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I am totally, inexorably, categorically, indubitably, unabashedly wiped out. Not quite as tired as I was on moving day last month, but…holy cow. And it’s only the middle of the day. A nap is in the cards in a few minutes time.

The second annual Car Care Saturday was held this morning in the church parking lot. A group of guys I meet with on a weekly basis and myself get together to provide free oil changes for folks in the church and hopefully the greater area. I had sign-up tables in the church lobby the past two weeks so folks could tell me what kind of car they had (so I could buy the proper filter) and what, if any, additional service they would like. We listened for noises, gave recommendations, and tracked down little niggling problems too. Jer and one of his friends spearheaded the carwash operation on the other side of the parking lot, and most of the cars we worked on headed over there afterward.

We changed the oil in about 10 cars, I’d say. The help we had was invaluable–guys who knew what they were doing and who I’d trust to change the oil in my own car (wouldn’t say that about all the car guys I know). And it was a lot of fun, just like last year…but yeah. I’m going to sleep well tonight.

We had the ceremonial oil jar with us again this year. It’s a glass jar about two feet tall and 10 inches in diameter, narrowing towards the top with an old rusty lid. It showed up mysteriously last year for the first Car Care Saturday, and Paul Bonner took it home with him. It holds a heck of a lot of oil, so I was glad to have it.

I took all the old oil afterward to an auto parts store to dispose of it. They referred me just down the street to a gas station with a two-bay (read: small) service center. I drove up, hopped out, and walked in to the customer service area to ask where their oil tank was. They asked me how much oil I had and were initially surprised when I told them about ten gallons…until I explained the situation. They referred me around back and one of the guys said he’d show me where the oil tank was. I drove around back and got the oil jar out of the back of the car. Walking up to the oil tank, the exchange went something like this:

Him: *thick Southern drawl* “What is that? Is that like an old milk jar? I could keep my pennies in there! How much you want for it?”
Me: “Uhh… I didn’t really buy it, so I don’t have any attachment to it. How much will you give me for it?”
Him: “How much you want?”
Me: “I dunno. How about $15?”
Him: “I’ll give you $10 for it.”
Me: “Sounds good.”
Him: “Awright! I’ll have someplace to keep my pennies!”

So that solved the problem of disposing of both the old oil and the nasty old jar.

* * * * * *

Went looking at houses in Winston-Salem yesterday. We looked at three: two around the area of the college I’ll be attending, and one further north, nearer to Wake Forest. Great houses–the realtor picked some good ones–and the prices on them really are a fraction of what they’d be here in Chapel Hill, Cary or Raleigh. My dad was looking at houses for David for school about a year ago, and for roughly equal square footage in Raleigh, the prices were about twice as high for houses in worse condition than the ones we viewed in W-S.

1st house: This house appealed to the artsy side of me. Built in 1910 but in really good shape inside, it had a kitchen annex recently added on to the back side of the house, which just happens to be the part of the house in the best shape–the floors are a little rough elsewhere (hardwood). But the ceilings are high, the front porch is large and it definitely has an old Southern feel to it. One of the rooms appears for all the world to be a parlor. That’s the only thing I’d call it at least. Big front porch and extensive back yard. Unfortunately, as mentioned the floors are in need of a little reconditioning. That’s no big deal, but the bathroom upstairs that services two rooms has only a free-standing bathtub, and no stand-up showerhead. That would be a deterrent to potential roommates, I think. But all in all a charmer.

2nd house: The most likely possibility at this point. Ranch-style in a very quiet little neighborhood that looks to be full of older retired couples. Case in point–the house’s previous occupants are an older couple who moved back down to South Carolina to be closer to their family. The husband actually went to PBC (the college I’ll be attending), was a pastor for a number of years, and still has strong ties to many in the administration back there. Evidently he’d be very happy to sell the house to someone who would be going to school there, and could possibly facilitate the process of looking for roommates too. The house definitely smells like old people and the kitchen would need a little work (ancient appliances and cupboard handles) but the location is perfect and it’s got enough room.

3rd house: Gorgeous yard, but the location isn’t too great. The lot is almost half an acre, with a semi-circular driveway and a dogwood grove in the front yard. The back yard slopes down away from the house and consists of a grassy field surrounded by willows. Quite idyllic, but most likely a lot of work to maintain… The house itself is in great condition, if a little smaller than the other two houses, and it’s nearer to Wake Forest, which is all fine and good for roommates, but I’ll be commuting 45 minutes down I40 to Mocksville most every day to the aviation compound, and the house is already a good distance from the highway.