Stepping Out

On Monday, I needed to drive to the neighboring town (Raymond) to pick up my wife from the local community college where she was taking a computer course. Along the way, I had to stop at our local Community Services Office (CSO) to submit some requested documentation. Having completed that, I returned to our lemon of a car so I could drive to Raymond.

I never made it there. When I attempted to start the car, nothing happened. I mean absolutely nothing!! No sound at all and this lack of sound signified something my wife and I had been dreading -- dead car. Not a car that needed to be repaired, mind you, but a completely dead car. (We had been warned by a local mechanic that our car had a major problem -- one that is way too expensive for us to fix -- and one day soon the car would simply cease to work at all.)

The CSO in South Bend is on the opposite end of town from where we live. Because I had my dog with me, it meant I couldn't catch a bus. I had to walk.

While walking is a great form of exercise for most people, I have fibromyalgia and degenerative arthritis. I tend to consider a long hike about 2 - 3 blocks; I was about 1 1/2 miles from home. Despite these facts, I had to walk. I called my wife and left her a voice mail, then Heidi and I set off for home.

As Murphy's Law seemed to be at work, I had not walked more than 2 blocks when it began to snow in torrents and a strong west wind hit me in the face. Needless to say, I was not dressed appropriately for this type of adverse weather -- it had been predicted not to commence until around midnight -- I was wearing a light jacket and on old pair of torn up converse high-tops.

So, in a few short minutes, I was freezing my arse off. The rain/sleet/wet snow mixture kept freezing on my glasses and, within two or three blocks, I was sopping wet. As I'm sure anyone could guess, I was not a happy camper!

Wet and miserable, we trudged on. We had completed about 50% of our trek, when my next door neighbor happened by. "Want a lift home," he yelled from his truck. I'm not even sure if I said anything audible, but my face provided the answer. As I climbed into the cab, I said it was very fortuitous that he was there. Not at all, he replied. My wife had called him to ask if he would come fetch me 'n the dog!

I'm very fortunate that my wife was looking out for me and that Larry the neighbor was concerned too. I only ended freezing me arse off for about 3/4 of a mile. Still, I was utterly exhaustive when I arrived home and I've been paying royally for my physical excursion for the past two days.

I won't be posting quite as often as usual because priority number one is shopping for a new car. My parents will assist a lot with the financial end, but I have to find the vehicle.