Decisions, decisions

You didn't think I'd let that three-mile walk on Thursday suffice, did you?  Friday at 4:30, I left the office in my T-shirt and shorts, and went to the trail.  I walked two hours.  Then this morning, with Banks, I walked 1:45, and I figure I'm back up to speed. 

I spent a disheartening couple of hours today worrying myself to death over my car.  It's nine years old, and I love it -- it's one of the earliest Priuses -- and I've always bragged that "I never have to do anything to it except change the oil!"  Which is mostly true, but time is catching up with me.  A couple of days ago I had the heart-stopping sensation of feeling it start to die when I was caught in stop-and-go traffic.  Oh My God, I thought!  That's exactly what happened a few years ago when I had to replace the (small) battery.  But then I looked at the little plastic reminder at the top left of my windshield.  Yikes.  I'm supposed to have the oil changed every 5,000 miles, and it's been almost 8,000.  For eight years, I've never fallen behind on regular oild changes, but since starting my walk and my blog, this is the second time I've forgotten about it.  For months.  I think I'm beginning to understand what people mean when they tell me they simply could never find the time to walk five miles every day.  Yes you could, I insist.  If I can find the time, anyone can find the time.  But I also think it takes a lot of mental energy; I focus so much on doing it, figuring out when to do it, and what I"m going to write about, that I guess other things just fall by the wayside.  Like routine car maintenance.

So the mechanic handed me the sad news that on top of the $30-ish for the oil change, I need $800 worth of two new tires, struts (what are struts?), an alignment.....help me, Jesus.  I'm at that place where we all get eventually with our cars:  Do you pour significant amounts of money into it, or cut your losses and get a new one?  I'm still mulling that one over.  I'm going to wait til after Thanksgiving to make any final decisions.

A cold front is moving in even as I write, and I can't wait to do my walk tomorrow.  It's going to be a quiet night with just me, Banks and the book we've chosen for Book Club:  A Terrible Splender.