Trick or Treat

Its Halloween and I didn’t have a lot of plans today but that really didn’t matter, my day was hijacked by a “trick” and I didn’t even get done the few things I wanted to.

The days started as a treat, sleeping in until 7am, although I woke up at 4:09 because I’m so used to getting up at that ridiculous hour.  I then put together a new cake work table that eventually will go downstairs but for November it will live in the dining room.  I will use it this week to decorate a cake on and then again next weekend.  Then I will leave it in the dining room until Thanksgiving.  I am thinking it will make a good buffet instead of trying to cram everyone AND all the food on the table.

Continuing with the treat part of the morning I put all of my trick or treat candy into a bowl for tonight and got ready to take my truck in for a 9:00 a.m. oil change.  While the oil change was started and the “routine” fluid and system check I walked across the street and had a cup of coffee and read the paper.  I came back and was sitting there waiting, thinking any time its gonna be done.  It had been 90 minutes and I had plans to call Katherine and take the dogs to the park before coming home and pulling out the fog machine and doing a quick little decorating for the trick or treaters.

Then came the Trick part of my day.  It seems my water pump was leaking and my radiator was only half full because of it.  A part had to be ordered and delivered and then it would be 3 hours before everything was done.  So I agreed and walked 2.5 miles home.  Called off the dog park and got a few minor things done at home.  All the time waiting for the garage to call and tell me it was done so I could walk back.

I changed into my running clothes and headed out about 4:15 and ran to the garage.  They hadn’t called yet but I figured it wouldn’t be much longer and I didn’t want to walk or run in the dark.  I got there a little before 5pm and my truck was still in the bay and the place was packed.  I waited and waited and finally talked to the manager about 5:10, he went out to get an update and there was a frozen bolt.  The fan casing / something or other was frozen and they had been trying to remove it but unable.

There was clearly a breakdown in communication between the “new” mechanic and the manager and now it was after 5 and they close at 6.  They would have to order a new fan mechanism.  He made sounds that it wouldn’t be done today which is when I said it has to.  I agreed to the work because you said it would be 3 hours.  I must have the truck today.  So the part was ordered.  It arrived about 5:45 and they continued to work.  Everyone else cleared out one by one and I sat there freezing.  Having been all sweaty from the run and in thin wick away clothing I was freezing.  It was not completed until just before 8pm.

Just after I got home my friends Vivian and Azea stopped by on their way to a few parties to show me their costumes.

My picture is a little blurry but after my day I was certainly glad they were my first trick or treaters. I missed several hours of trick or treaters and most of the cute little kids.  I have had quite a few kids in the last hour and am actually down to thirteen pieces and as soon as those are gone, the lights are going out, I’m running a bubble bath and having a good cry.

In the end I will be happy that the work is done.  I usually follow my gut and something was telling me to get the truck in for an oil change.  Two days after I made the appointment I started loosing power and hearing this ticking/knocking sound when getting up to 60 miles per hour.  I hadn’t told the garage about the noise but after they ordered the 2nd part they asked if I had been hearing any knocking noises.

Since we are going to view all these glasses as half full, I guess I don’t have to put all the Halloween decorations away since I never did get them pulled out for the evening.  I also got a good work out (or 2) in!