Buying Cars/Life/Helping Friends

This is a long one, so settle in....

Sometimes I wonder what sort of life I live.....don't get me wrong, I am involved at the school (probably too much), I am busy with Nolan's soccer club (SUCKER), and I am driving with Mason and Grant for the weekend to Kalispell, MT for a hockey tournament.  I know CRAZY, but that is what you do these days.

Buying Cars....

One thing I learned about my husband is that he does not like driving old cars.  Funny part is - they are not really that old.  When we got married, he had a Fiesta.  He bought it new with 13.9% interest.  Ford was the only company that would finance him since he was a foreigner.  Little did they know they would gain a customer for LIFE.  As most of you know, that car died by deer.  Replaced by the 2000 Explorer that he did not believe we deserved and was self conscious about for about 20 mins.  Now, pay attention, this gets complicated.  I was driving a 1995 Subaru.  It was the first NEW car I had ever owned and we bought it to get me credit history since I had NONE.  In 2004, Grant and I traded cars because I was having a baby and he thought the bigger car was good for me and the baby.  That lasted 9 months.  The Subaru at that time had 180,000 miles on it.  The first night he came home and said, "Ang, the gas gauge does not work."  I replied with, "Just hit the trip odometer and when it gets to 300 miles, get gas."  The next night he came home and said, "The passenger seat is wet."  I said, "Oh, I forgot to tell you, when it is raining you have to park uphill so that the sunroof doesn't leak."  And then the last night he came home he said, "Ang, the car is running rough."  I said, "No worries, it just misfired.  Turn it off and wait.  They turn it on and drive it a while.  The check engine light will go off in five successful trips."  Grant was done and we bought the Focus.  I never liked the Focus.  It was great on dry payment and really how many times does that happen here????  Shortly after that, I got cancer.  Everything went into conservative mode EXCEPT vacations.  And then close to our 20th wedding anniversary, Grant said we should buy a new car and I should drive it.  I said, "Only if we are replacing the Focus."  We got a great deal on a Ford C-Max, traded in the Focus (good reddens) and we were done.  Grant got the Explorer, now 14 and 173,000 miles, but he was only going to the train station and back.  The first night he came home and said, "Ang, the gas gauge does not work."  I replied with, "Just hit the trip odometer and when it gets to 250 miles and get gas."  The next night he came home and said, "The rear wiper doesn't work"  I said, "Oh, I forgot to tell you, when you close the back just pull it out and it will work great until you open the back again."  And then the last night he came home he said, "Ang, the compass doesn't work."  I thought, "Seriously, you are going to the train station - can you not find your way home???, but said, "I can get one from the auto store."  But Grant was done and he found an Expedition that we had to drive to Yakima to purchase.  Two new cars in four months.  Don't worry he drives the "old" car.  WHATEVER.  This is my second new car in my life.  This is Grant's 4th.  Don't let him fool you when he tells you how poor he was.....

Life....

People always tell me what a great parent I am.  Seriously?  Have you read my blog?  I am pretty sure no one is taking my advice on potty training - remember, I made Nolan paid for his diapers.  But here is a new one for the books.  We have entered the life of "too many options".  For example, Mason on Tuesday had school and then track until 5:00 but I had to pick him up at 4:30 to go to guitar.  I was all motherly and stuff saying things to myself that I was going to bring him a mini meal between track and guitar and I even bought some fun stuff from Costco to do it with.  Here is the thing, when the rubber hits the road, I ran out of time, picked him up from practice and realized that I did not do ANYTHING that I had planned.  I asked him if he was hungry and he said, "I could eat."  I told him I had a candy in my purse and he dug through it to get it. He then proceeded to eat four cough drops and was pleased as punch with his discovery.  I sent my eldest boy to guitar with one hard toffee and four cough drops in his stomach and all he had to say was, "Mom, I really love cough drops!"  I rolled my eyes and thought, "Good thing because now they are a food group." Parental fail.

Helping Friends....

Two people in my life have been diagnosed with cancer in the last two months.  One an old dear friend and one a "compadre" at school.  Today, I went to my compadre's first chemo appointment.  It was at a different hospital for me, but as usual, I busted through the doors no problem.  She did AMAZING.  We thought we were in the clear and when I was going to leave, I hugged her and then she looked at me and said, "My back is starting to hurt."  Knowing what had happened to me, I briskly (to the point of screaming down the hall) got to her nurse and said, "Her back is hurting.  You need to come now."  Everything was stopped and in 20 mins she was okay.  She got more premeds and started again.  My Mom was watching the kids, Grant was making it home, Nolan had soccer practice and I was the driver for him and Hunter, etc.  but I wasn't leaving her.  Elaine never left me and I had stopped breathing.  And this is what I love.....Hunter's Grandpa offered to take the kids so my Mom could go home and Grant could be with Mason.  No question, no hesitation, no nothing.  Before he offered (or was asked), Grant was going to releave my Mom at the soccer field and Mason as going to be home because honestly, I could not leave her and and her family.  I also think Mason thought he could sneek in some screen time.  In any case, this shit is scary.  But she did it and I held it together.  I know all the things that could happen and I pushed it down.  Her daughter was watching me and I had to push it down.  I ALMOST stared an argument with God, but there was no time for that.  I got there at 10:15am and I left at 7pm.  I learned more about her and her family and got to know what an amazing person she is.  It is not all work, it is time beautifully spent.  I hope I helped and I know I did.  Something should come of my journey, something more than my little life in South King County Washington.  In any case, she finished with flying colors and now we know what needs to happen so that she can do it successfully.  Check.  Next, my dear old friend that I helped douse with a ice filled cooler outside during a winter wedding at Silver Star and then locked him outside because he threw my husband's glasses on the dance floor.......but that was a lifetime ago.........love you R!

Happy Wednesday, Ang