Not Quite The (Mini) Adventure I Had In Mind / Comfort Food

So the morning started out less than optimal.  And went downhill from there. The negative way it started?  The Husband drove off to the airport, flew to CA, drove to the office and there he'll stay until Friday.  Yeah. Tough for me.

Later on, opened the garage, got in the car, pushed the start button.  And...not much of anything.  I got some weird messages on the screen, the screen flickered on and off a bit, then looked (and sounded) like a dying creature.  I suspected a dead 12V battery.

Almost lilacs!

My visiting teaching partner was so gracious.  She picked me up for our appointment, offered help from her husband with my car (when he returned home) offered a ride to work for my daughter (if she needed it) and was so very kind.

My thoughts were a maelstrom as I tried to figure out how The Husband would fix this if he were here.  (Besides the obvious that he'd just fix it himself.)  Called the car insurance company.  Yep, we have roadside assistance.  She can send someone out (even though I'm not technically roadside since the car is in the garage) to help get the car jumped. Then it's a waiting game while I try to calm my nerves (can only imagine what my blood pressure is today!) and think of all the ramifications that might need to be solved along the way.

Dear young man jumped the car, with accompanying instructions to find out if the battery has failed. (And all the time I'm thinking - I've had this car 6 1/2 years, it has to be the battery!) and the passing comment that Prius' are known for having to be jumpstarted.  And if this is the first time that it's happened to me, I should count myself lucky.

I grabbed my purse and headed directly to the dealership, drove in without an appointment and practically groveled for help.  (Considering the length of time it took to fix the car perhaps I should have groveled just a teensy bit less?) And do you know, he sez, there's a recall notice out on this vehicle?  Yes, but can't it wait until I come in for the oil change - in about another decade or so? (It must be obvious by now that frazzled fairly well describes my mental state.) You really should do it now in case we run out of parts.   Yeah, yeah, whatever, go ahead fix the recall, but first could you please just fix the *$%@* car?  (I have visions of being stuck at home for an entire week- no, not doing that!)

A few minutes shy of 3 hours later I left the dealership.  New 12V battery (as expected) for $230 + labor, recall fixed, a raging headache (and earaches and sore throat - no wonder I'm a mite testy - I don't feel well!) and a car that runs!

Yummy soup!

At which point I headed directly to Corner Bakery where I soothed my troubled soul with hot chicken noodle soup.  After which I headed directly home and applied additional soothing with hot chocolate.

And, did I mention that it's been raining, really raining, all day long?

Was glad I took the surface streets home instead of the freeway - there'd been a fatal accident that had shut down the freeway, as of now it still isn't open and even the frontage road alongside the freeway was backed up for what looked like forever.

So tonight?  I'm thinking perhaps I shouldn't have wished for a bit of adventure.  It might end up happening and not be exactly the fun adventure I had in mind.

(And that picture of the almost lilacs?  I took that yesterday as we walked to church.  I miss my own lilac bushes, but love the ones scattered through the area that I can stop and smell when they bloom. They make my nose happy.)

Had to stop on the way home and take this view of the mtns.

I'm so grateful.  For car insurance with roadside assistance.  For a nearly trouble-free car in all the years we've owned it.  For prompt jumpstart and fairly (kinda sorta not really) prompt help in purchasing (and installing) the new battery (after first ascertaining that it was indeed the battery). For unexpected and wholehearted kindness from my visiting teaching partner. For the fact that I spent nearly the entire day taking care of this little adventure and didn't have any resulting conflicts or problems from it taking the whole day.  For concerned texts from The Husband who must have felt a bit helpless being so far away.  I'm grateful I managed to pretty much hold onto my self-control (even when I found out the car had been done for 20 minutes while I sat and tapped my foot anxious to get home) and didn't wig out, though in my head I was pretty much having a two-year-old tantrum.  (Not really, but I kinda sorta wanted to.) I have again, a renewed appreciation for all those women who handle stuff like this all on their own on a daily basis.  I sometimes think I'm pretty capable.  The reality is, I'm more than happy to let The Husband take care of it all.  How grateful I am for him.

And seriously?  I am kinda grateful for things like this - once in a great while.  It reminds me to never take for granted when things run smoothly, when things work like they should, when help is ever-ready.  I never want to get cocky or full of myself and assume that stuff should never happen to me. I'm so grateful for being watched out for.