Single digit thinking – this is what I call it when the temperatures drop to freezing and below. It’s hard then, to keep track of my thoughts. Physically and mentally, I begin moving in slow motion. This begins when I head out the door in the early morning and then come back in, in the late afternoon. It does not matter how I’m dressed; the cold just seems to find its way into the nook and crannies of my brain, and remains there.

What? Me exaggerate? Never. This really is what it is, no cliché intended.

We are good around here at keeping ourselves amused, as is indicated by the following example. The Suzuki Swift, my

No more Swift

former ride, has not been taken off the property since last September, when I had my fender bender. We’d been meaning to take it to the Butte junkyard but hadn’t gotten around to it. This was more my doing than Pete’s. If I can put off going places, I will. I’d much rather ride a horse than drive a car.

A few days ago, Pete decided that, rather than take the Suzuki to the junkyard, to instead advertise it on Craig’s List. I did not see his posting. What shoppers saw was the words Free Car. Pete did not give out our phone number but if he had, the phone would have been ringing off the hook. Pete also would by now have easily gotten a hundred text messages. He’s instead had all interested individuals respond via email.

One woman’s response, that this vehicle was the answer to her prayers, got me thinking. I suggested to Pete that he ask the respondents to tell him their story; I’d then compile them and write an essay. I mean, this is writerly fodder. All I could surmise is that there are a lot of people out there who are in such financial straits that they will gladly take and drive a vehicle that’s nearly on its lips.

It then occurred to Pete and me, near simultaneously, that we could put up a second ad and say that the Swift will be awarded to the person with the best hard luck story. Being lazy sorts, we did not follow through with this. Far better, we have since reasoned, to put our energies into getting rid of the dang thing. Otherwise, we’ll have to continue to pay insurance on it.

This morning a fellow from Sutton came and took a look at the Suzuki. I knew immediately, when he lifted the hood and peered at the engine, that it was going to be a no go. I was right. He later in the day decided that the vehicle would not be suitable for what he wanted to do with it, which was in the summer, commute from Sutton to Anchorage.

Right now, as I am writing this, we are waiting for a fellow named Leopold to appear. It’s nearly 8 p.m. and dark. I told Pete that the poor fellow is in for a rude awakening since he either thinks the vehicle is in a heated garage, or at the very least, is illuminated by motion detector lights. In all fairness to him, Pete should have said to bring along a headlight. This, after all, is the way we get things at night done around here.

Oh well. I have this feeling that we’ll eventually have to take the Suzuki to the junkyard. But for now, the giveaway goings on are a source of much-needed fun and amusement.

Next: 334. 12/5/20: Dog and Pony Show/Pony and Dog Show