Its that time again!

Turns out Imaginary Kenny was right. I did hit something. Something indeed.

Whether it was a rock, or a hunk of black ice, or spiked mace placed in the road by the devil himself, the object in question somehow ripped a hole in my transmission. And yesterday, as Matt and I went sliding down the snowy hill of doom, a stringy trail of fluid the color of burnt sienna was left in our wake.

Then the check engine light decided to alert me something was wrong.

Scott and Chelsea came to our aid, as we were on our way to go have lunch with them anyway. Taking advice from Real Kenny, the boys went to get more transmission fluid in hopes that the leak was a slow one and we would be able to make it two blocks home. Chels and I waited in the car waving by the endless amount of gracious people that stopped to check on us. Including some parents of my students.

Don't get me wrong - it is wonderful that I live in a town where so many people are kind enough to stop for strangers. But I hate to burst people's bubble after they triumphantly run down to my car, happy to be doing their good deed for the day.

"Nope. Sorry. Where just waiting. Thanks for stopping." Over and over again. And to my defense, in Missouri Driver's Ed class, I was taught NOT to talk to strangers when your car breaks down. I was told to call Triple A, sit in the car with the doors locked and wait.

Honestly, do you think if I was desperate for help I would just be sitting calmly in my car just waiting for someone to pull off to the side and rescue me? No that would be more like the time I was pacing up and down the sidewalk in front of the AutoZone in a state that doesn't match my license plates talking on my cell phone with tears streaming down my face. That's when I need help. Luckily an Angel in khaki pants and a blue collar name badge that said "Kelly" decided to spent the next four hours replacing my alternator. For nothing but a handshake.

I have Kenny's boss looking at my car now. My gut tells me it's just a leak. I've had two cars that pooped out their transmission. Before yesterday, Rosie has shown no signs of transmission failure. She's been running great for the last 5 months. But the thing is....do I want to fork out ANOTHER couple hundred dollars? With as much money as we sink into that car every few months we might as well be making car payments AND have someone take our car away for a week at a time.

I don't know.

The thing is, it is so frustrating trying to coordinate my work schedule, my other work schedule, Matt's work schedule, and Matt's school schedule with ONE SINGLE CAR. That is why we pay top dollar for a close apartment no bigger than a shoebox. If it weren't for the awesome friends we have....I don't know what we would do to get to work. I am eternally grateful to them all. Kenny, Aubrey, Scott&Chelsea, Andy&Lacey, Bill.

The real kicker is...I knew this was going to happen. Believe it or not. About a week before Christmas, I got a feeling of doom I couldn't ignore, like I always do before the car or computer fritz out. I now account that to the reason I was so nauseous and for all the dizzy headaches. I would just walk around the apartment so anxious I didn't know what to do with myself. I kept thinking...something is wrong. Then the rational side of myself, as small as it is, would say just relax, nothing is wrong. But I couldn't.

The sad thing is: It wasn't Rosie's fault this time. It was mine. Or the Devil's. Investigation is still underway.

WWKD?

I had a really nice afternoon with Aubrey. We gorged ourselves on pizza and orange sweet rolls while watching "Julie&Julia." Cute movie, but it scared me indefinitely. I felt like half of the dialogue was derived from Matt and my conversations.

"I wish I were a writer."
"You *are* a writer."
"You're not a writer until someone publishes you."

Or the infamous "Can you please not look on the bright side for once?"

Shivers....

Anyway, my point to this story and it's strange title: Driving on my way home I heard a horrific "thump". In the next few seconds the car proceeded to jerk slightly as a continued down the dark snowy highway. In a pre-programed reflex I reached for my cell to call Kenny. But in mid reach Kenny suddenly popped up in a little bubble in my head and said:

"Is your check engine light on?"
No.

"How's the temp gauge?"
Fine....

"Are the RPMs normal."
Yeah...

"Do you hear any strange sounds?"
No.

"Do you smell anything?"
Uh uh.

"Jerk the wheel a little."
Okay.

"Response good?"
Yep.

"You probably just hit something then."
Okay. Thanks Kenny :)

And then he burst back into the thin air from whence he came.

* * *


Because I haven't blogged in forever I've decided to take my sister in law's approach and break this up into sections.

Section 1: Blogging.

Sigh. I just haven't had much to say. (Believe it or not.) Life has been rather routine lately and I couldn't bring myself to bore my two loyal readers. There is always something to write about, I know. But I always put it off and then just forget about it. My students say jaw dropping things everyday. I should just start a blog about that. But I'm making a resolution to blog once a week. Officially. Its not a new years resolution by any means. I wouldn't want to jinx myself.

Section 2: Work.

Walmart still sucks. But at least I only work weekends, and I've arranged it to where I can do absolutely nothing and get away with absolutely anything. I'm goooood ;)

The gym is going great. I'm teaching a lot more grade school classes on top of preschool and they added two more classes to my busy schedule, as well as set up a bed for me in the back. I officially move in on Monday. No seriously I love working with kids this age. They are hilarious and so thoughtful. I feel like they are teaching me so much more than they could ever learn from me.
Even when they are being impossible and Standing there with my hands on my hips thinking, "Come on. Stop crying. You're being ridiculous. Get off the floor. It's not the end of the world."
And then the light bulb comes on and I take a spoonful of my own medicine.

Plus this job keeps me in great shape! Who'd have thought I'd make money doing handstands? But after 4 hours a day of spotting and moving mats around I'm look pretty darn good if I do say so myself. (I LOVE MY JOB!!)

Section 3: My pipe dream.

Ugg. Still a work in progress, but I've started book number two. I just couldn't wait any longer. I was starting to hear the voices again.

Section 4: Mattykins.

Amazing. Wonderful. Perfect. And I'm not just saying that because I'm his wife. I'd be jealous if I wasn't the one who was married to him. Even at the worst times, Matt makes me smile every day. I've been through some pretty humbling trials lately and I know I never would have been able to get through anything without him, and I never will. I must be so annoying to live with and he puts up with all of it with a smile on his face. Oh man, I'm crying now.

We don't fight often, and I'm so glad for that. We've learned in the last year how to be rational with each other and have "discussions" rather than fights. However, we do have the same fight once a month. And then a few days later I find out why....

And I don't know if its because I haven't seen a lot of him lately, but he's so handsome! Since he's been on his break from school I've just been following him around our tiny apartment staring at him. We're going to have the cutest babies someday.

Anyway, he did awesome this semester. Despite his hard classes he made it out alive and with good grades. I'm so proud of him and he amazes me every day with how smart he is. I picked up his notes one day of some sort of math/chemistry/greek and was like, "You actually understand this? There aren't even hardly any numbers in it! What could this squiggle right there possibly mean?"

I'm baffled. I went way out of my budget and bought him a PSP for Christmas because I couldn't think of one reason why he didn't deserve it.


Until next time :)