Lancastranded.

Today was quite pretty. As it turned out my load at work was light enough that I wasn't needed. So, I could've spent the day cleaning the paddocks, rigging the new improved back stair door-closer, putting the newly created door handle on the kid's bathroom door and getting caught up on a my behind, behind, behind in all fronts. But, I am also behind on getting the oil changed in "Denty" the minivan. About 3000 miles behind. Plus, the shocks were suspciously unshocky. The technician estimated 3-4 hours for the repairs. Hmmm. Hate to lose the morning, but kinda need the car to work. So, after putting Youngest on the bus, off to Lancaster to leave my car in the doctor's hands. I went to Wal Mart to get the pictures from our trip to China developed. An hour and a half later, I had chosen all the photos, edited, etc. and the computer dropped my order. Sigh. Repeat. 5 hours after arriving at Wally World, I exited with too many photos and some Burt's Bees Night Creme on clearance.
Now, thinking that surely my car is done, or nearly so, I hoofed it back to the Honda dealer. I walked in the back door of the garage, and noted Denty, up very high with no tires on it and a fellow in a welding mask weilding a spark happy grinder/cutter of some sort inside the wheel well. Sigh. Not done.
So, back on the hoof I wandered my way down the main drag to the mall. Ew. The best thing about a mall is it has ice cream. I occasionally forget that my food handling system doesn't do ice cream. Today, I remembered, so, the mall was.... urging me to get out. So, further down the road. The wind is picking up, the sun is getting low. My kids have all arrived home on their various buses, to an empty home- well, they have Tucker to greet them at least. And I am Lancastranded. Hopeful, I call the dealer, and find that my car is nearly done! They offer to pick me up when they find out I'm a few miles down the road, and a young man chauffers me back to the dealer. I note on the way that application of the brakes causes much sqeaking. So before I drop a lot of zeros on my credit card, they have to take the tires off again and loosen the brakes. Sigh.
I am now home. Poor, and not a thing done. But, I have some horses to go hug, with the kids in tow, so my day is sure to improve now that it is night!

P.S. Find that after the photo-saga, I didn't get the photos from the Middlest's last volleyball game! I dread to go back.... maybe after Christmas I'll feel strong enough. :-)