged, door dented, resonator busted (do I know what that is?), mud guard damaged and a bunch of other stuff.  So now I'm driving a Ford Fusion with heated seats BUT NO REMOTE STARTER.  And no pets allowed, although "Casey" from Enterprise winked at me.  He knew I had dogs because I was an hour late to meet him because my stooped dogs ran away this morning.  I fussed and fretted, called to say I'd be late for my appointment, finally decided I'd leave them loose and return home during the day to let them in (yeah, right, that would only take 1 1/2 hours).  Lo and behold they were at Jim & Pat's, eating the garbage on the ground (Pat feeds a neighborhood cat, and, it turns out, neighborhood dogs).  Yikes--how did they get so far from home?  They had to cross the hardtop to get there, which gives me the willies to think of.  So now their wings are clipped and they don't get to go out without me.  Although I did chase them when they ran off this morning, but I had bare feet and it was icy and I thought they'd be home soon.  wrong.

Other than that bad behavior the dogs are just fine.  They sure are sweet and good company.

Last night I dreamed what is my version of an anxiety dream: I was in college, though I already had my degree--was just back for the hell of it, I guess.  Anyway, I have this dream from time to time and I'm always behind in my work, have missed most of the classes, am not ready for exams, haven't written the papers, don't know where the classes are, etc.  My college roommate often shows up in these dreams--she was very competitive and was on academic scholarship so was obsessed with grades.  Also, she's been dead for about 35 years.  Anyway, there she was in my dream.  Isn't dreaming about dead people fun?  I often dream about my brother, and he's always just fine, happy and doing well.  So there I was in college, trying not to care because none of it mattered, but getting fussed about it anyway.  And I overslept, then the dogs ran off, and I was late for everything and it turned out to be a very sucky morning.  There's ice everywhere--what Ken called "just like a bottle."  Luckily Donny sanded my driveway in December, and the snow has melted down to the sanded layer, so I can get up & down the hill to the house.

I had a quiet weekend.  It seemed strange to have no obligations or chores besides going to the dump.  On Sat. my only human contacts were a phone call to my mother and a long chat with Dump Man.  That's fine with me, I get enough social contact during the week at work.  Sunday I went to P&J's, had a nice visit with Bill, and did very little else all day.  This weekend we have 3 days off.  What in the world will I do?  Heaven forbid I do something constructive.  I should put together a budget to see just exactly what shape my finances are in, and to be prepared for filing taxes.  Yes, it's almost time to do that again.  Yikes.  Lots of good cheer today because it's the 15th of January and all agree the month is going by quickly.  YAY!  February's next, then the dreaded March, then it's smooth sailing into spring.  Oh we're obsessed with calendars and weather here.