January 19, 2011

What did you do Today?

My answer is always slightly different each day, but I invariably feel like I didn't get much done. Let's take yesterday...

What did I do yesterday? I delivered a tire to the tire store so the rim could be repaired. Sounds like a 30 minute job right?
Ha Ha Ha

I am standing in the tire store when the mechanic tells me if I drop off the tire (to the car I am driving) he can repair the rim. I ask him to remove the tire and I will walk home (less than 2 miles). He comments that he doesn't have a place to park a 3 wheeled car, so I simply need to take it home, remove the tire, and return it there by 6pm so it can be sent out and repaired quickly. Sure, why not. It's not like I had much to do that day anyway...

Now the car I was driving did not come with a spare tire, or a jack for that matter. SO I drive to the auto parts store and buy a jack and a couple of car stands.
I drive home and pull my 12 year old outside. I figure, if you're gonna remove a tire on a home-school day, you might as well teach a boy how to do it and call it science.

We pull out the jack and read the directions and after a few minutes we feel we are now qualified to lift the car.
 I tell my son that the first thing we need to do is loosen the nuts on the wheel and then we can lift the car. After a few minutes we find the right tool for the job and you guessed it....   ...I couldn't budge the nuts. He couldn't budge the nuts. Shoot, We couldn't budge the nuts... Huge sigh! (In my defense, I injured me elbow a few months back and have not regained my 'wonder woman strength').

I go back to the tire store and ask them to loosen them just enough so a girl could get them off. After laughing, the guy helps me and then sticks his finger at me and admonishes me to "drive straight home!". Although I thought it was nice that he didn't want the tire to fall off, I thought it would be nicer for him to follow me home, remove the tire and deliver it back to the store...   Nope.

So I drove straight home and my son and I proceed to remove the tire. (This is a good time to remind you that this is the car I am driving and that my husband has the other car...). Of course we throw the tire into my 15 year old "little Tike's Wagon" and I gather the troops: Me, 4 of my boys, and the dog. We then walk the tire to the tire store, deliver the goods, and walk back home... just in time to try to figure our dinner... It was an all day affair.

What did I do today? Take my kids to school. (Reminder... I still have a three wheeled car).