Nothing like a five-hour errand (that should have been an hour, tops) to tire you out

One of the few bad things about my new work schedule is that it makes it difficult to do errands. I can either get up very early (which is always iffy for me, although I'm up doing laundry right now), and run errands on the bus before work and hope I get back in time, or I can do it afterwards, when the buses run hourly. Last night I needed two items from two different stores to take to a friend, install one of the items, and come back. That was it. In order to accomplish it, I:

• Got off work at 7 pm.
  
• Waited for the bus until 7:30.
  
• Went to the grocery.
  
• Walked to another store.
  
• Waited a half-hour for the bus going into town (8:50). Note three different people jaywalked across Richmond Road while I waited on the bench. I could have crossed and gotten the bus going out, enjoying a little more air conditioning. I planted my butt on the bench instead and went nowhere near traffic. I can learn. :)
  
• By this time it was dark. I took another bus to my friend's arriving about 9:40.
  
• Delivered the items.
  
• Installed the one item.
  
• Left to catch the last bus out at 10:30.
  
• Transferred to my bus and left the station at 11:20.
  
• Arrived at my bus stop at 11:40.
  
• Walked home, arriving at midnight.
  

See what I mean?

And the Richmond Road bus runs hourly on Saturday, so I can't run them easily before work, either. If I'd driven, I'd have made my purchases within 20 minutes, driven 10 minutes to the friend's house, installed the one item, and could have either been back within a short time or stayed and had supper and visited.

So things I owe are most important with the new salary, but a close second is saving for a car. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad we have public transportation, and during the day, when it's running every half-hour, it's not too bad. But at night it can be a pain. Not to mention you're more exposed to the elements and to possible muggers.

But one nice thing was as I was walking from one store to another, this big butterfly landed within a foot of me and actually stayed long enough for me to snap this picture. I would have missed that, driving. :)