As is often the case, I got up a little late even though I woke two or three times between 4:30 & 5:30am to glance at the clock. I guess that last little blast of sleep was a sound one!
The morning had all the makings of a typical Monday. My mood was gloomy, the weather cold, and five long work days lied ahead. I know that’s a pessimistic viewpoint but that’s often how I feel anymore come Monday morning.
Before thinking too heavily about it, I began my exercise routine and whipped it out before 5:55am. Soon, Ykraps and I were out the door walking in the cold wintry morning air. There was yet another light coating of snow on the driveway meaning that it snowed again a little over night. And since my Trooper was parked on the driveway right next to Mindy’s backing lane, I had no choice but to shovel again to help ensure she doesn’t slide into my parked vehicle. Because if she did, I don’t know that I could ever for give her. :)
I was back inside cold and ready for coffee by 6:15am. Mindy was already awake & in the shower when I took hers upstairs, but due to the time I wasn’t surprised. I simply placed her coffee on her lingerie dresser while she showered. I returned to the downstairs to begin phase II of my morning prep.
I read the Daily OM, meditated, packed lunch, and made breakfast. We were all eating as a family by 7:05am. Like always, Mindy and the children left for school at 7:20am. I went up & took a shower.
I was downstairs and ready to go by 7:45am. I warmed the Trooper and scraped the windows several minutes before leaving the house. I was on the road by 7:52am.
It smelt like a Monday at work. But it was nice being off of on-call. I spent the morning screening resumes as well as dealing with a few escalations. I didn’t leave for a run until slightly after 1pm. It was cold so I bundled up with an extra warm under layer. In addition to the cold, there was a very stiff and chilly breeze coming out of the NW. Let’s just say that I was happy to make it to the turnaround and have the wind at my back.
After a shower and before returning to my office, I poked my head in the boss’ office. We chatted for a few. I informed him that I needed to leave early, like 3pm. I had to go rescue daughter Ashley’s car that sat in Grovetucky with a flat tire since she abandoned it Saturday night. The remainder of my work day was brief. I had time to eat lunch and tie up a few loose ends before departing. That's it. I called my dad to see if I could stop by to borrow his hydraulic jack to make the tire change easier. And speaking with Ashley, she didn’t even know if she had a spare.
When I got to my dad’s it was almost 3:20pm. He had everything already sitting out. He had two hydraulic jacks, two tire irons, and an old pillow for me to sit on. Because I knew about it this morning, I already had my winter Carhart’s and gloves packed in the Trooper.
Before driving to Grovetucky, I had to stop at Ashley’s to get the car key. I arrived at the Get-n'-Go on Stringtown Rd a little after 4pm. There it was, sitting covered in fresh snow with a flat on the rear driver’s side. I opened the trunk and moved a ton of miscellaneous crap out of the way to hopefully expose a spare tire. And indeed there was a spare tire under it all. Good deal! I quickly changed into my Carharts then loosened the four lug nuts holding the tire.
After loosening the lugs I jacked up the rear of the car and wedged the cheap little come-with-the-car jack under the passenger side rear wheel to prevent any subsequent sliding. Five minutes after arriving we were cooking with gas, or so I thought. I tried and tried to pull the tire from the brake drum. But no matter what I did it would not budge. It was seized up. I looked for some sort of locking device but there was none. I even resorted to beating the wheel with the heaviest of the two tire irons my dad sent with me. No luck! I called my dad for suggestions. He suggested I sit on my ass in front of the tire and pray! Not really! He suggested that I kick the wheel left then right until it falls off. I tried but again it didn’t budge.
Before giving up, I tried putting air in the tire thinking that I might get lucky. And since the air machine was just a few feet away, that made total sense. But that didn't help either. Last option was to ‘phone a friend’. I called Ken See, a friend and work peer who I remembered lives right around the corner. He is very handy with stuff like this. He was there in five minutes – bless his heart. He suggested a hammer and pry bar, and brought those thigns along. We beat on that thing for ten solid minutes without it budging. We looked again for a locking device of some sort but there wasn’t anything we could see. Out of desperation, I tried beating it one last time. Suddenly, a very minute gap appeared between the wheel and the drum. We kept at it, rotating the wheel a quarter turn or so until we had it loose. Finally!
We put the donut spare in place and that was that- right? Nope!
Rightfully so, Ken suggested checking the pressure in the donut which looked admittedly low. He was right, it had only 15lbs PSI and required about 60lbs PSI. No problem. I started the car then got out to scrape the snow so I could back closer to the air machine. But when I got out I closed the door. But Ashley’s car automatically locks the doors when you get out. Big problem! Now we had the tire fixed but no way to move the car. Oops! We tried all of the keys we each had but none worked.
I phoned Ashley who said that her mom has a spare and that she was at work, which was right around the corner from the Get-n'-Go. Now that’s living right! She called her mom and then called me back. According to Ashley, Kelly would be by in a matter of minutes. And, just like planned, she was there in a matter of minutes. I unlocked the car and backed it to the air pump. Kelly went on home. Ken left too after I thanked him profusely.
I filled all the tires to spec then headed towards Ashley’s house to drop her key or pick her up, which ever she preferred. She chose for me to simply drop the key, and said that her mother would bring her to pick-up the car later.
While driving out of Grovetucky, I happened upon an old co-worker, Chris Combs, at a traffic light. We chatted briefly. We both went on our merry way. I was going to head straight home for being cold and wet ,but last minute I decided to stop back by my dad’s to drop his tools. While doing so I discovered that I had inadvertently placed one of his tire irons in the back of Ashley’s car. I promised to get it at a later date, and the headed home.
Mindy was already home when I arrived. By now, she had already cleaned the house, walked Ykraps, prepped tomorrow’s coffee, and reheated the chili. For that I was most thankful. Before even sitting to eat, I got a warm fire crackling. By the time we finished eating, it was time for the kids to return home. While waiting, I got busy working on my blog. Once the kids arrived Mindy got them upstairs rather quickly and ready for bed. As always, I helped with the read and tuck.
Mindy went to bed earlier than me again tonight. I think that she was in bed by 9pm. I stayed up and read for another hour or so. By the time I went to bed she was out cold.
As is often the case, I got up a little late even though I woke two or three times between 4:30 & 5:30am to glance at the clock. I guess that last little blast of sleep was a sound one!
The morning had all the makings of a typical Monday. My mood was gloomy, the weather cold, and five long work days lied ahead. I know that’s a pessimistic viewpoint but that’s often how I feel anymore come Monday morning.
Before thinking too heavily about it, I began my exercise routine and whipped it out before 5:55am. Soon, Ykraps and I were out the door walking in the cold wintry morning air. There was yet another light coating of snow on the driveway meaning that it snowed again a little over night. And since my Trooper was parked on the driveway right next to Mindy’s backing lane, I had no choice but to shovel again to help ensure she doesn’t slide into my parked vehicle. Because if she did, I don’t know that I could ever for give her. :)
I was back inside cold and ready for coffee by 6:15am. Mindy was already awake & in the shower when I took hers upstairs, but due to the time I wasn’t surprised. I simply placed her coffee on her lingerie dresser while she showered. I returned to the downstairs to begin phase II of my morning prep.
I read the Daily OM, meditated, packed lunch, and made breakfast. We were all eating as a family by 7:05am. Like always, Mindy and the children left for school at 7:20am. I went up & took a shower.
I was downstairs and ready to go by 7:45am. I warmed the Trooper and scraped the windows several minutes before leaving the house. I was on the road by 7:52am.
It smelt like a Monday at work. But it was nice being off of on-call. I spent the morning screening resumes as well as dealing with a few escalations. I didn’t leave for a run until slightly after 1pm. It was cold so I bundled up with an extra warm under layer. In addition to the cold, there was a very stiff and chilly breeze coming out of the NW. Let’s just say that I was happy to make it to the turnaround and have the wind at my back.
After a shower and before returning to my office, I poked my head in the boss’ office. We chatted for a few. I informed him that I needed to leave early, like 3pm. I had to go rescue daughter Ashley’s car that sat in Grovetucky with a flat tire since she abandoned it Saturday night. The remainder of my work day was brief. I had time to eat lunch and tie up a few loose ends before departing. That's it. I called my dad to see if I could stop by to borrow his hydraulic jack to make the tire change easier. And speaking with Ashley, she didn’t even know if she had a spare.
When I got to my dad’s it was almost 3:20pm. He had everything already sitting out. He had two hydraulic jacks, two tire irons, and an old pillow for me to sit on. Because I knew about it this morning, I already had my winter Carhart’s and gloves packed in the Trooper.
Before driving to Grovetucky, I had to stop at Ashley’s to get the car key. I arrived at the Get-n'-Go on Stringtown Rd a little after 4pm. There it was, sitting covered in fresh snow with a flat on the rear driver’s side. I opened the trunk and moved a ton of miscellaneous crap out of the way to hopefully expose a spare tire. And indeed there was a spare tire under it all. Good deal! I quickly changed into my Carharts then loosened the four lug nuts holding the tire.
After loosening the lugs I jacked up the rear of the car and wedged the cheap little come-with-the-car jack under the passenger side rear wheel to prevent any subsequent sliding. Five minutes after arriving we were cooking with gas, or so I thought. I tried and tried to pull the tire from the brake drum. But no matter what I did it would not budge. It was seized up. I looked for some sort of locking device but there was none. I even resorted to beating the wheel with the heaviest of the two tire irons my dad sent with me. No luck! I called my dad for suggestions. He suggested I sit on my ass in front of the tire and pray! Not really! He suggested that I kick the wheel left then right until it falls off. I tried but again it didn’t budge.
Before giving up, I tried putting air in the tire thinking that I might get lucky. And since the air machine was just a few feet away, that made total sense. But that didn't help either. Last option was to ‘phone a friend’. I called Ken See, a friend and work peer who I remembered lives right around the corner. He is very handy with stuff like this. He was there in five minutes – bless his heart. He suggested a hammer and pry bar, and brought those thigns along. We beat on that thing for ten solid minutes without it budging. We looked again for a locking device of some sort but there wasn’t anything we could see. Out of desperation, I tried beating it one last time. Suddenly, a very minute gap appeared between the wheel and the drum. We kept at it, rotating the wheel a quarter turn or so until we had it loose. Finally!
We put the donut spare in place and that was that- right? Nope!
Rightfully so, Ken suggested checking the pressure in the donut which looked admittedly low. He was right, it had only 15lbs PSI and required about 60lbs PSI. No problem. I started the car then got out to scrape the snow so I could back closer to the air machine. But when I got out I closed the door. But Ashley’s car automatically locks the doors when you get out. Big problem! Now we had the tire fixed but no way to move the car. Oops! We tried all of the keys we each had but none worked.
I phoned Ashley who said that her mom has a spare and that she was at work, which was right around the corner from the Get-n'-Go. Now that’s living right! She called her mom and then called me back. According to Ashley, Kelly would be by in a matter of minutes. And, just like planned, she was there in a matter of minutes. I unlocked the car and backed it to the air pump. Kelly went on home. Ken left too after I thanked him profusely.
I filled all the tires to spec then headed towards Ashley’s house to drop her key or pick her up, which ever she preferred. She chose for me to simply drop the key, and said that her mother would bring her to pick-up the car later.
While driving out of Grovetucky, I happened upon an old co-worker, Chris Combs, at a traffic light. We chatted briefly. We both went on our merry way. I was going to head straight home for being cold and wet ,but last minute I decided to stop back by my dad’s to drop his tools. While doing so I discovered that I had inadvertently placed one of his tire irons in the back of Ashley’s car. I promised to get it at a later date, and the headed home.
Mindy was already home when I arrived. By now, she had already cleaned the house, walked Ykraps, prepped tomorrow’s coffee, and reheated the chili. For that I was most thankful. Before even sitting to eat, I got a warm fire crackling. By the time we finished eating, it was time for the kids to return home. While waiting, I got busy working on my blog. Once the kids arrived Mindy got them upstairs rather quickly and ready for bed. As always, I helped with the read and tuck.
Mindy went to bed earlier than me again tonight. I think that she was in bed by 9pm. I stayed up and read for another hour or so. By the time I went to bed she was out cold.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.