6/6/12 - wednesday

6/6/12 - Wednesday

I've got so much to do today. Rent payments for here were due to be paid by yesterday. That means I have to prep a deposit, make out 3 day notices and do a lot of other paperwork. I've also got to pack for a sleepover with my grandkids and figure out what I'm giving my grandson for his third birthday.

I figure I'll just work down my to-do lost from most urgent to least. I'd love to leave early and take the alternate route down to Avalon. It would be nice to spend some time on the beach! I doubt if it's possible today, but I'm still going to try.

I'm really proud of myself that I'm doing all my business reports this morning. In the past, I might have put off some of them for a few days. I think this whole experience of riding the bus and doing things differently is somehow teaching me to do things as soon as they can be done, rather than the latest they can be done. I hope that's true anyway. I'm seeing more and more how the things that I've put off or set aside are weighing me down.

Ak! It's 11:00! I need to leave in a half hour! I'm not packed for tonight at all! I still have a couple of reports to do. I'm going to have to put them off until I get back. I got the most important ones done though! Putting them all in the mail now!

I feel like I'm missing something. I've packed everything for tonight I had on my list. I even found a little led light toy for Logan. Glad I keep some things around for presents! I need to fill my water containers and get out of here!

My phone's ringing. It's one of my tenants. I answer it. I don't have time for this. He's got a computer problem. There's a pop-up window he can't get rid of. I'm trying to be polite, and help him, and get off the phone at the same time. I got him out of that window, but it went into another. I finally tell him I have to hang up or I'll miss my bus. Saying goodbye can take forever when you need to be somewhere else!

I'm off the phone and rushing out the door. It has to be really close on if I'll make the 128 or have to do the trek to the 460 stop on my own.

What I learned from the last time the 128 passed me is that I think you need to get to the same side of the street as the bus stop as early as you can. The bus isn't likely to notice you trying to wave it down if you are on the other side of the street. Once I get to alondra I cross the street. I don't like taking the time, but I think it's better.

There's the bus! It's coming! I'm not quite to the stop yet. Do I stop here and wave it down and have it not stop or go for the bus stop and have it possibly not stop because with the scooter, bus drivers don't recognize me as rushing to the bus? I decide to head as fast as I can to the bus stop. 

I'm here... Right as the bus is passing. How depressing. I missed it. I'm waving for it, just in case. The bus driver must have seen me! The bus is pulling over up ahead! Yay!

At the stop for the 460 now. Taking a few moments to put on sunscreen and drink water. You know, I've just realized I wouldn't have had to fill all of the water containers for travel. One or two would have been fine for the trip and since I've got bottled water at Avalon I could have refilled them there. That would have meant less weight to carry. I'll have to remember that. Now that I'm here I'm also rethinking catching the 128 bus to catch the 460. It is nice, special to be able to get on a bus near my home and not have the mile plus to the bus stop. On the other hand, today is a lovely, sunny day and I've proved that I can leave at the same time, scooter to the 460 stop and still make it (though without much leeway.). I guess it needs to be about how I want to spend that time. Do I want to have less scooter transit and spend the extra time here at the bus stop or spend the time getting sun and exercise? I hadn't thought about having a choice this morning. I just knew I had to catch the 128. Hopefully from now on I'll realize I have a choice and make the right one for the day.

At Avalon, trying to finish everything up so I can leave. Putting together the deposits. I even found a Mylar balloon that says "party" and filled it with helium. I feel better now, bringing two things for Logan. I'm afraid I overfilled the balloon, but it seems to be ok. Hopefully that means it will stay up longer. The kids like playing with balloons.

Oh no. A tenant's calling! I need to talk to her, I left her a phone message earlier in the day. I need to leave too. I answer the phone. We're done with the conversation and get cut off. I'm happy for the end of the conversation. I need to get to the bus stop! Ouch! She's calling back. It feels rude not to answer. We just talked so she knows I'm near my phone. I answer. She just wanted to make sure we were finished with the conversation.

Finally! I'm on the way to the bus stop. Thank goodness it's right here!

Ok. That's just frustrating! I got to the bus stop right as the bus passed! I tried waving, no good. What do I do now?! I know there's an alternate route I can take, but I think it gets me thee a half hour later. I can wait for the next one of this bus too.. That gets me there 44 minutes later. On a normal day I'd just acknowledge I missed the bus and grab another one... But today's Logan's birthday and they're having a party for him at 7. I need to be there!

I've never asked for a ride because of a missed bus, but I decide to go back to Avalon and see if any of my tenants are out. If some could give me a ride, I could just get a ride to somewhere in front of the bus and then get on the bus. Dara's friend is here, he's been working on her car. I ask him if he could give me a ride. He says there isn't room because he's taking Dara somewhere. I'm trying to think of what to do, and trying to look up bus routes, when they start clearing out his car to give me a ride. How nice is that?!

I told them the idea of just taking me somewhere in front of the bus and dropping me off. We're following the bus route down xxx. I've got google maps up on my phone with the bus route showing on it so i can know when we should turn But, we've been going this way a long time and haven't found the bus. I think he's frustrated at having come so far. There it is, up ahead! It's right before the turn. We decide to cut over to the street it's going to, then they'll drop me off at the first stop after the street the bus comes up.

It worked! I'm on the bus, Mylar balloon and all! I will be there in time for Logan's birthday! I'm relieved, grateful and thrilled!

Dang! Riding the scooter to their house with the Mylar balloon trailing behind me, it hit up against something and popped! I didn't know Mylar balloons could pop! Maybe it was because it was overfilled. Oh well! At least I'll make it there!