Spending Quality Time with the Local Sheriffs Department

I tell you there is never a dull moment around here anymore. With only 8 more days left this year you would think and hope that I could make it the remaining 192 hours of the year with little to minor incidents...

You. Would. Think.

Not. The. Case.

I've had an antifreeze issue with the truck for some time now... we've replaced belts and hoses and gauges and gaskets. And by we I mean my stepdad ;) It was fixed for awhile (we made it to California with no incident). A couple of days ago I noticed I was low on fluid again... so I filled it up... then a squeaking started... I figured at best that only left the water pump and put it on the list of things to get done during my holiday time off.

I did, however, run into town to pick up some more antifreeze... and then it happened. I heard a clunk and lost my power steering. I figured I'd just lost my power steering. That's no biggie... I learned how to drive in vehicles with no power steering... then the temp gauge started climbing again (and I knew it wasn't because I was low on antifreeze... I had just emptied the latest gallon in)... so I pulled over... and after getting out in the FREEZING cold I discovered that the fan belt had slipped off (which apparently is something that happens when the bearings start to go out in the water pump)... and that the fan had sliced right through the belt so I stood no chance of slipping it back on in the dark of night. That $8 a year I pay for a tow package... THE BEST MONEY I SPEND EVERY YEAR! One call to the number on the back of my card and an assurance of a tow in 90 minutes...

NINETY MINUTES... I asked them if that was the best they could do because it's THIRTEEN degrees out here and I have NO HEAT since I have no way to run the vehicle without causing more damage... and nope... sorry that's the e.t.a.

Lucky for me the nice sheriff's office deputy pulled up to check on me and since it was a slow night and the other two officers on duty didn't need any back up he let me hang out in his truck with him. Awwww... wasn't that sweet? You've got to love a small town. And since I went to school with a third of the deputies at the jail... worked with the wives of a couple of the patrol deputies... and worked for the father of one of the dispatch gals... we had plenty to visit about for NINETY MINUTES...

The tow truck guy was just as nice. He offered to drive me home, but since I don't live in the town proper he couldn't because the company would check the mileage. I felt bad because I didn't have any cash on me so I had nothing to tip him with. When I asked him for his name so that I could send him an envelope later he beamed and declared that his name was, "Santa Claus." Yeah... real sweet...

Luckily after a couple of phone calls I was able to get a hold of a friend to come pick me up at the garage where the truck was towed to... she wanted to drive me to get something to eat before I got home and I told her not to worry about it because I'd started a roast in the crock pot when I ran home for lunch... when I walked in the door I discovered that the house did not smell of roast... because apparently the outlet that I plugged the pot into required the light switch be on to operate... so all I'd managed to do was marinate the roast...

So while I should be thanking God for the three angels he sent my way tonight... what I really want to know is... WHEN IS ENOUGH ENOUGH?????