Little m Long a

Dude.  2008 was a brutal year, the likes of which I am happy to say is behind me.  Come on 2009!

What?

It’s only just begun?

You have got to be kidding me!

For all intents and purposes January was scheduled to start with a bang.  The first (Jan 1) is our wedding anniversary.  I may have mentioned something about that in a previous post.  Anyway, we learned early on in our married life that unless Cracker Barrel is your idea of the perfect setting for a romantic anniversary dinner, you’re not going out to eat on New Years Day.  Nothing is open.   New Year’s Eve, by default, has become the night for celebrating our years of wedded bliss as well as ringing in the new year.   It’s our little way of multi tasking.

The restaurant was fantastic and the food delicious.  We lingered, maybe a bit too long for the New Year was greeted cordially during a pause in the conversation during our drive home.  Yeah, we ushered in the new year somewhere along Route 23 driving north.  But we would be home early enough and sober enough to give 2008 and our anniversary a more fitting welcome, or so I thought.

“The kids were great, not a bit of trouble.  We had a little tea party and everyone went to bed without a problem.  Oh, and there’s a little leak.”…as reported by my Mother-in-Law upon our arrival home.

Whoa!  What was that? A tea party?!

Sure enough, as I entered the kitchen I could see it.  There were half empty teacups and saucers scattered all over the counter……  Oh, and the constant ploinking sound of water dripping from the ceiling into a sauce pot in the middle of the kitchen floor.  Yep, that’s a leak.   Do you have any idea what a plumber costs at 1:00am on January 1?  To my great relief, neither do I.  My brother-in-law helped me to track the likely source of the leak to a drain pipe in the upstairs bathroom.  I disconnected the loose pipe and sure enough, the dripping ceased.  Eventually.  After a quick clean up, the actual repairs could be done later, I slipped quietly into bed where my wife lay……….soundly asleep.  At least she had turned on my side of the electric blanket.

The next afternoon, my sister-in-law generously offered to watch my kids (Yes, my wife went to work on our anniversary.  Did I mention we may be needing a plumber?  Those guys don’t work pro-bono.) so that I might make the trip to the hardware store for the parts I would need to try and repair the bathroom sink and also pick up a few items from the grocery store for dinner.  I lingered, maybe a bit too long.

“The kids were great, not a bit of trouble.  Did you get the parts to fix the sink?  Oh, and take a look at Zia…..you think that’s gonna need stitches?”……as reported by my sister-in-law on my arrival back home.

“Wow!  It is amazing how you can buy pvc drain pipe, copper pipe, a blow torch and any food item you need to prepare dinner on New Year’s Day but God forbid you want to sit down and have a nice meal in a restaurant.  And yeah, that’s definitely gonna need stitches.”  You’ve seen the old photos of the dancing bears, balancing on a ball as they twirl.  Seems it’s not so easy after all.  A quick call to my wife and it was back in the car to visit mommy’s work.  My sister-in-law generously offered to watch the kids while I left–again.  She really felt horrible for what had happened and although I tried to convey to her it was perfectly OK somehow I don’t think she felt better.  It took six stitches in all, 2 inside and 4 outside and  Zia was an absolute trooper.  She was perfectly still throughout the entire procedure.  Still, not quiet.  My ears are still ringing from the screaming.

After a well needed day of rest it was back to the comforting grind of a school routine.  To celebrate it’s triumphant return I took the kids to the coffee shop, OK I took me to the coffee shop kids were just collateral baggage, and then we did some browsing at the antique store next door.  We lingered, maybe a bit too long.

We sloshed our way back to the van and piled ourselves into our collective seats.  I turned the ignition only to hear the sweet sound of my engine….. not starting.  That’s the sound you generally hear when your battery is dead.  A quick call to my Mother-in-Law who was able to lend invaluable roadside assistance.  Have I mentioned that my Mother-in-Law is a saint?  She’s also a card carrying member of Triple A.  A short wait, quick jump and we were on our way to the service station for a new battery.

I suppose there are worse things that could have happened in the first four days of the new year.  Like it or not though, 2008 is hear.  I guess this should be my general attitude now…..