Weekend Plans Squashed

With Mrs Skoot in the hospital it was not known when she would be able to come home.  First they told us Thursday, then it got changed to Sunday or Monday and then a couple of days ago they mentioned perhaps Saturday.  So how was I to know when to expect her to be released.  I had been neglecting my chores, well not really but between leaving work, going to visit her in the hospital, then having to grab something fast to eat it made for a long day and getting home too late to cut the grass

 So I got the bright idea to insure my Corvette and then take it in for service on Friday for a transmission flush and new transmission filter.  It was something that I should have done last year but after it got vandalized it sat at the repair shop for a month waiting for a new top to be installed.

The pan seal was getting old and I need a new gasket which is included with the flush which I needed done anyway.  It was replaced with synthetic transmission oil and they also checked out my transmission which passed with flying colours.   It even seemed to drive smoother on my way home.  Now I don't have to look at all those pink droplets in my driveway

Transmissions on these Corvettes are at the rear and forms part of the transaxle.  It is connected to the engine in the front by a driveshaft then connects to the torque converter.  There is no way to replace the fluid, and there is no dipstick to check the level and my gasket has been leaking for some time (a few years).  It was just something that I never got around to having done.  It is not something that you want to do yourself because of all the mess it would make when all your transmission fluid gushes to the ground

I arrived home and decided to cut my lawn so I could keep my weekend free of chores.   The grass was so thick and long and my lawn mower struggled and chocked on all the damp grass.  The engine did not have enough power to stay running and I had to restart it many times and I think I flooded it when I turned it upside down to clear out the grass build up.   But I eventually got it going again and finished it up

I think cleaning up took just as long as the cutting.  It takes a lot of soap and water to clean up all these

grass stains, but it feels so good walking on my new lush lawn

Richard was giving me a bit of grief as I was going to fast food hamburger joints instead of more refined eateries which we have lots of in Vancouver so I felt a bit guilty as I struggled to figure out where to go.  I eventually ended up at Safeway when I decided to just make something at home

So here we are with some carmelized onions, a couple of hamburger patties and a whole sliced tomato.  I'm still loving our fairly new gas stove

Here we are, my dinner nearly done and topped off with a pile of ketchup.   It's basically a hamburger devoid of the bun

Being in a sort of Single Mode I thought that I would lower the top and cruise the finer areas of our downtown area to see how the younger half live.   It's been a while since I had cruised Robson Street, which I was going to do later in the day.   The rain was forecast to arrive in the evening so when I got up on in the morning all set for a day out on my 'Vette,  it was slightly drizzling so I left the car at home

and headed down to Steveston for breakfast "with the guys" .  I was really intending on driving my 'Vette but instead had to take my Honda commuter car

I turned on my Satellite Radio to keep me company on the 30 minute drive.    It's a 5 speed manual shift and I feel much more control with the clutch petal as you can better feel the "mesh" point, rather than if you wore shoes with thick soles.  I love driving barefoot or with thin soled sandals

Well, as it turned out, Mrs Skoot got released from the Hospital so I went to pick her up.  It is difficult for her to walk far so we decided to get car service

(grand daughter sitting in the back seat)

We didn't want to stress her hip/leg too much for the first few weeks.  We ended up at White Spot on Broadway where they have Car Hop service.   This chain is an institution in Vancouver with lots of history and known for their famous Triple-O Hamburger sauce.  (Yes Richard, but I didn't order one)

In the olden days you used to turn on your headlights for car service.   I had my lights on but no one came to take our order.   Then I noticed that they now ask you to turn on your 4 way flashers "for service".  I imagine that with day time running lights being mandatory in Canada it wouldn't be obvious who wanted service or not

The pretty car hops come to your vehicle and take your food order

Eventually your order is ready and it is placed on a car tray to be brought to your car

Here is our order being "delivered"

Mrs Skoot has the legendary hamburger combo, which includes fries, coleslaw and a beverage.  I ordered their famous clubhouse sandwich but without the middle slice of bread, fries and a coke

It is actually very tasty.   We sit in our own car and have our meal.   When finished you turn on your 4-way flashers and the car hop comes back to take your tray away

Well, I didn't get to drive my 'Vette today but Mrs Skoot is home . . .

Fast forward to Sunday Morning . . .

Me: "what do you want for breakfast ?"

MS (Mrs Skoot):  "Oats, toast, yogurt, poached eggs, milk, hot water . . ."    I was thinking Boy, she must be feeling much better.  Her appetite is back, she hadn't been eating much until now

Here we are.  Who says Men can't multi-task.  I have oats boiling on one burner and poached eggs coming up and the kettle is on

Today I am making the eggs, freestyle in nearly boiling water, with a dash of oil to keep the eggs together

while all that is going on I get out the Lemon yogurt.   Multi-tasking doesn't seem so hard contrary to what any female would tell you

In no time I have the poached eggs plated . Mrs Skoot likes to have her yokes unbroken

She must be enjoying the "Life of Riley"  issuing commands to get this and that, and what can I do except to comply like a trained monkey.  It's not like she can do much anyway until she gets her strength back

Because today is Mother's Day, our family came over for a late brunch of BBQ chicken and Kraft dinner for  the Grandchildren and then a selection of french bakery delicacies

I usually head straight for the cream puffs and of course there was a chocolate cake with lots of left over for later tonight

You can see that I had a nice day of running around . . .   Hope you also had a good Mother's Day with your family too