Tuesday, December 7, 2010

T.I.R.E.D.

We made a trip to the big city today. Main purpose was to get new tires put on our Suburban. While there, hubby asked that they check the alignment also because he suspected it might be a little off. Well, just like us, it was MORE than a little off. In total, we were at the auto shop three and one-half hours waiting for the work to be done.

No problem for hubby. He spent quite a bit of time out on the work floor kabitzing with the mechanics and in the tire shop learning all he ever wanted to know about tires currently available.

No problem for me. (Oh, yeah?) I took a bagful of knitting I'd been itching to sit and work on. Small problem for me. (Oh, yeah.) I left the *&#% pattern at home.

Actually, the three and a half hours got V-E-R-Y long for both of us. We got up at 4 a.m. so we could leave at 5:30 to arrive at the auto shop at the appointed time of 8 a.m. when they said they could get us right in. And we should be out and on our way in an hour or hour and a half, they said. Oh, well. The important thing is we got the job done, and do feel really good about the shape the old Suburban is in for the winter.

All the time spent on the vehicle definitely cut into the time we had left for other shopping we planned on doing. And did I mention there were A LOT of other people out doing their Christmas shopping? Ooooh, yeah. We did the other most important things on our list but found by mid-afternoon, we were both so pooped and over-worried about the other bumper to bumper drivers on the slippery road that we wanted to head home.

How many deer did we see on the way home, most of which was driven in the dark? Not more than 200-300. No, I'm kidding, but suffice to say they were thick out there with many smooshed ones on the shoulder. We had only one group of three dash across the highway in front of us that caused me to grab the oh-shoot-handle and slam my foot through the floor board. (I was in the passenger seat at the time so neither maneuver did much good.)

My dear husband just brought me an amaretto and ginger ale tall one so I'm now going to go get my jammies on, put my feet up in my recliner, relax and read a new quilt magazine.

Back to home duties tomorrow.

18 comments:

The Apple Pie Gal said...

I think your husband is amazing! What a guy! Put a sling on him and call him Cabana Boy!

At least your evening ended well with a nice drink and a great, awesome, super duper magazine! Quilting! Yeah!!!!

Gonna have to try that drink now too dag gum you! I love gingerale!

Sue said...

I hate having to go to our close-by big town.....it's such a madhouse compared to where we usually shop. Unfortunately, sometimes ya HAVE to!! But, thank goodness you have hubby to bring you nice drinks afterwards. And comfy pj's and the day is forgotten! All is well again!

Do you have moose where you are at? I know whacking a deer is bad--don't make me worry even more when you're out and about!

Jenyfer Matthews said...

Winter driving is so nerve wracking I wonder why anyone goes out at all! Glad you at least got your vehicle taken care of though. Sorry about the knitting pattern though - couldn't you just make something up??

Erin said...

So sorry you forgot your pattern! I knitted 4 hours away at the mechanics the other day. Here's a good one - I had them do my oil change as well since on-base it's only 27.00 (I can't even buy the supplies for that price!, the Subaru is up on the lift, new tires on, oil drained and .... they don't have my filter, duh! You would think they would get that straight BEFORE draining the oil! So it sat on the lift for an extra 2 hours waiting for their parts delivery guy, meanwhile holding up the lift for other customers. I don't know what I would have done without my sock knitting, thankfully I have recovered from that day's trauma! Glad you got the 'burban all set, doesn't it feel so GOOD to have new tires on? When we were home last Thanksgiving, my kids stopped playing slug-bug in the car and instead started counting road kill, it kept them MUCH busier LOL!

Jane @ Hard Work Homestead said...

I do hate going to the auto shop. I am not one who likes to sit around. The only good thing is they have cable TV, so its the only time I get to see it. What's the hype about with cable? Sounds like you need one of those drivers ED cars. That way you can have your own set of foot pedals.

Amy Dingmann said...

Winter driving should be its own course in drivers ed (on the road) as well as "dealing with insane drivers in the local Walmart Parking Lot." Glad you made it home safely. :)

Kelly said...

Sounds like a hairy drive homes, yikes! What an adventure just to get the Burban is all set for winter.

mtnchild said...

I even hate going into our little 'town' of 20,000, much less a big city. I make it to town about once every 2-3 weeks and that is plenty for me.

I usually get it all done during daylight as my night driving eyes are just not as good as they use to be, even though over the years I've memorized the road.

Glad you got everything done and got safely home. Those deer make me nervous too!
Yvette

Susan said...

Yarg! I have done that - brought everything but the one essential part. Sitting and waiting is my least favorite non-activity. Next is traffic, crowds, driving in the dark. You hit all my low points. The deer are certainly out. Glad you made it home and have a sympathetic hubby. I will have to try that drink - it sounds wonderful.

Val said...

Don't you just hate those days? But you gotta do what you gotta do. Your hubby sounds like a great guy. And P.J.'s are my favorite thing to wear. Thanks for coming and visiting my blog and most of all for leaving a comment. It is nice to hear from you.

Jill said...

Bummer you forgot the pattern, you could be so far along with your project. On our recent mini road trip, I brought my "knitting" and worked on a hat. You don't need a pattern when you "knit" on a cheater loom. But I will learn how to really knit! Erin said she learned from a kids book, so that is what I picked up yesterday. Maybe in 3 months I will making socks too. Stay warm up there! (Thanks for my bday wishes too ;)

Erin said...

Yay Jill! My hubby laughed when I came home with 2 kids books complete with illustrations of "bears knitting" from the library LOL! Before we leave the house for our 1200 mile trip along with making sure the iron is off I will be repeating to myself "do I have my patterns? Do I have my patterns?" :)

Anonymous said...

I dislike days like that...while you seem to accomplish something, it isn't really what you want to be doing lol. I think that makes it all the more draining. Glad you have the truck all ready for the winter season though, that is most important.

Have a blessed rest!

Mama Pea said...

APG - You love ginger ale. Well, I love amaretto! It's a good drink, I think you'll like it.

Sue - Yes, indeed, we do have moose. Unfortunately, many vehicle/moose collisions end tragically. A few years back, a law enforcement officer was zooming down the road responding to a call and hit a moose which came up over the hood of the squad car, through the windshield and crushed the officer. They are so unbelievably big and heavy that it's like hitting a brick wall.

Last night while on our way home, we were going slower than normal because of all the deer sightings and there was a car behind us tailgating way too close. Finally he pulled out to pass us just as we passed a sign reading "Moose Crossing Area." I couldn't keep myself from yelling in a sarcastic, cheerful voice (which he couldn't hear, of course), "Watch out for the moose!"

Jen - I had teeny-tiny double pointed needles and baby weight yarn which didn't lend itself to much of anything I could think of. Oh, well.

Erin - Eeek! Your day in the auto shop sounds worse than ours! It's a wonder you didn't have to go pick up or be home for the boys during that time. But you had your knitting! Isn't it the greatest??

Mama Pea said...

Jane - Yup. Waiting anywhere is something I'm not very good at. I can't stand to just sit and not be doing something. (Do you see why I've never been very successful at meditating?)

Mama Tea - Oh, so you saw those nimrod drivers at Walmart yesterday too??

Kelly - We do live in deer country so although it's stressful and not much fun, we're kinda used to it.

Yvette - Yesterday we left in total darkness and returned in total darkness. But when the drive is two and a half hours one way, it's hard to avoid night driving this time of year. Much as we would like to!

Mama Pea said...

Susan - I guess there's a valid reason why we homesteading types are all alike. Doesn't take a huge crowd at a cocktail party and drunk people on the roads to entertain us, does it? Hee-hee!

Val - My hubby IS a great guy and after 47 years, I've decided to keep him!

I've been a lurker on your blog for over a year. Truly enjoy it!

Jill - I tell ya, once the knitting bug bites you, you can't turn back. Go for it!

Erin - Put a Post It note on the dash board of your car right now: Do I have my patterns??

Stephanie - Isn't it silly that we look at it that way? As if we didn't get ANYTHING accomplished when we truly-duly did??

Dirt Lover said...

Oh, not my idea of a fun day, one spent in the auto repair/tire shop, no knitting, and then driving home hopefully missing all the deer. Glad you got back safe and sound! AND a new quilt magazine to read in your jammies??? The best, hands down. Hope it was next to a nice warm fire.
~~Lori

Mama Pea said...

Lori - You can bet it was next to a warm fire! Only way to go this time of year.