by MustBTVDay fourteen of furlough. I woke at 0600 to the sweet sound of… nothing. No alarms, no barking, no digital mutiny. Just calm. Breakfast was a Yoplait Peach Yogurt — light, efficient, and vaguely healthy, which is a nice change of pace from my recent donut-based diet. Naturally, it was joined by a Starbucks coffee, because I refuse to face the world without it.
The biggest victory of the day: Ol’ Blue is back. After weeks of uncertainty, repairs, and financial negotiations with the Family CFO, the truck has returned to service — freshly tuned, smooth as silk, and running like it just rolled off the line. I took her for a victory lap around the neighborhood, windows down, coffee in hand, feeling like the king of suburban logistics. She purred all the way home. The shop may have my money, but I have my freedom back.
In other developments, the in-laws fly in today. The Living Room Republic is preparing for their arrival like it’s a state visit. Floors cleaned, guest quarters staged, and the pets thoroughly briefed. Mittens has been warned about his habit of walking across luggage. Tabby has been assigned to charm duty. Remington, as usual, will greet them with her trademark combination of joy and overzealous barking.
Curly and Moe have been placed on standby for media duties — both PCs now fully operational after last week’s ceasefire. Curly still loads a little slow in the mornings, but then again, so do I.
Morale check: high. Coffee strong, yogurt consumed, truck purring, and air travel inbound. The Living Room Republic stands ready to welcome visiting dignitaries — and maybe sneak in one more drive with Ol’ Blue before the day is through.
