Sometimes Things Impress Me.

First, I'm impressed that I have almost survived this eight-day stretch. I hope tomorrow goes well, because at six o'clock, I will be free from work for nearly two weeks. But for now, I am listening to "Escape" on the XM and relaxing before heading to bed.

The mail system has really impressed me. With all of the car drama on Friday, I didn't mention that I dropped car payment number five into the mail later that morning. Before I went into the shower tonight, I called Toyota to find that they received and posted my payment on the 17th. I dropped it in the mail on...the 16th. How it got to Illinois in one day just boggles my mind.

And then there was bowling. Last week, I was completely disillusioned with the whole bowling thing, but this week, things were different. Julie came with me, and (a) I bowled one of the best games in memory (the other two were just standard for me), and (b) Julie's presence loosened my tongue to the point that perhaps my teammates don't think I'm just some standoffish boulder of a person. Of course, I probably talked too much, but when don't I think I did something wrong? Like I have said, although Julie bugs the everloving snot out of me sometimes, she is not without her good points.

Hub asked me where I met her, and I told him that she was Cleo's wife. His response: "You mean he's not gay?!" My response (whispered into his ear) was "Allegedly." So yet another group can see through Closet Boy's facade, and Julie still doesn't have a clue.

Actually, she does. Julie is going out of town when I get back home, and I told Cleo we could have some "guy time." Her comment was to tell me to keep it in my pants. She knows.

I have eaten more that 1800 calories a day recently, but I would like to think it is less than 2500 a day for the past few days. I hope that I will get back on track. And as I have calculated, 2500 calories a day should be fine.

So I am about ready to head off to bed. Tomorrow is day eighty-two of walking, and I might have to walk in the evening on Thursday, unless I want to get up at five in the morning to walk before getting to the Toyota dealer. Let's deal with that on Thursday.

Eric Out.