Speaking of "my life"...

So, remember how I just said "I have a life... talk talk talk" and such? Yeah, well, that life just keeps sneaking up behind me and slapping me silly when I'm not expecting it.

First of all? I'm not supposed to be here. In Maryland I mean. The boys and I were planned to leave for a week long visit in Cincinnati after church on Sunday. But Sunday morning? I got sick. Really sick. Not-fit-for-travel sick. But by yesterday I was feeling better. Started wondering when I should re-plan the visit. Then yesterday morning my mom calls to tell me that my great aunt, my dad's Aunt Mary, had died. She was 92 years-old and had said flat out that she was ready to go. Hers was a life well lived and she will be greatly missed. Mom said they'd call later with the funeral arrangements and I started figuring that this was probably a good time to go out.

Then it hit me. I was going with the boys on my own. Rusty has way too much going on at work to use his available comp time (and may I say? What a racket! I mean, have him work all kinds of extra time but don't pay him over-time. Give him "comp-time". Which is essentially a joke because if he's working so much in the first place? He's way too busy to use the comp-time! Oy.) Anyway, me and the boys on our own. I wasn't sure about taking them, at ages 3 and 6, to a funeral. Sean would probably be ok as he's still oblivious to specifics. But Liam? He'd be all kinds of interested, slightly freaked, and would talk about it for weeks. We've talked about death and dying and such before. Trust me. This child is not ready to see a dead body.

So I thought, "Hm. Maybe Aimee would watch the boys for the day." Aimee is my cousin (on my mom's side) and has 8 year-old twins and a 3 year-old who is a month or two younger than Sean. Our kids adore each other so that was the mental solution I went with while I went through the day. Until my mom called again. It seems that between the time my mom called about Aunt Mary and 3:00 p.m. or so? Two of Aimee's three kids broke out in full-blown chicken pox. Good times. But that didn't even matter because Aunt Mary's funeral had been planned - the viewing is tonight and the funeral itself is tomorrow (Wednesday and Thursday). That's not much time to get there! But? I told her I'd try and to have my dad call because the van was making a funny noise and I wanted to talk to him about it before we headed out. You know, being a responsible, driving-nine-hours-by-herself-with-the-kids-through-three-states kind of mom that I am.

Later last evening. Taken from phone call with dad:

Dad: What kind of noise is it?

Me: It's squealing. No... that's not quite it. It's not that harsh. Sqeaky maybe? I don't know. Squealing but not like grinding.

Dad: When you hit the brakes?

Me: No. Not all the time. Sometimes it's when I'm just driving, not using the brakes. But other times it does happen when I use the brakes.

*Notice how very helpful I am. Dad probably banging his head against the wall at that point.

Dad: Yeah, you need to have that checked out before you drive out here.

Me: Can't I just drive it out there and have it checked when I get back?

Dad: No, that's not a good idea. If it's the [insert car part I can't remember here] then the [insert other car part I can't remember here] can get damaged and it'll cost you a lot more money to fix.

Me: What if I drive it out and have it checked out there?

Dad: No. Get it checked first.

Me: What abo...

Dad: No!


The van needs it's 30,000 mile tune-up anyway. We'd have them do that and check out the noise. So like a good daughter and responsible vehicle owner that I am, I call the dealership this morning:

Me: How much is your 30,000 tune-up?

Dealership woman: $385

Me: [gasp] And when is the soonest you can get us in?

Dealership woman who is apparently smoking crack: August 11.

Me: Thanks? [click]

So, I go to Plan B. Rusty's mom suggested the place they've always taken their cars. I call them:

Me: [cringing] How much is your 30,000 mile tune-up?

Car guy: [asks questions about year, make and model of car which I answer but that's boring so I won't type it] It'll just be a matter of car talk, car talk, car blah blah... it's probably going to run between $80 and $100.

Me: [slightly relieved but still not believing something might actually work out] When is the soonest you can get us in?

Car Guy sent from God himself: You can drop it off tonight or bring it over first thing in the morning.

Me: [stunned] I love you?

Yes, we have an extended warranty and if there is something wrong aside from normal wear then the dealership has to fix it or pay someone else to if they can't do it within the week. Yay, extended maintenance agreement. And yay, Brady's Auto in the greater Washington D.C. area!

So? Of course the visit is still on hold even though the funeral is tomorrow morning. And of course, the van is still squeaky and it could turn out to be something major. And of course, Sean just smashed his fingertip in the retro wooden box for the Sorry game and it's all swelled up and purple-ish. Because that? Is just a big ol' noogie from life itself.