Life Is Such A Sweet Insanity.

Driving home to work today, I noticed a traffic jam building ahead at a busy intersection. Thinking there was an accident, I rolled my eyes slightly at the thought of all the clueless drivers who had to slow down to see if there was a disembodied head or something. But I was wrong. They were all trying to get into the gas station that still offered gas at the staggering low price of $2.99 a gallon.

This busy intersection has three gas stations strategically placed. One of the gas stations is a full service deal, complete with car wash. They’re gas was $2.99 a gallon. The second is a recent addition to the existing dairy/convenience store that has stood there for years. They’re gas was $2.99 a gallon.

The third gas station is another matter.

When I first moved here it was your standard Mobil Convenience Mart type setup. They had the cheapest gas in town and I loved them. But then Mobil decided to move out of the area for the most part and sold all the area stations to this blasted convenience store called, well, it’s really close to rhyming with “Asshat”. If you thought FAST, you would be on the right TRAC. Said gas station franchise has sprung up like a red and black zit throughout Upstate N.Y., complete with a cheap swill for gasoline.

They have the nerve to be charging, get this, $3.29 a gallon. That would be Three Dollars and twenty-nine cents a gallon for the low grade, make your engine knock cocktail.

The bastards.

I was quite pleased to see that the local residents have come to their senses and are ignoring that station (for the most part) and forming gas lines for the other two that offering a better product for a lower price. “Asshat” has gone out of its way to keep prices high in this area. Since they have the most locations around here, they think they set a trend. But even if the others buck the trend for only 12 or 18 hours, I’m still pleased. It’s putting them in their place.

When I left for work this morning gas was $2.63 a gallon. The same gas station jacks the price to $3.29 a gallon within 10 hours? Ludicrous.

I realize that there are issues affecting gasoline supply and whatnot. But this really borders on price gouging.

I’m riding my bike to work on Friday to protest.

Earl and I have a four-foot above ground pool in the backyard. It was one of the items that attracted to us to the house back in December 2003, because after all, anyone who is anyone swims in December in Upstate New York.

What fools are we.

As I sit in the kitchen today and look out at the pool, I note that it is a lovely emerald green. It doesn’t quite match the grass in hue, but it’s working on it. I wonder if it’ll change color with the leaves.

Actually, it’s not like we’re harboring a swamp back there. The pool water is clear, but the sides and the bottom of the pool are green. It began its journey to green during our trip to Indianapolis a week or two ago, after being filled with beautifully clear, chlorinated goodness for three quarters of the summer. I hate to admit this, but I’m thinking of stopping at Wal*Mart (Always White Trash, Always) to see if they have any pool supplies left amongst the Halloween candy, winter coats and Christmas lights they are currently featuring. I’ll probably end up at the pool supply store, which features wood stoves as well. Maybe I can fill the pool with wood fire pellets.

A couple of days ago I entertained the idea of dumping all the household Chlorox into the pool and seeing what kind of stew that would make, but then I heard someone say on the radio “Do you do your laundry in the pool?” Now that’s silly. I don’t even wear any clothes in the pool, why would I wash them there?