A clean weekend

The Ravens fell short getting to the AFC Championship, but I'm still impressed by their season overall. I was rather more annoyed that San Diego didn't manage to bump off New England, but I'm considerably more distant from that particular content. The Colts, though, are not a positive image. Suckage was evident.

Suzanne was down this weekend, and among other things, she bought me my Christmas gift (we got a very powerful floor cleaner) and I gave her her last Christmas gift (a one-cup personal coffeemaker). We also cleaned a bunch of stuff, cleaned up some branches in the yard, and blew up a cat litter box.

It was fun.

On Saturday, I put new rear brakes in her car. The rear pads were down to bare metal and the rotors showed a lot of ancient wear. The noise was quite apparent when one nailed the brakes. 35 minutes later, the job was done -- both sides -- and it was stopping smoothly again. Total cost, $86, plus having Suzanne buy me dinner at Outback. It all works out, since the job would probably have cost $300 at the dealer, and her "dealer" is now out of business anyway.

Serves them right for way overcharging her for replacing manifold gaskets on that car last year.

We did have a good time talking the other night, as well. Just... talking. We do have a certain ease of conversation on a lot of topics that isn't something we seem to have sought out, it's just sort of there. The fact that she still likes my house after watching (and helping) me clean it is more evidence she's likely to be around a while.