Having a Good Day

The last couple days have been especially good, and I'm well-contented with life.

First, and most important, my daughter got back from her trip to China (with her dad & stepfamily) safe and sound. She stayed at my house last night, because there was stuff on her bed at her dad's house, where she officially lives, and she was too tired to move it. I don't mind at all.

I took my car to the shop yesterday for them to do the 120,000-mile service, check the wheel bearings, and do the smog check. As I suspected, the bearings on the driver's side were bad, so those were replaced. They said my tire treads are down to 4, with 2 being the legal minimum, and my brakes were each down to 30 (percent? mm? who knows?), and should be replaced when they get down to 20 or 25 (I'm working from memory). The service guy said the front (disc) brakes wear faster than the rear (drum) brakes, so I had them replace the front. I'll save the rear brakes and the tires for later.

The car passed the smog check, the total bill was much less than I was afraid it would be, and now my car is in good working order for the trip. And today I ordered the towbar stuff, which will be installed Wednesday, when I don't have class.

Tonight at class (last night of lecture before the final exam Tuesday, and last night of lab before the final lab exam Thursday--woo hoo!), the lady who is probably flunking and who I've been helping during lab nights gave me a present for being so nice to her. She's so sweet! She said it's just a little thing, a bracelet from Iran, where she's originally from, but it's beautiful.


And during tonight's lecture, the instructor announced that for about a dozen or so of the top students (so far), she had an invitation to be a TA for her Anatomy & Physiology labs in the future. I got one. I'm really excited, because I love to teach, even on an informal basis.

But the instructor issued a caveat: We could be uninvited if we tank on the final lab exam. So all the calculations I did, showing how badly I can do and still get an 'A' in the class were for nothing. I'll have to study after all (which I would have done anyway, but now I have to).

After class, I told the instructor that I was going to be gone on the road for a year, and before I even asked her a question, she said, "As soon as you get back, let me know." This is so cool!

And my daughter is still here. She's been playing the piano that I'm trying to sell, and I could listen to her play forever.

I'm telling you, life is good.