The difference a year makes
I had my car inspected this week. Apparently I was also fortunate that prior to having the car inspected that it had continued stopping when I applied the brakes. My car is now safer, and my wallet lighter. As an added bonus, the vent fan runs at all speeds now, instead of only 3 and 4.
Roughly a year ago I had my car inspected at the same place. It was a rough day. It was about 94deg outside. I called to check on the car and was told it would be ready by 5:00, so when I got home at 5:30, I had DH drop me off at the repair shop. It turns out that the car wasn't going to be ready for at least an hour. I was hungry. Really hungry. And tired. And irritated. I was just shy of 3 months pregnant, and had just reluctantly gotten out the maternity pants. Maternity pants were making me mad that day. I didn't have a cell phone on me, nor did I have a quarter for the pay phone. I was too irrational and iritable to ask to use the shop's phone to call DH to come back and pick me up. I decided to walk the 1.5 miles home rather than wait.
1.5 miles wouldn't have been a problem in and of itself, but 3/4ths of that first mile were up a very steep hill. Here in the 'burbs, the car is king, and therefore there are no sidewalks. I dodged traffic crossing state Rt.8 and started the hike, convincing myself that the low 90's weren't that hot.As I began the hike up the hill I had ample time to reflect on the first half of that day. That morning my work group had been called into an unscheduled meeting and informed that half of our jobs were being eliminated. We were called into one-on-one meetings to find out which half.
Halfway up the hill, righteous indignation was quickly wearing away into a vague feeling of foolishness that was magnified when an aquaintance pulled up behind me and, shocked to see me climbing the hill, offered me a ride. I felt simultaneously stupid and grateful.
My position was one of those eliminated, but this was a back-handed blessing. I was offered another job within the company. This meeting was the culmination of five years of watching the business struggle and wondering when the axe was going to drop. I briefly explained my situation to the friend who gave me a lift, hoping that I would look less like a loon in light of the circumstances. I'm not sure it worked.
Here it is, almost one year later. I've got a new(ish) job, a new baby, and a new brake job. I didn't bother to check when the car would be ready. I just made plans to pick it up after hours. This time DH didn't leave the parking lot until I was in the car right behind him. This year, I drove myself back up the hill.
Roughly a year ago I had my car inspected at the same place. It was a rough day. It was about 94deg outside. I called to check on the car and was told it would be ready by 5:00, so when I got home at 5:30, I had DH drop me off at the repair shop. It turns out that the car wasn't going to be ready for at least an hour. I was hungry. Really hungry. And tired. And irritated. I was just shy of 3 months pregnant, and had just reluctantly gotten out the maternity pants. Maternity pants were making me mad that day. I didn't have a cell phone on me, nor did I have a quarter for the pay phone. I was too irrational and iritable to ask to use the shop's phone to call DH to come back and pick me up. I decided to walk the 1.5 miles home rather than wait.
1.5 miles wouldn't have been a problem in and of itself, but 3/4ths of that first mile were up a very steep hill. Here in the 'burbs, the car is king, and therefore there are no sidewalks. I dodged traffic crossing state Rt.8 and started the hike, convincing myself that the low 90's weren't that hot.As I began the hike up the hill I had ample time to reflect on the first half of that day. That morning my work group had been called into an unscheduled meeting and informed that half of our jobs were being eliminated. We were called into one-on-one meetings to find out which half.
Halfway up the hill, righteous indignation was quickly wearing away into a vague feeling of foolishness that was magnified when an aquaintance pulled up behind me and, shocked to see me climbing the hill, offered me a ride. I felt simultaneously stupid and grateful.
My position was one of those eliminated, but this was a back-handed blessing. I was offered another job within the company. This meeting was the culmination of five years of watching the business struggle and wondering when the axe was going to drop. I briefly explained my situation to the friend who gave me a lift, hoping that I would look less like a loon in light of the circumstances. I'm not sure it worked.
Here it is, almost one year later. I've got a new(ish) job, a new baby, and a new brake job. I didn't bother to check when the car would be ready. I just made plans to pick it up after hours. This time DH didn't leave the parking lot until I was in the car right behind him. This year, I drove myself back up the hill.
