I guess we all need one of "those" days once in a while just to remind us of how pleasant life is on most days. Left to go get my fortnightly wines and the Christmas wines at about 11:20am yesterday figuring I'd be back before Grampa had to leave for his trip to the VA in Providence. Arrived at Friendly Spirits just up Route 12, almost into Danielson, went in, bought my case of Cabernet Sauvignon (5 plus one bottle of Chardonnay) and for Christmas, a bottle of Ballet of Angels and an expensive Pinot Noir. The gentleman carried the case out for me and off I went. Well . . . not exactly. I couldn't turn the key in the ignition. I tried everything but no luck. The steering wheel was not locked so I called Grampa on the ubiquitous cell phone and managed to get him as he was going out the door, of course, not before two other people tried to "fix" things. He brought me another set of keys because I've had periodic problems with the keys and we thought this would do the trick. It didn't. So I sent Grampa on his way and got the number of Town Line Auto from the slightly disgruntled man working the cash register in the liquor store. After Town Line told me it was going to be a long wait, they had two tows before me, I wheedled my way up to a half hour wait. The guy showed up, couldn't start the Saturn and so had to block the driveway into the place while he loaded up the car. It hurt to watch the front tires dragging on the asphalt. Torture! I was going to have him bring me home but thought better of it and called son-in-law who said it was OK to bring it to his Service Center in Groton. I had asked the tow truck driver about how much it was going to cost and he said he wouldn't know until he got there. Well, we got there and he had trouble unloading my poor car. He was trying to bounce it off. He actually came in and asked son-in-law for help! Son-in-law grabbed a can of something (Lock Free ??), hopped into my car, sprayed the ignition, played with it, started it up and drove it off of the flatbed. I had $137 in cash on me and I didn't even have close to enough money to pay the bill! I was going to put it on my charge card but the poor guy's cell phone wasn't working properly so he could check the card number with his work. He asked to use son-in-law's phone. OK as he's dialing son-in-law has had about enough and just cuts him a check from his business for $239.29. I almost cried, but I'm a big girl now. The tow truck left, I went to pick up grandson and I'm hoping to get my car back today but I can't call to find out until 1pm! The ignition is all apart but we don't know when the new ignition will arrive. Actually, not a new ignition, that was too expensive. I may have to take the Dodge truck to go pick up grandson this afternoon. I plan to stay for his Christmas Concert this evening. That should put me in a good mood!
Grampa had to get home from Providence as he had no clue what I had done with the car since we only have one, therefore not so ubiquitous, cell phone. After getting my 3, yes 3 messages he came to pick me up in Groton. He had had an almost worst day at the VA. There was a long line at the reception desk and even though he was 15 minutes early he decided to bypass reception and went directly to the doctor's office so he wouldn't be late. Well about an hour later when he hadn't been called he asked how come. Answer: " We didn't know you were here!" Lesson: Don't bypass reception even if they make you late for your appointment. The good news is that his blood counts are good again after the changes in medicines.
Quote: Trouble is the next best thing to enjoyment; there is no fate in the world so horrible as to have no share in either its joys or sorrows. ----Longfellow
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