If not for a cheap, cantankerous and seldom-used chain saw, the work would've gone much faster.
Note to self: This is stupid. Either fix the damned thing, or bite the bullet and get a real one.
* * *
Last I checked, the price of crude oil has dropped over four dollars a barrel today, falling below $97 for the first time since early this year.
Nationally, the price of gas is headed in the opposite direction, today up to $3.84 a gallon for regular -- considerably lower than July's all-time high of $4.35, but up from $3.76 a month ago and $2.79 a year ago.
Around here, most stations are charging right at $4.00.
Note to self: Travel lighter, and ride the motorcycle more often.
* * *
After the feds declined to repeat the mistakes they've made in bailing out Bear Stearns, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, investment bank Lehman Brothers has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
Also this morning, Bank of America announced that it plans to buy Merrill Lynch, the nation's largest investment house, for the fire-sale price of $50 billion.
Right now, for what it's worth these days, the Dow is down 295 points. (Edit: The index closed the day down 504, the biggest point loss since 2001.)
We can stop using words like "tumultuous" and "rocky" to describe the state of our economy. This is a crisis, and well outside our experience.
I suspect it's just begun.
Note to self: Conserve and prepare.
* * *
Here's a text message my wife received this morning from a dear friend in Houston:
No power. Have water. Low on ice. God sent us some a/c. I'm grateful!Note to self: Count your blessings.
