Today I am thankful because it is my lucky day.
At least it has been so far....(knock on wood).
I had to take the day off because my braggart gun toting neighbor and his wife likes to scream threats at my exterminator.
Yeah...I signed a one year contract with an exterminator when my ex left the house and we found nests of mice in his bedroom.
The exterminator was afraid to cause trouble by calling the Aurora police -so- I stayed home and planned to park the Hypnomobile in front of my house so that my neighbors knew I was home.
That was when I noticed the orange puddles under my '89 Buick. The weekend before, I was in my hometown at a St. Patty's day parade when my coolant light came on. I pulled over and found black sludge in the coolant reservoir. I went to YouTube and found that this was fairly common, so I let it go.
Well....it turns out that the sludge was motor oil.
Still.....
if it weren't for parking in front of my house, I wouldn't have noticed the coolant puddles under the car.
My ex ruined the mini-van I gave him.
He left numerous puddles in the garage. I put stacks of flattened boxes over them to sop up the liquid. I parked over the boxes so any leaks wouldn't be seen.
I drove the car to the mechanic three blocks away.
The damage was $1,321.98.
The car needed brakes. I knew that. The car also needed a water pump as I'd come home with Dexcool on my socks (it leaked through the dashboard). I had to refill the coolant every few days.
I expected to need to do suspension work. The car was awfully squeaky!
Low and behold, the engine needed work. The intake manifolds were deteriorating (which explains why the car went from 0-55 mph in seven minutes).
I pulled out my credit card and sucked up the inevitable. I'm going to be in a lot more debt. The lawyers maxed out one of my cards trying to get answers out of Michael and his Colorado taxpayer funded lawyers.
I used another credit card and walked home. This card has a 34% interest rate. I fretted about how I was going to pay it off in 30 days.
The exterminator sprayed the house.
I went outside to put kitty litter in the puddle.
My neighbors were quiet.
I checked the mail.
In the box was an envelope from the State of Colorado with a check for $1.324.00.
Apparently, they had intercepted my ex-husband's Federal tax refund.
I have $2 to spare!
I'd buy lotto tickets but I think I've used up my luck for a while.
That will probably be the only bit of child support we see. I never asked to collect it before.
This was the first time he ever paid anything. I don't think he'll allow himself to get a tax refund in the future.
Thank you, Michael.
Rather than complaining and worrying about how to pay for the college courses and fees of the eldest, the testing fees of the middle child and the braces of the youngest - I'll count my blessings.
Having a car will help me continue to drive for spare cash.
That will help us survive without child support.
How lucky am I?
May your luck be as great as mine was on this day.
Love ya,
S.
P.S. I got my car back.
I'm missing a hubcap -but- at least the thing runs.
I found a hubcap on Ebay for $19 with shipping - maybe someday I'll splurge. I want to get hubcaps with hypnotic spiral centers anyway.
I'll have to replace some of the fuses, the lights are going a little haywire.
The car isn't squeaking as much. I wonder what he did?
I'm happy it runs.
It shot up to 85 mph.
I'm so thankful there were no officers behind me.
I have to stop standing on the gas while driving up hills now.
I also need to save for a new fuel pump. My mechanic didn't say a word -but- now I smell gasoline when I check the oil.
The car is running better.
I am the proud owner of a happy Hypnomobile.
It's nice to not be afraid to drive to the store now.
When you finally get around to counting your blessings - you'll find them to be plentiful.
Cheers!