Rain! - 2/27/12

Monday - 2/27/12

The big debate last night, and even early this morning was:  should I take the truck down to Costa Mesa today?

The Pros:
*  It's going to rain today and by using the truck there would be no getting to and from bus stops in the rain or standing in the rain waiting for a bus.
*  I have the truck right here, ready and waiting.
*  I could take my laptop down with me and work on things in between yoga and work.
*  I could sleep later.  I leave at 3:25 to catch the bus to Costa Mesa.  If I'm driving, I don't need to leave until 6am.  Both get me to the Yoga Center at the same time.

The Cons:
*  The truck uses a lot of gas and is expensive to operate.
*  Coming home, I would be driving someone else's big truck in the rain in rush hour traffic


I was so undecided last night that I set my ipod alarm for this morning and told myself I could decide by how I felt about waking up.  I woke up easily at 3:15am and was still debating!  I don't like being wet and cold.  I don't want to do that.  It would help if I'd been able to find my really wonderful rain hat.  I still have no clue of where it is.

Well, this is silly!  I've just bonked myself in the face with a CB radio!  I had it in a box of things waiting to be sold on eBay.  The box was sitting on a closet shelf.  I pulled it down to see if my hat had somehow wound up inside it and totally forgot there was anything hard and heavy in it.  The CB fell out, right onto my face.  I have a gash below my cheek and above my lip.  It's little, but it hurts and it's bleeding a lot!  I'm now walking around, tearing things out of everywhere, looking for my hat, while holding an ice pack on my face.

I finally used the rule I created the other day (if it isn't absolutely necessary and it's misplaced, leave it!)  I'm gathering up my rain pants and rain jacket, rolling them up to attach to my backpack (it's not raining yet and they are hot to wear), putting on my boots and heading out.  I guess I've decided to take the bus.  I may have taken too much time searching for my hat.  I comfort myself that if I miss the bus, then I could come back and take the truck down.  Heck, I'd even have extra time to look for my hat.

I really want to make the bus.  I hope I haven't missed it.  I think it's becoming a matter of pride that I ride the bus (save the gas money) as often as I can.  My fellow bus-waiter isn't at the stop.  I think I'm on time though.  His car must finally be repaired.  He hasn't been here for a while now.

The bus came in just a few minutes!  I was just barely on time, but on time is what matters!
Riding on the bus I'm listening to quiet, morning music and working on my blog.
We pass an area where it's raining.  I'm wondering if I should have worn my rain gear rather than packed it. We're soon out of the rain though.

The morning is cold, and a little gray, but no rain yet.  Yoga class was great!  I went to the chiropractor and now, since it isn't raining yet, I'm heading off on my scooter to the library to pick up a book I have on hold. I've realized that I was so focused on getting rain gear together this morning that I forgot my wallet at home. Fortunately, I brought lunch with me and don't need the wallet, except to buy the groceries I was going to pick up.  I guess those will wait for a different day!

I'm fortunate!  The librarian let's me check out the book with just a piece of mail as proof that I am who I am.  While I'm at the library I sit and use their computer for an hour.  I don't need to use their computer, I could have gone on to Avalon, but I wanted to check out options and see what doing each thing is like.  This really isn't bad.  It's warm and comfortable here, they have a bathroom, etc..  I can even listen to my music while I'm working, as long as I'm using earphones.

When I sat down to use the computer there was no line.  Now, when I'm done, it looks like there are several people waiting.  So, the ease of using library computers may depend on the time of day you want to use one.

I was going to sit at the park behind the library to eat my lunch, but it got a lot colder and grayer while I was in the library.  I check out the park anyway, so I know what it's like.  They have all the picnic tables gathered together in one area, instead of having them spread out.  I don't like that, but the kids play set looks good.  I may bring my grand-kids here sometime.

The road I take to go back toward work ends up letting me out right next to Mother's market.  That would be very awesome...  if I hadn't left my wallet at home.  Oh well, at least I know that for another time!  I check the nearby bus stop to see if a bus is coming by soon, that could take me the rest of the way to work.  It says the bus won't come for another 1/2 hour.  Using my scooter I would be there before that!

There is an older gentleman here, with a bread roll in one hand, rummaging through the trash with his other.  He left when I started searching through my backpack.  I found what I was looking for!  My backup $2!  I chase after him, give him the $2 and try to tell him about the nearby soup kitchen.  Unfortunately, I can't tell him exactly where it is, I just know it's over near the DMV.  I think I'm going to look it up later on Google maps and then write directions down on pieces of paper for future use.  You've got to help people when you can.

It started pouring after I got to Avalon.  I'm hoping it will let up, or heck, stop by the time it's time to go home.

It's almost time to leave and it's still raining.  I put all my rain gear on and grouse a little about the fact that I don't have my rain hat.  I'm sure the cloth hat and hood I have will get wet fairly quickly.

On the trip to the bus stop I'm not enjoying the rain at all.  Then, I remember that everything is a blessing and I thank God for the blessing and try to figure out how to enjoy the rain.  I think of how much I would have liked this...  riding a scooter around in the rain...  when I was a kid.  That did it!  Life is still good and this is cool!

Here at the bus stop, I'm the only one waiting for the bus.  That's a bad sign.  Normally there are several people here.  I could have missed it, I may have gone slower in the rain and it did take me a long time to get across the one street, as there was a steady stream of cars going past.  I hope I'm not going to have to sit (or stand since the seat is wet) here in the rain to wait for the next bus.  I text the OCTA and they say the bus is still coming.  I guess everyone else found other ways home.  Several people materialized about a minute before the bus came.  They must know other places to wait.

The bus doesn't have as many people on it as normal.  I thought it would have more with the rain, but the rain must keep people home.

I'm really loving my rain pants.  They are gore-tex and totally awesome.  My rain jacket seems to be working, but I think a gore-tex one would do better...  and well, we know that I'd like to find my rain hat.  ;-)

I wore my regular bus riding gloves today.  I have a pair of gore-tex ones, but they are thick, heavy winter gloves and I decided against wearing them.  After trying this out, I think I'll use those the next time it rains.  They are overkill, but will definitely keep my hands warm and dry!