Last week I had "one of those days". You wonder why exactly God allows them to happen, it didn't seem that I learned anything from it...well maybe I did. Or maybe I avoided being someplace I shouldn't have been...see it went like this--
Last Friday morning, well actually Thursday afternoon, Hope reminded me that we were headed to her home-school supervisor's school so she could complete some tests. Even though she has her license she asked if I would ride with her since it was almost an hour's drive. Friday morning dawned and I was glad I consented to go with her, it was a rainy day--one of those days when you really don't like to send your newly-licensed driver down the road alone.
We took along her new GPS so we could test it. The GPS worked fine on the way to Kutztown, but on the way home it was dead and no amount of cord jiggling made that thing work.
On the way home I got a phone call from an unfamiliar number, so I figured it was another one of those election campaign people- I ignored the call.
We arrived home and I checked the answering machine "this is ________ from _________school were you still planning to come and teach the class this morning?" My heart fell, I had COMPLETELY forgotten my appointment to do a brief CPR class for a local Mennonite school! I called the teacher, fell over myself apologizing and asked how we could fix this. "Next week is out because I'm babysitting my grandsons most of the week." "This afternoon will work. 1:45? yes, I can do that." That was about 1-3/4 hour in the future, surely I could keep my appointment?
At 1300 hours I rolled into the ambulance station, told my tale of woe to the paid staff. They laughed at me and told me I'm getting old....yes I know that--so are they! Threw all 32 manikins in the back of my van--they are just half bodies. Started out the drive and my shifter-thingy slipped all the way to the "3". No! that's not where it should be! But that's where it was and it wasn't moving! I tried putting it in park, but that wasn't happening. Turned off the key--that was sorta a mistake cause you can't start this van unless it's in "neutral" or "park". NOW WHAT!?
Should I call that poor teacher and cancel again? Hope had already left with her car to get Shekinah at school, besides her car is too small for 32 manikins. I walked in to talk to the paid staff and "J" told me to just take her truck. "Take a yellow blanket in case it rains, I don't want the manikins wet for my class tomorrow." Good deal! I wasn't late--yet.
Threw the manikins -not literally- on the back of her truck and took off. A quick check of the dials on the dash....quarter tank of gas, red brake lites "on", yellow anti-lock brake lite "on"....well it got her to work, hopefully it takes me 20 minutes down the road. I kept it around 55 cause it had a funny feel when you went faster and something on the roof sounded like it might fly off when I hit 56 mph.
Got to the school in the nick of time and backed up to the doors and the oil light flickered.--well I'll look into that after the class---oh and I really should call my hubby and tell him that the van is parked at an awkward spot at the ambulance building--should I just call a tow truck?
Taught the class, loaded the manikins, started the truck, the oil light did not light. OK, let's take the back roads and head for home.
Turned right on North ______road and the truck died! REALLY!? "J" didn't want to believe me, "did you run it out of gas?" Thankfully I was on a little bit of a slope and the truck could coast into a driveway. Called my parents who live nearby, but they weren't home, called my brother who also lives nearby, he brought a wrench.
We checked the oil, kicked the tires...no not really about the tires. Tried starting it again and it worked!
Yelled out my thanks and headed for home. "J" had called back and was prepped to bring the second ambulance over to rescue me and my 32 companions.
Finally, was able to call my hubby--he works at one of those manufacturing places that does not allow outside contact EXCEPT in the case of dire emergency, then you need to talk to a receptionist and someone in HR and THEN he has to call you back. Told him the bad news and he said he wants to take a look before we call a tow truck.
With the help of the neighbor guy at the ambulance building and my husband's years as a do-it-yourself guy, he managed to get the van in "N" and start it, then shift it to "3" and head for home.
With the help of JB Weld and patience he managed to repair the van....
Now WHY did my day go like that? I was very thankful that the van didn't breakdown one hour from home. I was thankful that I didn't send Hope on that drive with a GPS that was going to stop working. I don't know...
I'm also thankful that we don't have a big garage bill to pay...we're trying to save money for that trip--God knows that and I'm sure He has a plan.
Then I had this crazy week. It was a blast!
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