When it Rains, it Pours!
This has never been more apparent to me than this past weekend. Friday on my way home from work, all of a sudden, the oil light in my car came on. Well, I was about 2 blocks from the drugstore where I was picking up a prescription, so I made my way there. Picked up 3 qts of oil and put them in the car in the parking lot as soon as the car cooled down enough I could do that. Headed on home, about 3 miles, and 2 blocks before being safely in my own driveway, the oil light came back on, the temp gauge went thru the roof, the car started smoking and making this death rattle kinda noise. OMG!
Well, managed to get it in the drive at home. Just turned it off and sat there. I take care of my vehicles, I can't believe this.
But, it doesn't stop here. Saturday we had to take our entries to Anitioch for the Contra Costa County Fair, and then on to Oakland for our monthly guild meeting. So, since the Volvo is out of commission, we are going to take the T-bird (also has good air conditioning and it was hot!) Before we left, went out and checked all the fluid levels, this car is over 20 years old, needs a little extra TLC.
We got about 20 minutes from home and the darn car is overheating! Pulled off the freeway, found an industrial park and pulled into the parking lot. Opened the hood, which weighs about a thousand pounds and has the craziest latch ever invented, and what do I find but the radiator cap off the radiator. Now, I know I put it back on after putting coolant in the car, but maybe I didn't put it on properly. Who knows! It was off. So, let the car cool down, put about a gallon & a half more of coolant and a gallon of water in poor old Betsy. She was really thirsty. Penny & I both checked and rechecked the radiator cap to make sure it was on tight. Okay, on the road again!
About another 20 minutes and the temp is climbing to the bright red spot on the right end of the gauge. Off the freeway again, into another parking lot under a tree. We are very near where one of Penny's brothers live, so we call his house. Mostly what we want is someone to come take one of us to the fairgrounds to get our entries in before 3 p.m. and it is already after 12! Just got voice mail. Don't know new cell phone #-while trying to figure out what to do, he calls us. Would be happy to help but he is in Sacramento, about 1 1/2 hours away with his wife. Drat!
Well, to make a long story short, our entries did not make it into the fair, we did not make our guild meeting, poor Linda had to figure out how to get home from Oakland, and several hours later and many $ we finally got home with the car (thermostat, serpentine belt, etc) after 6 p.m..
But this day is not over yet! No more than got our clothes changed, when the phone rang. A good friend of ours is in the hospital, has been there for a week, but no one thought to call us til Sat evening. Back into our clothes and off to the hospital. He had emergency surgery after a complication from a colonoscopy. But they still don't know why he was sick in the first place. I got a call last nite, and he is home and able to eat real food, so I guess that's progress.
So, as you can see, Saturday was not my day.

My very own IRA!
I know I am very lucky, but sometimes it smacks me right between the eyes. This morning while reading my CP emails, I was struck by how many times someone said they would love to do more but they are on a limited income. Which probably means disability or retired.
And with their limited resources, they want to do more for others.
I am still working (have a few more years on the old gray mare), my kids are grown and in their own homes (well, my dd is in mine temporarily), and I share expenses with a really good friend. So, once my bills are paid, food is in the fridge, I can pretty much spend what's left on Yarn, Books, Tools/Gadgets that I want. And the really lucky part is I have some left over most months!
I remember a couple of years ago, my friend Chelo, was squirreling books for her retirement. Didn't figure she would have the $ for too many after she actually had the time to read. So she has boxes and boxes of books. I have boxes and boxes of yarn and patterns and hooks. I'm not so sure this was what the government had in mind when they created the IRA (individual retirement account), but it works for me. I guess I better really get busy building that stash so I will have lots I can do when I have the time for it. I love it! I just found a way to justify buying all that wonderful yarn with absolutely no project for it in mind. Yea!