Joe’s Auto vacations on Wednesday flight to timbuktu
“As usual, the Americans are blaming it on a ‘blast of cold Canadian air’,” says the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting System.)
Actually, they’ve come up with a new scapegoat - something called a Polar Vortex. And, although the cold and snow is parked in the Middle and Eastern parts of the country, we are not immune here in Santa Barbara. There is a 20% chance of widely scattered drizzle on Monday.
Although I’m somewhat (semi)-retired, I seem to be just as busy as I was before. The difference? Now I’m not getting paid to be busy.
“And,” Nazy interrupts, “Now you like what you’re doing.”
“Yes dear,” I replied, as I put another pot into the soapy sink.
It is certainly true that we’ve been very busy. In response, Nazy decided to simplify things by scheduling every major event this week on Wednesday.
“Dan!” Nazy interrupts. Again.
The basic problem began when Nazy made some commitments before consulting her calendar.
“Dan! That is not..”
The fundamental issue, of course, was actually that Nazy neglected to add some commitments to her calendar. I believe that the whole thing …
“.. makes it clear, Nazy, that you didn’t internalize what we learned in Switzerland.”
“What?”
“Everybody in Switzerland had an up-to-date and accurate agenda. You had one. Now you’ve abandoned that discipline. You’re forgetting everything we learned. You’re..”
The reason, of course, is irrelevant. Initially, Nazy scheduled a visit to the hair dresser and a Santa Barbara Newcomers event. Then a friend invited her to a birthday party that conflicted with the newcomers. While she was mulling this over, Nazy received an eMail reminding her of a dental appointment. I was preparing the baby to visit Melika when we received an SMS asking for a delay. (Melika was stuck in a Board meeting.) But.
“She has invited us to see John Cleese at the Grenada,” I noted. “Tonight.”
“Tonight?”
“Right. Birthday dinner 5:00PM - 7:00PM, Newcomers 6:00PM - 8:00PM, John Cleese 7:00PM -9:00PM. I see a problem.”
“You go to Newcomers early, Dan. Bring the food I cooked.”
“Ah ha! That certainly simplifies things.”
We stopped at Melika’s office, but she couldn’t escape. I drove Nazy to the dentist. I drove the baby to the Nanny. I collected Nazy and dropped her off at the hair dresser. I drove home - stopping to get gas. I put the newcomers food in the car and drove to the hairdressers to pick up Nazy. From there I drove directly to the birthday party…
“Directly, Dan?” Nazy asks.
It would have been directly if I hadn't missed the exit while I was listening to Nazy complain that I had been late. I dropped Nazy at the birthday venue and drove on to Montecito where I delivered the food. I stayed for a short time, then left to get Nazy. The idea was to bring her back to make an appearance in Montecito before we dashed back to the theatre. Traffic conditions scuttled that plan. As we got back on the highway…
“I wish I was a photon; then I could be in two places at the same time.” I thought quantum mechanically. “Remind me buy more lease miles.” I said.
In fact, speaking of a (new) car: Nazy really likes clean car floors and this car has optional red and black floor mats. I sent an email to the dealership to order mats. The response:
“You have to pay in advance.”
“You are putting me on!” I exclaimed. “I just got a new car worth ten’$ of thou$and$ and you want payment in advance for a floor mat? You are acting like you’re a subsidiary of Bob’s Repo.”
Normally at this point, I include, in italics, my thoughts. Since there are younger readers, I cannot recount actual thoughts. Suffice it to say that they involved… No, I can’t even do that.
Meanwhile, Melika’s SUV (replacement for her Porsche) arrived. “I feel like I’m driving a comfortable sofa, Dad,” Mel explained after docking in the driveway.
“That’s understandable,” I replied. “Your car the same size as a living room. Grab the mooring line. I assume the car performs with the dexterity of a beached blue whale.”
“Dad! It handles fine.” Melika replied. “It handles like a fold-out bed.” Melika thought.
As we rested up from Wednesday, Nazy began thinking about vacation season.
“I know, Nazy.” I replied. “I’d like to go see Alaska. Or Australia and New Zealand. Or Machu Picchu in Peru We haven’t been to Indonesia. I’m told that East Africa is spectacular. I want visit new places.”
“We should go to Lebanon.”
“We’ve been to Lebanon.”
“I want to see Darius.”
“We have Skype. And he’s coming to see us at Christmas.”
“I want to meet his friends.”
“His friends? Or his friend?”
“You are being obtuse.”
“Actually, I’m being (a)cute, my dear. If we go to Lebanon, can we stop at someplace new on the way?”
“Where?”
“If Darius was making the itinerary, we’d have 13 hours in Libya (on the way) and 9 hours in Addis Abba on the the way back.”
“That’s why you are not going to ask Darius to schedule our trip.”
“Can we stop in South Dakota? I haven’t seen Mt. Rushmore,” I said. “And Timbuktu sounds interesting,” I thought.
“I’ll handle the routing myself,” Nazy replied. “You have too much in common with your son,” she thought.
Last week, I went to an Oxygen Tango planning meeting in Los Angeles. When Mitra and Stefan started the school, I was concerned that the business part would prevent them from enjoying the dancing part. Now it is exciting to see that they’ve both become very interested in business issues. Moreover, they’ve attracted a good group of dedicated and talented helpers. The planning reminds me of HP account planning. I even suggested that we have forecast meetings.
Last week’s letter click here
