Grandmommy’s Notes in the Margin

Wow! This has been a day. I learned all sorts of things about my vehicle today!!

I had a mission for today. Gathered all my things and hopped into the van. Backed up … and … UHOH! I had a flat.

How? I wondered. I had just driven home the night before and arrived safely and woke up this morning to … a flat!

Well, fortunately, I had taken the day off but, unfortunately, I was home alone!

No time like the present to learn how to change a flat, so I did what every intelligent woman should do. I opened the glove box and took out my owner’s manual. (Let me back up here. I have changed a tire before; I’ve not changed one on the van. This vehicle has a VERY weird jack thingy.)

Okay, it tells me that the instructions for the jack are inside the panel where the jack is hidden. I can do this, right? I open the panel and, yes, the instructions for the jack AND for lowering the spare are clearly written out.

I also need my little air compressor to air up my tire. But, this thing is FLAT. Off the wheel flat! It’s not going to take air until I jack up the van and get it back on to the wheel. UGH!

I plug in my air compressor and find I need an extension cord. Back in the house, get a cord. Back outside. Okay, let’s work this jack!

Instructions are pretty clear, and I actually accomplish getting the van off the ground!! YAY ME!! I can do this!! (Yes, I’m crying because this is NOT my job!)

Attach the thingy from the air compressor to the thingy on the tire. Flip the switch…nothing. I finally figure out that the extension cord is not good. Back inside, get another, back outside. Flip the switch…POWER!

When the tire finally has about 20 lbs of air, I start to slowly turn it to look for the culprit…A BIG FAT NAIL. Wow! God is so good, because he got me home safely last night! Thank you, Lord. I’ll quit being mad now.

Air is coming out around the nail. That means the flat needs to be changed. So, I lower the spare, but I can’t get it off. This is going to take someone smarter than me…I hate to admit I need Neil to do this and he’s coming home for lunch–30 minutes away. I’ll wait.

Well, he has difficulty with it too, but he figures it out and changes my tire. I fixed him a quick sandwich and prepared, again, to go run my BIG errand for the day. I have money that needs spending!!!

About 35 years ago, my first husband decided that I no longer needed the very nice, expensive clarinet that my father had given me for high school graduation. He wanted a 12-string Martin guitar and traded in my clarinet for it. Through the years, I’ve had a couple of loaners and I recently bought a VERY used plastic beginner clarinet in poor condition. I’ve been trying to use it for the church orchestra and decided to send it in for repairs. TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS is what it would cost. This instrument is NOT worth it.

But…they had a very nice WOODEN clarinet that is being discontinued. I checked online and the price was right for this clarinet. I know I’m 60 and only have a few more years to play. But, maybe one of my grandchildren will want to play and if not, they can donate it to a school.

I brought it home, put on my mouthpiece and WOW! I can play!! Chris Hoover should be excited!! I know I am!!

Merry Christmas to me….

…and I went for a haircut and colored my hair. I think it was a good day after all. Thank you, God. I knew you were watching over me.