A Birthday Experience

Well!

Most of you know that, for once, I had grand plans for my birthday. Well, grand for me, anyhow. I was going to go to the city with my "boys", my husband and brother. We were going to go out to a nice place to eat, to a few places where I wanted to buy some things I needed, and to our favorite stop, the video game store!

So it was with great cheerfulness we loaded up in the truck and drove to the city.

We made it to the city when suddenly the truck rumbled ominously, then downshifted, and drifted. Husband eased it to a stop and tried to get it moving again, only to realize it would no longer catch the gears. The engine was running perfectly, but it could not shift and when we tried to place it into park, there was a horrid grinding of gears.

My heart sunk to my stomach. We scrambled to get it off the road, throwing on the hazard lights, as rude people honked their horn and threw us the finger as they were forced to go around us. Nice. No empathy left in this world! What else can you expect from that city though?

Anyhow, with a little help, we pushed it backwards off the road, hit the e-brake and shut it off. A few frustrated tears later, we called a tow truck and had it towed all the way back to the town where the boys work, to a shop.

From there we walked several miles in the dark cold rain. We stopped and spent a little of my hard earned money that I saved for this day to eat, then hid out in a Starbucks, waiting for my brother's girlfriend to come get us.

Turns out, poor girlfriend got a flat tire on her way, and then she missed the exit (she was coming from Houston) and got a bit lost.

Finally, we were able to make it home. We're still waiting back to hear about the truck and I am clutching the cash I had stashed away hoping for a great evening with my boys. I am praying that this is something simple - a new transmission or rebuilt transmission is, quite frankly, out of our budget. We would be unable to fix the truck in that case. And it is our only vehicle and the only way my boys can get to work, 30 miles from home, and back.

This is one of those times where staying positive can be really difficult. And a good chance for me to really work on it. All should practice what they preach, though few do.