The Longest Day/My Husband, My Hero/One is the Loneliest Number

Yesterday was a long day. It started out well enough--no school for the kids, so I didn't have to get up quite as early to make sure they were up and getting ready after my walk. Christina had spent the night at her cousins, as she was going to babysit there. Mark was planning to work with Tim, so I knew Tim would make sure he was up.

Raven and I enjoyed our walk in only semi-darkness, and the sun had made a full appearance when we got home. I got ready for work and headed out the door. Since it was a holiday, things weren't too crazy at work, partly because there was no mail to deal with.

I was heading out the door for home, brought my lunch bag and purse with me, and started off. Tim and the kids were home, so I was looking forward to a nice evening.

Just as I was struggling with traffic, about 10 minutes from the office, my check engine light came on. I couldn't really tell what the problem was at first, because traffic was already slow, but then I realized I couldn't accelerate. I was able to get off on the shoulder and somehow managed to make it to the next exit. Thank goodness for cell phones and my husband at the other end. He got me to a late-night service station and I went in for a diagnostic test.

Turns out that my TSP sensor wasn't working properly. (I know, I didn't know I had a TSP sensor.) Apparently that is something that keeps the accelerator pedal working properly. So, they called around to find a part. No luck. Then Tim told me to have them try the Toyota dealership down the street which is open till 11. They were not sure it would be worth the call, because they said Toyota had only service open, not parts, but they did call and found that parts was open after all. That was the good news. The bad news was that they did not have the TSP part.

So, Tim did some more checking and found that Toyota city on the north end of town had the part. If he could get it down to the south end of town, where I was, by 9:30, they could install it and I could be on my merry way.

While I was waiting for Tim, I went next door to Perkins for supper. They seated me at a booth, which seemed very large for one person. I missed my husband. I watched as other families and friends came in for social meetings, but noticed two older gentlemen came in separately and sat alone at their respective booths as well. I had just spoken to a man at work who had lost his wife in 2004, and was donating all her things to charity. He had read about the Salvation Army's website. I was able to print out a list of items from the site with estimates on value of personal items for him. I imagined how hard it must have been to part with so much and to have to be dealing with her loss all over again as he faced the tax season and collected paperwork.

After I finished my meal and was walking back to the station, Tim pulled up in his white cube van, looking to me like a knight in shining armor. He had the part! We went inside, and they promised to have it ready in an hour. Tim hadn't eaten yet (although I had a turkey breast in the crockpot at home), so he had some broasted chicken at the service station/convenience store.

I could tell Tim was tired from all the running around he had done, so I sent him back home and I continued to wait for the truck to be finished. Finally at 10:20 pm, it was finished. About 90 minutes after they started. I was grateful for the lady who had been there earlier who had purchased a People magazine, read it cover to cover, and offered it for my pleasure, which I read from cover to cover. (I wished I had asked Tim to bring a Bible down!)

Anyway, I paid the bill ($161.87) and got a free carwash for my ordeal. I went out to the carwash and found I had misaligned the tires, so I had to back up and start over again. It was nice to finally be through the wash, clean as a whistle, and back on the road. Of course, I got turned around at the unfamiliar exit ramp, and ended up heading east instead of west, but I got myself straightened out. I arrived home to find Tim sound asleep and the kids finishing up homework. Christina had cleaned the house and it looked spotless. Mark was struggling through Spark notes of Huck Finn's last chapters--he had been hoping I'd be home to read to him. I wished he had come down to keep me company and I could have spent the four hours at the station reading Huck Finn instead of about the latest twist in Michael Jackson's misfortunes.

I went to bed, only to find I couldn't sleep. I got up, went to the computer, and read some blogs. Then I crawled back under the covers, laid next to Tim's fist (he told me this morning that he was trying to hold onto me, not punch me) and fell asleep.

Today promises to be uneventful. I am so glad to have my Tundra Truck running so I can go to the grocery store today and Bible study tomorrow (they originally thought it might not be ready till tomorrow!).

Till next time,


Suzi