Kage Baker was always acutely aware that only one of us could drive. She was also always worried that I insisted on a stick shift, which most of our friends and all our family could not drive. She felt it was an unneeded affectation, and rather short-sighted of me.
I prefer to think it is my innate coolness, but … She may have been right. I have no backup driver, and have just discovered I cannot drive today. I have been benched by shortness of breath and some impudent left arm pain … so I am staying home.
On the other hand, since I made this uncharacteristically sensible decision, we’ve discovered that Mikey had forgotten to pack his dress shirts ( which would have caused hysteria at 6 AM tomorrow) and Kimberly had forgotten to pay the property tax (which would have blown up at midnight). Neither of these would have been found out in time if I had not taken to my bed like the old crone I am increasingly becoming.
So I can still function as a bad example, I guess.
I shall receive reports of the goings on in the Cow Palace, and disseminate them here tomorrow. Gonna go eat high explosives now.
Kathleen, Kage and the Company 
Glad you are taking care of you.
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While generally, observation and experience have led me to believe that sensible decisions are often over rated, In this case I applaud your superb judgement. Rest well.
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Driving stick is insanely cooler than automatic. I’m with you on that one. Hope you are feeling better. Take care of yourself!
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“insanely cool …” Yup, that’s me.
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I finally decided that I am no longer obliged to be quite that cool. I’ve proved I can drive a stick. I have felt the road under me. I got seriously tired of having a car slide back a foot down a hill to go forward 2 inches while waiting through three lights to get on the freeway. The panic that created every single time finally became insupportable. So when I finally had to buy a car again, I bought an automatic. I’ve seldom been so happy to make a sensible decision. Maybe one day, you will too. 🙂 It could happen.
Glad your decided to stay home. The universe sometimes has a strange way of making its needs known!
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Good thing there are 2 tins of dark-chocolate peppermint bark in the luggage – 1 for the Parlour and 1 for you to have at home. Look for a special delivery early next week.
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Kate! Shortness of breath and left arm pain? Didn’t you have a heart attack a few years ago? I wish you would call your doctor if you haven’t already.
Love,
Your nagging Aunt Medrith (I’m everybody else’s, may as well be yours too)
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Medrith: don’t worry. I am being an Involved and Careful Patient.
Officially, I’ve had four MI’s – but just little ones. What I do have, though, are absurdly narrow arteries – no plaque, just narrow blood vessels. To counteract this, I also have four platinum stents in my cardiac arteries. They work fine. My doctor’s current theory is that they are pressing on a nerve somewhat, causing the arm pain. It is complicated by my being slightly dextro-cardiac – my heart is more over to the right of my chest than most people’s.
Time for the loathly stress test again!
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Thank you for taking care of yourself, for setting my mind at ease, and for your patience with my nosiness!
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