This is actually for yesterday - it happened yesterday (or, on Memorial Day last year). But instead of writing the blog I spent time with my family, hiking at the local outdoor nature museum, taking my dad to the airport, and swimming with my son and niece. Quite a fitting way to honor 1 year ago today in my opinion.
If you're just joining in, this is my new, short-term series walking you through my life one-year-ago today (which was a series of "todays" that lasted 3 weeks). The story started here, then here. This is part 3 - remember I had a severely injured ankle and my best friend and husband's grandfather had just died on the same day.
Memorial Day 2010 was a much needed day of rest. I believe we went swimming. I also believe a friend brought over dinner. I was still in shock and just trying to remember to breath at that point. We probably took a family nap around 2. I honestly don't remember because I was completely overwhelmed at that point.
I think we probably took a family nap because my husband worked that night. He had called in to take the day off on Sunday to mourn and help me out as he knew it was rough. Monday was a great break because neither of us had to work yet and he had all day to spend with us, at least until nap time. On days my husband works he likes to take a nap and whenever I or the kids are home with him I try to institue "family nap", where we all sleep together (well, at least at the same time). When I can arrange that it is wonderful. So that's probably what we did.
Then my husband headed off to work, probably around 4:30ish, and I believe my kids were still sleeping, at least the 2 younger ones. He took our 2001 Cheverolet Blazer, the default car for the parent who didn't have the kids at the moment - it only sat 2 in the back seat and though that was a comfy 2 it didn't work well with 3 kids. The Corrolla was the only option for the parent who had the kids. Unfortunately, the Blazer, my beloved "Smoky" whom I bought brand new in college, was getting up there in both years (9) and miles (150K?) and was nearing the end of its life. We did what we could with it anyway because both our cars were paid for and we didn't want another car payment.
I probably got up and started cleaning when he left. That's what I do when he leaves for work and I had plenty to do having just moved into the new house. Only 10-15 minutes after he left he called.
He had broken down on the side of the road. It was 100 degrees (or really hot...don't remember the temperature). It was memorial day. The tow truck was on its way but was going to take at least 45 minutes or an hour. He needed me to come rescue him - the car was really overheating.
I remember getting sleeping kids into the car (also why I knew we were napping). I remember going to Sonic to get my husband a grape Dr. Pepper since he was in the heat with no relief and I wanted to bless him. (I got myself a treat too). I remember picking him up and the tow truck arrived about the same time. I remember following the tow truck to the local repair shop. I think the radiator had cracked. I know we left the car at the shop.
I can't remember how we got home. I know my husband went to work that night. I'm guessing he took me and the kids home in the Corrolla, dropped us off, then went into work. I'm guessing. I don't know. I know it was several days before we got the Blazer back. I'm pretty sure anyway. The plan was for us to alternate use of the one car. That was the plan.
I know it's silly and pretty darn minor, but given everything else that had already happened - this was just extra weight on our shoulders. What otherwise would have been a minor inconvenience felt almost unbearably heavy. I'm sure we uttered "what next" a few times....
If only we had known we weren't even close to seeing our last shoe drop yet.
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