Hope you all enjoyed your weekend, and are having a good start to the new week!  My weekend didn’t go as we had planned, especially on Saturday, when we were to go to my sisters for a day together in her new home, cookout, etc., etc..  We had some major car trouble … oh, no, that’s not my car up there, )  .. although we did own one of those back in 1984 … I love the old cars, and that one ran great, too!  Hmmm, wonder whatever happened to it once we sold it to my brother?!  Ya think … nah, couldn’t be!  This is one we see often … it sits out in the country on the way to hubby’s sister’s house.  Just thought I’d use it for effect!  Did it work?! Lol!  Well, anyway, here’s what really happened with our car over the weekend …..  

* Got a late start to my sister’s house on Saturday morning.

* Missed the exit for our turn … should have printed out a map  =(

* Went 40 minutes north of our turn … when we went to turn around, our brakes totally failed!

* Thank God for His protection over us, for cell phones, and for AAA … we had just renewed, too! 
   Called for a tow, not knowing where we were, exactly … and couldn’t see any mile markers!

* Waited 45 minutes on a highway with 80mph traffic whizzing by, shaking the car!
   We were wishing we had brought some snacks along, the raw hamburger in the cooler didn’t sound too appetizing!

* Tow truck finally showed up with another truck following … couldn’t put us both in the tow truck …
   only one extra seat belt, and they have insurance issues, so hubby rode in the extra truck with me, as we
   followed our car to their service garage.  They said they could probably get the brakes fixed within 2 hours.

* They looked at the brakes … yep, brake line broke … and much, much more!  They said something about the bushings, 
   and was surprised that the engine hadn’t fallen out!  They also mentioned an A-Frame, etc., (?) … it was all Greek to
   me, but I did know one thing … this ‘Greek’ sounded very expensive!  We would get in touch with a mechanic down near
   where we live.

* We had a few hours left, so we decided to have them tow it to my sisters house 40 minutes from where we were at their
    service garage, then spend a little time with them before getting it towed a second time … ALL THE WAY HOME! 

* From their house, hubby called a mechanic back home … he comes highly recommended by family members. 
   They told him to bring our car to their lot that night, and they’d get to itm and give us an estimate on Monday.

* While waiting to call for our final tow, we ate the best grilled turkey burgers (my nephew’s recipe), and delicious 
   salad.  Enjoyed their beautiful new home … I’m so happy for them! 

* We then put our ‘order’ in for the next tow truck.  Waited about 45 minutes.  
   Lewis rode with the driver as we started home.  The severe storms were rolling in, the temps were dropping.

* My brother-in-law and sister followed them, in their car, with me in tow!  I couldn’t fit in that tow truck, either …
   it would have been so cramped for that long drive back, and they didn’t mind taking me, then driving both of us home
   once the car was dropped off at the mechanics. 
  
* And it was a very long drive in extremely bad weather … storms, lots of rain, wind, lightning. 
   Semi’s flying by at 70+mph!  White knuckled, and praying all the way!

* We finally arrived, after those 2+ long hours, only to find that the gate on the mechanic’s lot was locked!!!!!

* Dilemma … no where to leave it, so we had to have him tow it back to our house, and we’d have to get it towed,
   AGAIN, on Monday morning.

* By the time we got home, and fell into bed, it was midnight … I was totally exhausted from the stress of the day!

* Went to church Sunday for a much needed time of refreshing!

* After church, we were invited to go to dinner at Kabuto’s … a Japanese style restaurant where they cook the food
   right in front of you.  That was so good … and cheap too … I’m definitely into ‘cheap’!

* Ran a few errands after that, and headed home for rest … I baked some pumpkin bread first …
   we needed some comfort food after all that had happened!

* Monday morning: another call to AAA … car towed, AGAIN, to the mechanic’s. 
   Lewis followed to see what all would need to be done to get it running again.

* He waited for an estimate, and we prayed. 
   We were very concerned as to how much ALL of this would cost us.

* Finally, he called me, from the mechanics, with the estimate.  What seemingly would have cost us upwards to $1000 
   … miracle of miracles … is only going cost us $420 — $460!!  Praise the Lord!  They’re taking out the whole front      
   end, and redoing it, with some welding involved … like I said, it’s all Greek to me … they also have to repair the
   broken brake line, and then possibly, realign it, if it needs it.  Our car is a ’98 Buick LaSabre, and has been such a
   good car through the years, but, I was beginning to think that if it had cost us an arm and leg, we might have seriously 
   considered looking for another car!  If we were to buy another one, it would have to be the same, maybe a year 
   or two younger … the engines have long lives in those cars!  Some friends of ours have one, and it has 350,000
   miles on it, and is still going strong … we have 190,000 miles on ours!  Hmmm, must be some healthy Energizer 
   bunnies in there!  Lol!! 

* Well, after that HUGE sigh of relief … hubby drove down in his work van, and broke his daddy out of the
   nursing  home.  He used his car, and drove him to the north side of town so he could see his golfing buddies,
   and have lunch with him … they had a great father-son day together!  I know Lewis misses that with Ian.
 
* They may not get our car completely finished until Wednesday.  That’s fine … no plans for travel until Thursday.

* I made a pot of chili last night … more comfort food … it was very cool here yesterday, so it hit the spot.

* Well, that’s the recap of my weekend.  It’s been a long one, but God has been, and is faithful in all things! 
  
* I do hope you all have a terrific Tuesday!  See you soon!  Hugs ~ Deborah <><

 P.S.  I finally got back into the photo contest over on iliveinmycamera …
                       go take a peek at the new theme on ’BOOKS’, and vote for your favorite! 
                       And, if you like to take photos, get in on the next theme! The more the merrier!