Monday, July 21, 2008

Life does not go as expected. I thought I would be almost home by now but Bob and I are in Knoxville waiting for repairs on our wonderful old Toyota Avalon, which suddenly started firing on only three cillinders yesterday. We can't complain - well over 200,000 miles on this car, which has taken us so many marvelous places so comfortably with very little repair cost. I never thought I could love a car - just transportation - but this one has been so comfortable and reliable, really a special car and has been the means of getting so Yellowstone and back and forth so many times to Corpus, to visits to Blacksburg, to Big Bend and Arizona, the Grand Canyon and the Giand Saguaros, the giant sequoias too, the blue whales in the Monterry Bay and the sand hill cranes rising with the morning. Thank you car.

I'm probably - almost for sure - going to have to change my work day tomorrow, which is kind of a pain. I hate to disappoint people who are counting on seeing me - but here I am in Tennessee and I can't teleport and getting an airplane at this late date seems daunting and expensive and I don't want to send Bob on alone with a car whose repairs might not hold - or even to deal with trying to find the airport and get tickets.

I've actually enjoyed the delay except that I feel guilty - time to get LOTS of sleep and play Scrabble and start to catch up on blogs. Bob Trounced me last night on SCrabble, getting a seven letter word "dragnet" very late in the game. That man is incredible. (In so many ways)

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

So sorry to hear about your car breaking down. But nice that you are enjoying your stay in Tenn nonetheless. (Is he SURE dragnet is a real word? Not just the name of an old TV show? It probably is though--something to do with fishing no doubt.)

Enjoy the rest of your long drive home.

Ruth said...

I love Peggy. I had the SAME thought! It IS a (fishing-esk) word meaning 1) a net to be drawn along the bottom of a river, pond, etc., or along the ground, to catch fish, small game, etc.
2. a system or network for finding or catching someone, as a criminal wanted by the police.

I'm so frustrated for ya'll about the car but you are right in your perspective it has been SUCH a great car for this family!

I'm glad your trip went well with family and that you are getting some scrabble time together. (Has Chris ever told you about the time he played EQUATOR--used ALL his letters, got the bonus, AND did it on the triple word spot and I STILL beat him!?)

Sorry about your day. I understand not wanting to disapoint but you are right until they invent teleportation this is what it is.

Sarah said...

I am glad that you were able to rest and enjoy your unexpected stop in Knoxville. I hope you didn't get caught in the strong storm, too, after you left yesterday afternoon. When I left work, there was a huge cloudburst, flooding in the streets, weather warnings on the radio (but no tornado warnings, thankfully). Safe travels on the rest of your way back.

Mary said...

What a bummer, Victoria, to have car trouble on your way home. But it sounds like Bob & you made the most of it. Hope the rest of your trip home is without complication.