Sir

A day of busyness. Went to replace tires early, two hours door out to door in. With our credit card cash back, which came in the form of eight $25 cards, the repair place throwing in the alignment because the offer we were quoted a month ago had changed, and a small but meaningful rebate, it came out to well under half of the initial price. As soon as I drove the car, I could tell. Which gave me retroactive alarm at the state of the old tires.

Counter guy dealt with the eight cards, although the first time through, he'd missed a step and they weren't reading properly, and I had to do it again. He was apologetic, but so was I, and appreciative. For $200. I'll give out a lot of patience. The alignment gratis I only found out about as I started to pay, I'd not asked for it before. We got a deal.

There is a change in me, and I think about it mostly in this kind of exchange. I put energy into being calm and pleasant with those who have to deal with the public, to counter the entitled and unreasonable. I try to be easy, unfussy, grateful. So, when I have to hand the poor guy eight gift cards, have no idea what my tire size is, and I'm lucky to remember the year on my car, I try to compensate. Best when I actually have time, as this morning, but even when there is a hurry, behaving as if there is sufficient time lets them think, and in the end makes the process go faster. Things take as long as they take.

I stopped for groceries, and the two open lanes were long. But another line opened, the cashier called to the older (than me) woman with a cart-full in front of me. But she called out, "Miss, Miss!" Older woman didn't even look, so I said, "Ma'am, there's an open lane." THAT she heard. I followed behind her, wondering if I would answer to Miss, and decided I would just look around me for whatever miss they were calling for. I'm definitely a ma'am. Mostly because in the military, officers are sir and ma'am, never miss. When I got my degree, although far away from army days, that was when I would have become a ma'am in that organization - as an officer. Since then, I love being called ma'am. Means I'm in charge, being listened to, my orders followed. Reality is a bit different, but I do like being heard.

Miss is never listened to.

Not that most titles are used anyway, anymore. Nor do I care. A generic, polite "hey you" in public, however, is sometimes needed. Sir and Ma'am'll do.

Duck!

We took a walk. It's a lovely day.

Iced (Photos)

I finally went to see the ice on the Fenway, having only seen the park in the dark for the last month. Wednesday evening, I slogged home through the 4-6" deep puddles of slush, avoiding it by taking the bus, then staying home, since.

Not exaggerating to call it an ice rink. The path was churned half ice, half ice water and grit. Safer, more solid at least, to the side. The 'snow' covered, as if by a tough plastic coat of ice, any foot prints would have been from Wednesday, since my full weight made no impression. More water means more free water for the ducks, at least. Compare.