First, I want to wish all of my faithful readers a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful Holiday Season, no matter how you celebrate this time of year.
This is the story of last Friday and I think it kinda shows how things can go if you have the right mindset.
The Story
Every year I tell myself that I’m going to do all of the traditional Christmas stuff: Bake goodies, send cards, shop early yada-yada-yada. Guess what. This year I did!
So, last week I stayed up all hours, got up extra early on most days and got the cookies baked and frosted (Maddy helped too!). We put together Christmas cookie plates for folks that we knew and signed all of the cards.
Here was the big plan: Friday is normally the day I would take Maddy to her Mom’s. This time I was to have her all day. The plan was for us to don our Santa Hats – and me, my kilt – and go spread some Christmas cheer. (and also run an errand or two)
Friday morning rolls around and we load up the box of goodies into the ol’ pickup. There were so many places to go I even made a list. The first stop was a towing service I used to frequent when I was an adjuster for GEICO. Matanuska Towing and Recovery is a family owned business and they are just the nicest folks in the world. We took them their cookies and then headed over to the post office to drop some cards in the mail.
Maddy saw the list and took it upon herself to start checking things off. Six years old and she was reading things off like a pro! To the bank then, and a stop at the car wash to brighten the mood of the pickup that had gotten filthy! The next stop was “Corys Work”. So (in a slightly irritated tone) Maddy informs me, “Dad, you forgot the apostrophe in ‘Corys’. “ I had to laugh. Oh, that kid.
After leaving Cory-apostrophe-s work we were headed down the road and the truck started running rough. Oh, this is probably an appropriate time to let you know that:
- It’s about 5 below zero this day.
- I forgot my danged cell phone at home.
I’m somewhat mechanically inclined so my best guess is that water got in the fuel line somehow at the car wash. We limp to a local market so I can get a couple cans of Heet (clears water from your fuel tanks). Like a knuckle-head, I shut off the truck to go in and get the stuff. Come back out and – you guessed it – trucky no starty. Tried and tried, to no avail.
It’s important for you to have this image: 5 below zero, slightly windy, I’m wearing a Santa hat and a kilt, I have a six year old in tow, also wearing a Santa hat. I have no cell phone.
Back I go into the market. I call Roger’s Garage, which I’ve used before and is just a half mile up the road. Teresa says they can take the truck but can’t fix it until Monday. Ok. Next call: MTR. Susan chuckled and said they would send Josh right over. Now I’m standing in the cold, trying to ignore stares, wishing I’d left the damned kilt at home and having visions of tow bills, rent-a-cars and auto repair bills. Not exactly the day I had mapped out.
Josh shows up with the wrecker, and tows us to Roger’s.
Christmas Miracle #1: No charge for the tow.
I’m so happy that MTR was my first cookie stop!
At Roger’s I’m discussing rental car options and such with Teresa. She says, “Shoot, I’m headed over that way, let me give you and Maddy a ride home so you can sort things out there.”
Christmas Miracle #2: Free ride back home.
I get back home and the answering machine is flashing. One of Maddy’s friends has called and wants her to come over and play. I called Hannah’s mom and said that Maddy would love to play, then I explained my lack of transportation to get her there. Hannah’s mom: “Oh my goodness! We have an extra car we’re not using this week. You are more than welcome to it!”
Christmas Miracle #3: Use of a friend’s car.
Wow.
Let me also say that my perfect little angelic grammar nazi was such a trooper through the whole ordeal. She was sweet and patient and did not complain once.
I guess the moral here is that with everything headed south, I didn’t get angry, grumpy or frustrated. There were no tantrums or throwing of things, I just held hope that things would work the way they worked and that in the end, everything would be ok all things considered. I believe that one of the reasons I had so many good things happen that day is because I kept my spirits high.
It’s been a good Christmas.
