As we are all concerned and cutting back on our activities as to conserve gas, I figured out something today. Jonathan cried for 2 hours today, and wouldnt take a nap. As we got in the beast and drove to baseball, he fell asleep, of course. I dropped the boys off, and in fear of waking the baby, I sat in the parking lot with the van running... and running...and running. Literally watching the gas gage lower, and lower. I can hear the cha-ching of money in head.
Filling up the van: Pricey
Baby screaming, but now sleeping in the econoline beast: Priceless.
Some things are worth paying for. I don't care how much it costs. The price of my sanity? Worth every stinkin penny.
Showing posts with label gas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gas. Show all posts
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Gas-o-rama
After you have read the post about our gas guzzlin econoline beast, I am now going to respond to a comment from Jim . (I was going to address this issue last night in my original post, but I was too tired)
Jim: So, on a pragmatic level, how does this curtail your daily choices? "Let's go out to X restaurant.""No, let's go to Y to eat ... it's 3.2 miles closer to home."What are you and yours deciding NOT to do based on the price of gas?
What restaurant should we go to Trent? Well, the Kelloggs Cafe sounds good. How about the General Mills Grill. I also heard that the Post Diner is fah-bulous. Who needs to go out to eat when there are endless cold cereal options at home? With gas prices so high, we rarely leave the house as a family to go anywhere. Thank heavens our church is literally around the corner. Netflix, and cereal, what more do you need?
A few years ago, we bought a bare bones honda civic that I drive around for my errands. Thank heavens we did that.
Here's a new solution. Trent is going to tele-commute one day a week from home. (he started today) That will save us one day of driving him to and from work. That should help a little bit.
So yes, we definitely decide whether or not it is worth it to rev up the ole van and go anywhere as a family. Most of the time we stay at home, and have family movie night. Good times...good times.
Trent use to ride the bus to work, which was a whoppin $21 bucks a month for a bus pass, but last September he was riding the bus, and the bus driver took a corner way too fast, and ended up knocking Trent over in his wheelchair. His neck landed on the seat next to him, so his 400 lb wheelchair, and 270 pound body were all balancing on his neck until they could pull over and get him back upright. That was a total nightmare! He was in so much pain for weeks. His neck is fused together and wire was wrapped around the bone (kindof like a twisty tie) to hold it together while it healed after he broke his neck in 1988. Well, in the x-rays it showed a piece of the twisty tie wire had broken off and is just hangin out in the neck tissue now. More dangerous to go in and surgically remove it, then to leave it there. He missed a month of work. So as good as the $21 dollars a month sounds right now, we can not chance that ever happening again. His wheelchair was "tied" down, but obviously not correctly. *sigh*. He is fine now, but it was quite the ordeal.
So there ya have it. The gas prices do dictate what we do and don't do these days. Has anyone else made any changes?
Jim: So, on a pragmatic level, how does this curtail your daily choices? "Let's go out to X restaurant.""No, let's go to Y to eat ... it's 3.2 miles closer to home."What are you and yours deciding NOT to do based on the price of gas?
What restaurant should we go to Trent? Well, the Kelloggs Cafe sounds good. How about the General Mills Grill. I also heard that the Post Diner is fah-bulous. Who needs to go out to eat when there are endless cold cereal options at home? With gas prices so high, we rarely leave the house as a family to go anywhere. Thank heavens our church is literally around the corner. Netflix, and cereal, what more do you need?
A few years ago, we bought a bare bones honda civic that I drive around for my errands. Thank heavens we did that.
Here's a new solution. Trent is going to tele-commute one day a week from home. (he started today) That will save us one day of driving him to and from work. That should help a little bit.
So yes, we definitely decide whether or not it is worth it to rev up the ole van and go anywhere as a family. Most of the time we stay at home, and have family movie night. Good times...good times.
Trent use to ride the bus to work, which was a whoppin $21 bucks a month for a bus pass, but last September he was riding the bus, and the bus driver took a corner way too fast, and ended up knocking Trent over in his wheelchair. His neck landed on the seat next to him, so his 400 lb wheelchair, and 270 pound body were all balancing on his neck until they could pull over and get him back upright. That was a total nightmare! He was in so much pain for weeks. His neck is fused together and wire was wrapped around the bone (kindof like a twisty tie) to hold it together while it healed after he broke his neck in 1988. Well, in the x-rays it showed a piece of the twisty tie wire had broken off and is just hangin out in the neck tissue now. More dangerous to go in and surgically remove it, then to leave it there. He missed a month of work. So as good as the $21 dollars a month sounds right now, we can not chance that ever happening again. His wheelchair was "tied" down, but obviously not correctly. *sigh*. He is fine now, but it was quite the ordeal.
So there ya have it. The gas prices do dictate what we do and don't do these days. Has anyone else made any changes?
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
I got gas
We own a 1997 Ford Econoline van. I know...I know. I feel like one hot mama when I drive this thing. I own the road when I am in this beast. It was quite comical when we lived in West LA while Trent was going to Law school. We were literally surrounded by BMW's, mercedes, lexus, rolls royce, you name it...they were everywhere. And right in the middle of all this, was our lucious Ford Econoline handicap Van. I can feel how jealous all of you are arent' you? It's tough being me sometimes. (heh heh). I remember being at a stop light in Beverly Hills, and I had a bunch of bugs on my windshield, and I did what any responsible human being would do. I turned on the wipers and squirted a bunch of wiper fluid. All of a sudden I hear all this vulgar language next to me, at least I am sure it was vulgar, because my window was up so it was muffled. I look next to me, and there is this guy in this gorgeous convertible BMW and I am literally soaking him with all my wiper fluid. It was kindof funny, at least to me. I hope it didn't ruin his leather seats and Armani suit. :)
Anyways...I bought some gas today...or should I say that I had to practically sell my first born son to afford some gas today. My card automatically shuts off at $100. That should be enough right? Not even close. It didn't even get it to 3/4 a tank. *sigh*. When the wind is at our back we get about 8 miles to the gallon. No more joy ridin around here that's for sure! Every 4 or so days when I have to go and fill up our van I have to do the thankful chant. "I am thankful that I have a van. Many people dont' even have that."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
