From the Desk 5/3/2008

Today I was unable to sleep as late as I had planned, so rather than lie in bed hoping to fall back asleep I got up and ventured to the workout room. There I found a note on the door stating that the room would be open again on Monday morning, so I returned to the apartment and finished packing for my weekend in Knoxville. I got everything ready and then hit the road around 9:00 after I stopped to fill up on gas. (I was pleasantly surprised to find that the station I usually buy from had dropped in price to $3.55 per gallon) As I hit the road I saw the clouds looming overhead, threatening to drop rain at any moment. My prediction of rain was fulfilled not long after I began my journey and followed me all the way until Athens, TN. I stopped off in Sweewater for some breakfast at Sonic. After feeling more awake I rejoined the other drivers on I-75 and made my way to the joining of I-40.

It was just before this that I noticed that my check engine light had come on. It only figures that when one thing on my car is fixed (i.e. getting new tires this weekend) another thing would pop up. I drove to my parents' house and Dad advised me to take it to Advanced Auto Parts on Middlebrook Pike. They will read your car's computer read-out for the check engine light for free and then print out the diagnostic report for you to take with you. This info is especially helpful considering that most places charge a minimum of $80.00 to read the computer before they even try to fix the problem. They told me that my catalytic converter was performing below the optimal level. I will see if this light goes away from slug burning off of a sensor or if it continues to remain on for a week, I will have to get it checked out by a mechanic. After that I dropped my car off at National Tire & Battery (NTB) to get my new tires. Dad picked me up and we ran to church and then to Grandmother's to help put things away from her garage sale. After that we went back home and changed clothes for our celebration a little later in the evening. Mom and Dad dropped me off at NTB to pick up my car (which took 20 minutes due to the severe lack of sufficient staffing) and then we drove to Ye Olde Steakhouse to celebrate my grandparent's 60th wedding anniversary.

It was my parents, Amy and Jon, my grandparents, Aunt Donn and Uncle John from Florida, my cousin Clay and his wife Heather and their baby Laura, and my cousin Clint. The food was delicious and the company was enjoyable. I had the 10oz. Ribye with a baked potato. We also brought a red velvet cake for dessert. After eating enough to make me walk slower, I rode with Amy and Jon to the church parking lot where I left my car. I popped in the game room and gym briefly to say hi to the young marrieds class as I don't get to see them at basketball games or at church anymore. I returned to my parents' house briefly before Hickey picked me up and we went to the 10:10pm showing of Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

Meditation for the day: 2 Samuel 23:4 "he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings the grass from the earth."