Crazy train

So, I’ve been productive lately. No, really, I have—just not on here. Last week I got the proverbial kick in the behind, when a not so mini maelstrom of craziness hit my life.

First, my car stalled when I was going 70+ mph down the highway, trying to get home from Easter at my parents’. Somehow I managed to muscle the steering wheel to the right (dead engine means no power steering, yay!) and I coasted to the side of the highway, where my car turned into nothing more than a big hunk of metal. I called my parents, and my dad became the rescuing hero of the day, saying he would come down to help. Although we tried to jump the car and even to replace the battery, the car was toast. Trying to figure out anything else at the side of the highway was dangerous (heck, what we were already doing was dangerous, and not a little scary). So my dad got out his tow rope, hooked my back bumper to his front one, and off we went – going backwards, up an exit ramp, to the parking lot of a gas station. I was in my car attempting to steer and break as needed, and have never been quite so unnerved in my life. My dad tried a few more things as we took a closer look at the engine. Who am I kidding – I know cars run, and the basics of an engine, but beyond that I’m stumped. My dad, too, was bewildered. Once they started putting computers in cars, fixing engines became exponentially more complicated. I know dad gets frustrated not being able to say exactly what the problem may be, since problem A doesn’t necessarily lead to solution A anymore. We called up my brothers for some advice, thinking by now that something was wrong in the fuel system. After the odd suggestion of thumping on the fuel tank came from both of them (thinking I had at some point gotten skunky gas, or there was a buildup of sediment or whatnot on the fuel filter), we tried that . . . and it worked. But I got barely a half mile back down the highway and the car was once again a pretty hunk of ornamental steel. After an expensive tow back to my mechanic, I finally got home to my apartment more than six hours after my car first died. When I finally talked to the mechanic late on Monday, he told me the final verdict: a dead fuel pump and filter . . . and because they were shorthanded that week, I wouldn’t get my car back until Friday.

Let me tell you, I have some awesome friends and coworkers. The moral support alone was amazing and kept me going through the week. There were also immediate volunteers to take me in to work and back home, and other offers to take me for any needed groceries or other supplies. I only missed two half-days of work, as I was able to work from home part of Monday while I was waiting for news, and then on Friday as I was waiting the “it’s done!” call and a handful of other calls.

Some of those other calls? They had to do with the other madness that was going on that week. This coming weekend, an old friend is getting married in Texas. We haven’t been able to see each other in years, but have been keeping up on Facebook and in a fantasy hockey league and I can’t wait to see her again. Originally, I wasn’t sure if I’d even be able to make the wedding. Things worked out to find a flight, though, so the trip seemed meant to be. My friend had asked if I could do a reading during the ceremony, and now I could actually say yes. Finding that flight turned out to be extraordinary good luck because about a month before the wedding one of her bridesmaids had to unfortunately step down, and I was asked if I’d be willing to step in. There was a flurry of details to think about–not the least was trying to find a dress and shoes and see if they could even arrive in time. Luck was with me, and the shoes were a snap. I was able to find a dress immediately and order it, and it was supposed to come in just before Easter. Well, yeah. That didn’t happen. So while I was waiting anxiously for news about my car, I was just as nervous about the dress. The calls about both came within half an hour of each other. So Friday was definitely starting to look up.

A definite bonus was additional good news from on the wedding front. Another good friend had also been trying to get to the wedding, but life and car troubles were fighting her too. Going into Friday, it seemed like something might just work out for her to make it to Texas. Finally on Saturday everything was settled and we found out we would be flying down and back together! I can’t wait for the trip, it will be great to have a mini vacation, and a great reason to celebrate.

Plus? I get to escape any more weird calls about bills. Both Charter and Sprint (who I dropped at the end of last year in favor of Verizon) have had major problems with their computer systems and think I owe them money. With Charter I was immediately able to prove that they screwed up, but they still couldn’t tell me how it happened or promise that it wouldn’t happen again. With Sprint, who had the nerve to send a collection agency after me, the waters are a bit muddier. Somehow, although the agency managed to get my address right the first time, Sprint somehow never got the message that I moved – even though I changed my address with them! Their two reminder notices about my last bill somehow magically got lost in the mail – neither was forwarded to me nor sent back to them as undeliverable. At the very least, at least that’s settled now, although Heaven help Sprint if that affects my credit rating in the future.

To end that long and rambling tale of craziness, some happy crafting news: my rainbow-like socks are almost done! They’ve stalled out for the moment, as I needed some soft and fuzzy yarn last week for anti-stress related fiber therapy. But that means I’m working on my first ever adult-sized sweater! I had been going to try for the Anthropologie knockoff, but that seemed a bit complicated for my first sweater. So I’m trying for the much simpler Emerald Sweater, in a heathery green yarn. It has a bit of detailing, with cables at the shoulder, but it’s still a basic cardigan. Spring time appears to finally be here, so I may have to wait awhile to wear the finished project, but I don’t mind that a bit.

I’ve also been doing some sewing, knocking out a pair of pj pants from my favorite pattern. I have another set all cut out and ready to sew too. In the interest of deconstructing in order to construct something new, I’ve begun to sort out some old t-shirts to make a rag rug or something. Due to the heft of the “yarn” I may crochet this rather than knit, but either way something fun is in store. Depending on the range of colors I end up with, I may make a couple of trips to Goodwill to flesh out certain tones. That, however, is a step for the future.

There’s nothing better to end with than a few shots of a recent beautiful sunset, the cats in a rare moment of cuddling, and Spring!!