What a whirlwind of a half-month this February has been. I’ve just today cleared my desk of a major clerical project which has kept me busy from early morning hours till late at night for the last several weeks, the creation of the hundred-page program for our regional youth performing arts festival, and all that is left now (of that particular project at least – others still loom) is the tidying up – the clearing away of pages of scribbled notes from my desk, no-longer-needed files from my computer desktop, and scads of red-flagged messages from my email inbox.
Every moment not typing, proof-reading or chasing down errant schedules and discipline directors has been spent up a ladder hammering, sanding or painting, as we are still very much in carpentry-home-renovation mode, though we did take a day or two away to do some highly enjoyable old-car shopping, dallying with the idea of acquiring an older Jaguar, and going so far as test-driving a not-very-well-kept mid-1980s XJ Sovereign. That was fun enough in its way, but we reminded ourselves that playing about with shabby ex-luxury cars is all well and good, what we really need is a new-to-us one-ton farm truck.
So we bought a Mercedes.
And not a relatively sensible newer Mercedes, or a jaunty coupe or convertible to join the several other vintage sports cars we cherish with quiet pride, but a getting-on-elderly – well, in car years – 1972 – decidedly sedate, 4-door W114-250/8 sedan, the same model used for several decades as a taxi throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East. It’s had a cosmetic facelift, but is completely stock under the shiny new paint – the engine compartment and interior tell the true tale. Though definitely mature, she purred along very nicely when we took her for a test drive, and her obvious good nature completely won us over. (And she wasn’t all that expensive, as these sorts of cars go. A bit of a deal, in fact. Or so we fervently hope!)
Meet Hanamori, a reference which Japanese manga-anime lovers will surely catch, though which I expect will bemuse the uninitiated. Living with a teenager and sharing a single video screen situated in our home’s common area leads to these sorts of odd cultural exposures. (Hint to those who might have an idea of what we’re talking about: Remember the Mercedes Benz otaku chauffeur in Princess Jellyfish? We thought any sort of good karma might help, and the jokingly proposed name seems to be sticking. Though PJ‘s particular Hanamori is very much masculine, the name itself is generally regarded as feminine in most contexts, with reference to flowers, so we will see how it suits in practice. We now need a small Clara as a mascot, to tuck into the glove box, being utterly averse as “serious” car people to things dangling from the rear-view mirror.)
Well, don’t get the wrong idea about my life, for it’s definitely not all beer and skittles around here, and the fates, deciding I was much too happily giddy gloating over my nice new-to-me toy, threw in a humbling twist.
Several days ago I took a tumble and pulled my hamstring, and have been in varying degrees of discomfort ever since. (On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the worst pain one can imagine, as the triage nurses in Emergency like to say, I have at times this week hit a solid 8. Honest truth. This relatively unserious but completely debilitating injury is painful.) I can’t properly walk, let alone drive or climb ladders, and sitting too long at my computer has been agony, though I did manage to prop myself up in a delicately balanced position which allowed the completion of the paperwork project.
Now that I’ve conquered that, I shall at last take my doctor’s sage advice, put my feet well up for at least part of each day, and settle down to some recreational reading while waiting for this thing to heal enough to allow a return to some sort of normal mobility. Which also means I may swap my computer for my daughter’s laptop, and pound out a few book reviews.
A silver lining to this personal cloud, in fact.
Next post, back to books.
Leaves & Pages 
I adore the car. My ex and I once bought an old Mercedes, which sadly started to cost too much for parts when it started to go wrong — I’ve always cherished the memory of driving it, and loving its beautiful interior. But so sorry to hear about the fall. Having had problems in the leg and hip department for over a year (though rarely in pain up to an 8) I absolutely sympathise. But the silver lining is that you do have to put your feet up and read, and nobody can think you’re shirking. Enjoy, and get well soon.
Lounged about and drowsed and read today – very nice but just a bit boring – of course because I have so much I want to do, and the “holiday” is not at all my own idea! Otherwise it would be heaven…
Mercedes parts are horribly costly, and that and the rarity of “parts car” ones of this vintage in our region may well be why we picked this one up so cheaply. But it is intact and in apparent good running order for its age, and my husband is master mechanic, so we’re going to see how involved we want to get with it once we drive it some more. Waiting for the snow to melt and the roads to get reliably decent before we can really put it through its paces. Very smooth to drive, lots of power, and generous room in the backseat & trunk – will be nice for book- and plant-hunting excursions! 😉
Feet up? Recreational reading? Oh, the hardship.
But ouch ouch to the pain. (I do hate it when they ask me that, which is mercifully not often; after all the “worst pain ever felt” is mercifully shrouded in mists of the past. The point being, it’s pain AT THIS PRESENT MOMENT and that’s what matters.)
Sorry, back to commenting…. Love the car, and love the colour. You will likely be the only robin’s egg blue car in the parking lot, or anywhere in BC.
Ha! Sorry ’bout that. Terrible hardship… well, not really! 😉
I always use childbirth as my #10 pain reference; female doctors & nurses generally share a chuckle as we discuss this scale; men vaguely smile.
Today it’s throbbing away in a persistent manner, and the bruising is astounding in its depth of colour – deep, dark purple, from the back of my knee right up to my hip, and extending halfway round my leg. Off to the doctor tomorrow for another consult. Luckily I have a chauffeur in residence, and hoping that the elevator at the medical clinic is in order because stairs might be a bit of an issue.
The car…the lovely car…yes, interesting colour! I wonder if the person who painted it had some leftover tins from a 1950s Chevy Bel Air restoration. 🙂 Stock colour is a very pale aqua blue – same colour as the hubcaps – and if we do keep the car on a long term basis we would definitely go back to that in the interests of originality.
Gorgeous car! – I have pressed ‘Like’ above, but, certainly, I can only like 1/2 of this post, and I really hope your hamstring improves as quickly as it can, so you can fully enjoy the first 1/2 of above. How ghastly.
Thanks for the kind wishes, Vicki. I am quite mobile now, a month later, but still getting some wicked twinges when I move wrong. Luckily kneeling is getting easier – I was rather worried, because spring is coming and I want to be able to get down and close to the first crocuses! Though as they are still covered with a good foot of snow, it might be a little while till that is an issue… But I can drive again if I’m careful – hope to be out on the road in the pretty blue car in another week or two – budgeting for new tires and insurance and then I’ll be ready to roll! 🙂