piglet okay, van questionable

It's hot here, and the guinea pig I'm taking care of is up in a remodeled attic, full of nooks and crannies and not much circulation, very stuffy. Not good for a critter that evolved in the Andes. But there are window ACs in both kids' rooms, which are at right angles to each other, so I turned them on high and dragged the stand down to the hallway by the bedroom doors, and put the cage on top of it. The ACs ran 24 hours, and it was *so* much more comfortable up there tonight. I noticed that he'd consumed a lot less water. I've been giving him things out of the fridge--little pieces of watermelon (with rind), a couple of grapes--yesterday it was a baby carrot and some baby spinach leaves. Today I left him some more spinach and a piece of apple. He was quite thrilled about the apple and started munching it while I was still there. I turned the ACs off, to give them a rest, but I'll turn them back on when I go back tomorrow--24 hours on, 24 off. He should be okay. The cat watches everything with great interest, and every once in a while stands up to peek into the cage. The piglet seems unfazed; I suppose he's used to it and realized by now that the cat can't get to him.

The Illinois state legislature is adding to my stress level, sitting around down there in Springfield bickering instead of passing a budget, which was supposed to have been finished in May. They passed an emergency budget for July, but have decided not to do it for August, so those of us who get paid like next Friday have started biting our nails--and of course schools, social services, etc., are all stuck because they can't budget until the legislature gets off their fannies and stops playing games and passes a freaking budget.

Esp. since I wasn't quite sure I was going to get back to work after lunch today--the van did NOT want to shift into gear. I got out onto the side street and had all kinds of problems with it, so I finally put it into reverse, backed up about 50 feet, then shifted back into drive, and so the little old lady got back to work that afternoon.

But I was thoroughly scared, and after I got back to the office I started making phone calls--the bank--yes, I can probably afford this maroon van--my friend who volunteered her husband to come look at it, the service station I want to look at it. I've sent an e-mail to the dealer to see if we can go look at it Monday afternoon (yes, 3:30, and the blue van is still available as well). If my friend's husband okays either of them, I'm going to see if I can bring it back overnight (it's in a little town about 15 miles from where I live) to take to the service station Tuesday morning, and if they okay it, then I'll go talk to the bank.

Meanwhile, I hope the van will keep going another week. Then I guess I'll have to locate a scrap dealer.

I also have to find out how to get my CD player out of the old van and put into the new one, unless the blue one has a CD player; the maroon one doesn't.

*sigh* I don't want to do this. I don't like that van. But I've been searching for months, and it's the only thing that meets my minimum requirements (sorta) that I can afford and don't have to drive two hours to look at.

But this is a good time to do it--both my license plates and parking tag need updating by the end of the month; might as well put them on a new vehicle. And since it's a van, I can keep my vanity plates: GSD VAN 2 So if Dean and the service station give it a go, I guess I'd just better make up my mind to like it.


Taenzer: How do I get that ball out of there?

Timber: I'll help!

Timber: Yup, it's in there.

Taenzer: Maybe this will work.

Taenzer: Still in there


Timber: It's awful hot. I think I'll just lie here and chew on my jolly ball, 'kay?

Taenzer: GOT IT!!