Perspective
It went something like this:
Sorting through my “important papers” on Wednesday in order to get my tax paperwork in order I was looking over my escrow analysis report that came about a month ago. My escrow had been figured wrong when I bought my home and the second year I had to pay significantly more to compensate, so this year we are finally “caught up” and back to where I should be. I was looking over the various numbers and saw at the bottom of the form, in the exact colors of the form and not at all looking like it was important, was a check. Or what appeared to be a check. It took me about 15 minutes of trying to read the fine print on the back of the form to realize this is reimbursement for overpayment last year (can’t these people get the figures right?!). The check is for $400. I probably would never have noticed it if I hadn’t just decided to look more carefully at the numbers on the report.
Jump to last night. I leave work at 5, have to deposit this “found money” in the bank in our vacation fund, and stop at the athletic store for inserts for my sneakers. (I’m having a horrible time during my workouts on the elliptical with my toes going painfully numb! – I thought those gel inserts might help, since I have tried replacing my shoes and that didn’t seem to matter.)
Grab what I need, head out to my car. It won’t start. Now, I have a nice, good car. A 2003. I have headlights and radio and the like, but it won’t start. It won’t click. It won’t even TRY to turn over. Nothing. I make sure it’s in Park. I make sure the steering wheel isn’t locked. I try and I try and I try. Nothing.
Reach for my cell. No cell. Now, I am NEVER without my cell phone, especially since LM gets home before I do, and it’s his way of reaching me if he needs something. No cell phone.
So, I go into Staples and call my ex husband, he gives me the number for the local Ford dealer down the road, and he’ll call LM and let him know I’ve run into troubles.
Ford Dealer can’t look at my car now. Maybe tomorrow.
I go across the street to AutoZone. VERY NICE man comes out and looks at my car for me and says it’s either a wire to the starter or the starter. He can’t seem to get under the car enough to just whack it and get it to start for me (a comforting thought and all) so I’ll have to have it towed. He suggests I tow it to Pep Boys. We go back to Auto Zone (dodging traffic across the highway like Frogger) and they call Pep Boys. They MIGHT be able to look at it around 8:30.
Trying to get a tow took forever, but finally a very nice kid named Bruce came and towed me the ½ mile to Pep Boys. $64.
Pep Boys will run a diagnostic on it, but if it’s the starter they probably won’t be able to fix it until the morning. Dreadful issue, since I just started a new job and all. Means I’ll have to find someone to rent me a car at this hour and deal with that headache.
Meanwhile, I call my ex, he went to my house, took my dog out and is on his way to meet me at Pep Boys with LM with my cell phone. What a guy! They show up, he is going to take LM to get some dinner, do I want anything (no, I’m too stressed to eat, but thanks) and to call him if I get some information.
Pep Boys establishes it IS the starter and one of the guys says he can put it in right then for me. HALLELUJAH! My ex swings back by and drops off LM after they eat and makes sure that we are good to go before he leaves.
The cost of the new starter: $316. Grand total for the evening: $380.
I got home after 9pm and finally got on the elliptical for my workout at 9:30 (I had some stress to work out). Halfway through the workout, with my new gel inserts and all, my feet hurt worse than ever and now I don’t even have room enough in my shoes to wiggle my toes to TRY to get feeling back in them.) I finish my workout feeling like I’m at a complete loss for how to remedy this issue. Redheads are notorious for bad circulation, but this is ridiculous!!
All things considered, I went to bed feeling so blessed. Blessed for finding that check just when I needed it. Blessed for having a good enough relationship with my ex to have him be so generous with his time, and to help with LM. Blessed for having the car problem resolved last night instead of spilling into today and costing me more money and aggravation. Truly, I am blessed.
Sorting through my “important papers” on Wednesday in order to get my tax paperwork in order I was looking over my escrow analysis report that came about a month ago. My escrow had been figured wrong when I bought my home and the second year I had to pay significantly more to compensate, so this year we are finally “caught up” and back to where I should be. I was looking over the various numbers and saw at the bottom of the form, in the exact colors of the form and not at all looking like it was important, was a check. Or what appeared to be a check. It took me about 15 minutes of trying to read the fine print on the back of the form to realize this is reimbursement for overpayment last year (can’t these people get the figures right?!). The check is for $400. I probably would never have noticed it if I hadn’t just decided to look more carefully at the numbers on the report.
Jump to last night. I leave work at 5, have to deposit this “found money” in the bank in our vacation fund, and stop at the athletic store for inserts for my sneakers. (I’m having a horrible time during my workouts on the elliptical with my toes going painfully numb! – I thought those gel inserts might help, since I have tried replacing my shoes and that didn’t seem to matter.)
Grab what I need, head out to my car. It won’t start. Now, I have a nice, good car. A 2003. I have headlights and radio and the like, but it won’t start. It won’t click. It won’t even TRY to turn over. Nothing. I make sure it’s in Park. I make sure the steering wheel isn’t locked. I try and I try and I try. Nothing.
Reach for my cell. No cell. Now, I am NEVER without my cell phone, especially since LM gets home before I do, and it’s his way of reaching me if he needs something. No cell phone.
So, I go into Staples and call my ex husband, he gives me the number for the local Ford dealer down the road, and he’ll call LM and let him know I’ve run into troubles.
Ford Dealer can’t look at my car now. Maybe tomorrow.
I go across the street to AutoZone. VERY NICE man comes out and looks at my car for me and says it’s either a wire to the starter or the starter. He can’t seem to get under the car enough to just whack it and get it to start for me (a comforting thought and all) so I’ll have to have it towed. He suggests I tow it to Pep Boys. We go back to Auto Zone (dodging traffic across the highway like Frogger) and they call Pep Boys. They MIGHT be able to look at it around 8:30.
Trying to get a tow took forever, but finally a very nice kid named Bruce came and towed me the ½ mile to Pep Boys. $64.
Pep Boys will run a diagnostic on it, but if it’s the starter they probably won’t be able to fix it until the morning. Dreadful issue, since I just started a new job and all. Means I’ll have to find someone to rent me a car at this hour and deal with that headache.
Meanwhile, I call my ex, he went to my house, took my dog out and is on his way to meet me at Pep Boys with LM with my cell phone. What a guy! They show up, he is going to take LM to get some dinner, do I want anything (no, I’m too stressed to eat, but thanks) and to call him if I get some information.
Pep Boys establishes it IS the starter and one of the guys says he can put it in right then for me. HALLELUJAH! My ex swings back by and drops off LM after they eat and makes sure that we are good to go before he leaves.
The cost of the new starter: $316. Grand total for the evening: $380.
I got home after 9pm and finally got on the elliptical for my workout at 9:30 (I had some stress to work out). Halfway through the workout, with my new gel inserts and all, my feet hurt worse than ever and now I don’t even have room enough in my shoes to wiggle my toes to TRY to get feeling back in them.) I finish my workout feeling like I’m at a complete loss for how to remedy this issue. Redheads are notorious for bad circulation, but this is ridiculous!!
All things considered, I went to bed feeling so blessed. Blessed for finding that check just when I needed it. Blessed for having a good enough relationship with my ex to have him be so generous with his time, and to help with LM. Blessed for having the car problem resolved last night instead of spilling into today and costing me more money and aggravation. Truly, I am blessed.
Comments
melanie
Thanks for reminding me that we can find blessings even in our trials! (Especially then, actually.) What a great post!
Have a blessed week, Amy!
This has inspired me to have a good outlook (until the next idiot cuts me off in traffic anyway!)
Good for you!
Have a great weekend.