Some Days Don't Go as Planned

If there is such a group called “Planner Anonymous” I should have a gold membership…maybe platinum. I’m about planning. I adore lists…and lists…and more lists. But some days just don’t go like you plan them.

Yesterday was supposed to be a normal Tuesday. Ed gets up and goes to work in order to be there at 3 AM. I wake up later and head to work a little before 8. I have a list of things to do at work, which I make my way through and hope I can stretch them out to last a full day. After unloading a 1,400 piece semi and putting the store in order, Ed gets home at some point (these days with the holidays coming, I’m never sure) and I get home a little after 4. We have a dinner, maybe play a game or watch a movie and go to bed. Simple.

Well, it started okay. Ed got up a little before 2 and headed out the door. Then I hear a funny noise. I figured it was his truck – it can make all kinds of noises – but when I heard it a second time, I got up. He was outside, a covering of snow on his truck, the roads and our yard trying to get his truck to move. Now it started just fine. It just wouldn’t go anywhere. And after a few attempts, I stepped out on the porch into a 15 degree morning and waved at him. He got out of the truck and joined me.

“The emergency brake is frozen stuck,” he said. “I can’t get it to move. And it’s not going to thaw.”

Well, better I call in and switch my days around at work than he call in and leave a gaping hole in trying to unload 1,400 large pieces from truck. So, he took my car and I went back to bed.

I got up later and called into work, saying I was stranded for the day but would be in Wednesday and Thursday instead. (Which has worked out much better anyway!) And then I spent the day doing odd chores: unpacking some of my fine china and washing it for Thanksgiving next week, gluing some objects that needed fixing, laundry, cooking for the week, scrapbooking. All in all, quite profitable.

Ed got home around one or so and took a nap. Then he went out to try to get his truck to move. Since the temperature had only risen a few degrees all day, all he accomplished was to maneuver it up on the curb. So began the hour of “what now?”. Have it towed? Can we get it fixed? But they’ll just find other things to fix. Is it time to start getting it ready for inspection in March? How will we both get to work with one car? And most importantly, why can’t money just fall from heaven so we can buy a new/used car?

All this started a series of phone calls to AAA, the mechanic and his friend Dave who just happened to have a car to spare right now. All that settled and our evening planned to head to the South Hills, the tow guy called and asked what the trouble was. He gave Ed a troubleshooting idea to try and said he’d be around later. Ed went down to the basement, grabbed a bucket, filled it with lukewarm water and went back outside. He doused the rear brake drum with the water, started his car up and it moved.

So, the tow guy didn’t come. We didn’t go get Dave’s spare car. We set an appointment with the mechanic for next week just to see what this truck is going to need to get it through one more inspection. And Ed knew what to do this morning when the drum was still frozen.

I think all this is a picture of my future life come spring. Just imagine all the wrenches a baby can throw into my plans!