The handyman gets befuddled...

I am NOT a mechanic; however my dad did raise me to have some knowledge about vehicles and how to make sure that I wouldn't get stranded or let the car blow up! Lessons like, how to jump start a car, how to change the oil, change the alternator, change the plugs and wires, and put on a spare tire. Those are some of the basics that I learned while under his tutelage.

Fast forward to this weekend. We (the whole family...Farm Chick, me, and all the cowboys) were a bit late going to take care of my grandmother for a while (she's needing 24 hour care these days). On our way there, a tire went completely flat while going 65 mph on the highway. CRAP! So I pulled over to the side of the road (it was a two lane road, so we didn't have the benefit of everyone coming on our side being able to just move over to the other lane...there might be someone coming). I hop out and realize I haven't changed a tire in this car yet.

Most of the time when I see a flat coming I'm able to air it up enough to get to the tire shop and just have it fixed, however this tire was a goner and I was going to have to put a spare on it to get to town. On this model of minivan the spare is between the passenger and driver seats under the car. You have to twist a nut in the floorboard just between the seats...(very weird placement), then you're supposed to be able to get the tire out and jack the car up and put the new tire on. However much to my chagrin, this tire would NOT come lose. Of course, the tire that was flat was the right front tire, that coupled with the placement of the spare made it nearly impossible to get ANY access to it! YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!

I have quite a few ME friends(mechanical engineer), this message is for you: "Don't be this stupid with things you do and make the end user so frustrated!"

In the end we had to call the tire shop and have them come get my tire off, go get a used tire, and come back and put that one on.  (all while we were on the side of the road) Then Farm Chick and I had to go back to our house, switch out all the car seats into the other car. She left in a hurry to relieve the grandma watcher and I headed to the shop so they could put a new tire on it. Instead of costing me $10, it cost me $135...that really stinks!

Wonder People

If you have young children you have probably seen Wonder Pets on tv or perhaps DVD. I just have to say that Linny, Tuck, and Ming Ming have nothing on Grammy and a certain young cowboy who lives at the farm. Here's what happened...

Before Pop left the farm to head to his job in the big city, he told me that there was a baby bird stuck in a window well outside the farm house and it needed help. (Of course, he's a superhero by nature but had to get to work on time so he doesn't blow his cover...anyone who knows him knows this is true.)

So right after Pop left, I went to see if the cowboys were up to rustle up some help and the biggest little cowboy was awake and eating a power breakfast of shredded wheat. When he finished his breakfast we went to assess the situation. What we found was just what Pop said...a baby bird (a robin) down in the deepest window well and a worried mommy robin perched on a post nearby. I'm not sure if she was offering suggestions to her youngster or scolding him.

We decided we needed a stepstool and work gloves. We didn't want to touch the baby bird with our hands because the mommy might not let him back in the nest if he smelled like people. Then we put the stepstool down into the window well and waited to see if the baby bird could figure out how to fly/climb/hop up each step...but he didn't and we had to go in after him.

The little guy was really afraid but we caught him and lifted him up safely to the ground where my cowboy/superhero had a talk with him about finding his mom and his nest. It was a very satisfying experience and we're pretty sure the baby and mommy birds were very grateful.

In fact, they have probably told the other animals around here that we're okay and can be trusted...you know...the word gets around.

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"What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it." Matthew 10:29 (New Living Translation)

The Princess and the Pain

As you may already know, Pretty Princess suffered a serious injury recently. Time has been hard to come by and blogging about this event just had to wait...but now it's time.

Pop and I got one of the calls parents don't want to get in the wee hours of the night on April 11th from Romeo that Pretty Princess had been in an accident and he needed to know which hospital to take her to. He quickly added that it wasn't a car accident and had to tell us that they had been setting up a mattress on the floor for a friend of his who was spending the night and they were jumping on it...they got tangled up and he fell on her leg...they heard a pop and she was in a lot of pain.

Romeo's older brother called their mom and dad who live nearby to get some help with this emergency and of course, Romeo's mom said they HAD to call Princess' mom and dad to find out where to take her for treatment. They loaded up the Princess (but not in a pumpkin carriage) and took her to the emergency room where they learned that she had multiple fractures in her leg and ankle and would require surgery which they scheduled for the following Monday.

Pop and I discussed the best course of action for us knowing that a princess needs parental support for such an injury and decided to fly me out to help. I arrived at the local airport about 17 hours after the accident. Rock Star and the Superheroes picked me up and I arrived at Romeo's parents' home to find our Princess perched up on the sofa with pillows and pain medication. I was SO glad to be there and was made welcome as Romeo's folks gave up their master bed and bath to us. They made us feel so welcome and cared for...meals, medicine runs, and much more. I might mention that we've been family/church friends for years so it seemed natural to be together through the ordeal.

We've made some memories as a family that I won't embarrass the Princess with by actually recording them here...but they involve dozens of roses from Romeo, pain meds, silly questions by medical staff before the surgery, multiple pokes to get an IV started, blow up mattresses on dorm room floors, sharing her dorm with a fugitive and more.

Romeo continues to warrant his nickname by sweet gestures such as holding a heavy text book while she studies (see pic above). He has vowed to see her as much as possible while she recovers. Which means a lot of driving since she cannot drive (it was her right leg). They live about 45 minutes away from each other so this will be a commitment.

Of course the most popular comment about the accident involved "no more monkeys jumping on the bed." I told Princess and Romeo that I would most certainly be writing a children's book for their future kids about the ordeal...and let this be a lesson to all that your moms were right about not jumping on the bed!! Just ask Princess and Romeo.

We praise God for His care and provision through it all, like a doctor in the family...even if he is unconventional. We have stitches to remove, a cast to put on, rehabilitation, a second surgery to remove one of the eight screws Princess has in her repaired leg/ankle, and more rehab. We have to deal with wheelchairs, crutches, and our personal favorite - the scooter at Wal-Mart. We cannot imagine why it happened but we can trust that God has a plan and it is for our good...