I love my truck

So Thursday on my way home from work I see the battery guage is down to half of what it should be. I went home and got the battery charger out then discovered the hood latch was messed up again.

I went up to the store and lucked into two men who were willing to try and get it open for me. They had no luck but I felt better, at least I wasn't imcompetent. They tried everything I had and then some and it still wouldn't open.

This is bad.

I called the shop the next morning and left a message that I would be trying to get in but could they make room inside the shop so I could try to fix the truck? I made it and the boss did make room for me.

We took turns poking things at the hood latch and cable from every direction and failed to open it. We both went back to work. Around four the UPS man took a turn and won. I took notes and think I can do it myself next time if I have to. We got it jury rigged again and for now it is working.

I called my newest foster brother. He came down and diagnosed for me that it wasn't the battery or the cable, it was the alternator. He didn't have the tools he needed to fix it and he is on ten hours a day. But he took the time to give me a hand when I needed one. Now I knew what the problem was I could work on getting it fixed.

I called my best repair guy and he said he could do the alternator on Monday. I counted up my pennies and found I had just the right amount of money to get everything I needed; gas, groceries, dog food and such; and just afford what I thought it might cost to replace the part. Funny, I thought I had too much money and had put it back for savings....

I spent the weekend charging the battery up and using it back down to get chores done. Mostly I stayed home. Then came the snow storm. On Monday as I went out to warm up the poor truck I called the shop to say I was going to try and make it. The repair guy would get the truck from there.

Only I got stuck. To get to hard top the shortest route is a u-turn out of the drive way. I was doing just fine but discovered under all that snow it was still ice. I just slid down the angle at the corner in to the drift. Well, it wasn't all bad news. I didn't hit the telephone pole or end up driver's side down in the ditch...

I went back to the house, all of twenty feet further than I would have if I had just left the thing parked, called the shop and told them God said I was taking the day off.

I don't have any vacation time left and it was going to flat the budget to pay for the repair. Now I needed a tow, too. But I was getting a day off I and I needed it. You work with what is given to you and be glad to have it, I guess.

Amen for friends and family. They had kept me going all weekend. Now I called the friendly repair guy - bless his heart and his truck and his helper. They came and got the truck, didn't even make me drive it out, the two kind men did that.

So I had the day to rest and I needed it badly. I will get back to that. The truck was supposed to be back later that day. I rested and treated myself to hot teas, quite reading, prayer and peaceful thoughts.

Jeanette called and needed a favor I could not have done from work. I talked to KMA that night. I talked to Mom about bible study being at her house and an lot of other things that morning when I called so she wouldn't worry when the truck wasn't at the shop. I relaxed as much as I could and had extra time for my family and friends.

Amazingly enough the truck was back before I would have been out of work. I paid what I could of the bill and promised the rest for Friday. They were ok with that. They trust me. When I went out to run the next errand I discovered they had thrown in plowing the driveway for me. I cried.

It was just one kindness too much it seemed and I couldn't even thank the scamp until I saw him next. But I will, you bet. I sent a thankful prayer chasing after them.

I saw the opportunity to run over to my son's place. His aunt had sent a gift and I wanted the family to have it. Now I had the time and a running truck I went for it. Being a kind mother in law, I called and checked first.

He wasn't going to be there because it was time for the trucking son to get back to work. Except his plans got skewed, too. His truck was sitting on the nicest piece of ice I had seen for skating on - if you were only four inches tall....One clear patch under every wheel. He was spinning them when I got there.

I tried to help him see the good in it and lower his frustration level. I got to visit with all of them and as I drove away the tow truck came to get him on his way.

Things just don't work out like we think they will sometimes. Even when we do the best we can they can still be screwed up for the strangest reasons. Part of having a happy life is doing the best you can to have fun with whatever you have to do, I think.

I made it to work Tuesday. The truck is running fine now and I can get in and out of the drive way. I took the time to realize how many caring people it took to get me through just those four days. I have a wonderful support network and I don't know what I would do without them.

Part of that network is you, my reading friends. Part of the fun of life is having someone to tell all about it. I had a few more happy feelings sharing this with you.

May the holiday bring you each the knowing of the love that is around you. It is not always where we expect to find it but the caring hand of even a stranger is love to you in a time of need.