What is it about a parent worrying while their kid travels? My daughter was traveling home last weekend from college. I was outside working, wondering when she was going to arrive. I finally took a break and went in the house. Calling her cell phone, I got her voice mail. I left a message and headed back out. Just as I started the Mahindra, Luke caught my attention with the phone in his hand. Just as I thought, it was Rebecca. She was going through Brenham and her transmission started acting up...again. I told her not to worry and that we would take it to the shop. She made it home okay.
Monday, we both had doctor's appointments. In between the appointments, we took the car to the repair shop. After explaining what the old Nissan was doing, the repair manager stated my worst fear. He said it was going to need a transmission rebuild and that model Altima was around $2900. I could not see putting that much money in a 14 year old car, so we left the car there and started looking for her college graduation present. She graduates this December. She wanted a pickup. She wanted my Ram 2500 diesel! Luke does also! I have always disliked going through car buying protocols. You know, the sales routine, followed by meeting the Sales Manager routine, with a close by the finance guy. Followed about by the salesman going back and forth to his managers office, all the while keeping Rebecca's car keys. But I reminded myself Rebecca was learning here. Since it was getting dark, I told them we needed to leave as I was getting hungry. I asked for the car keys. They asked if we would like to take the Ram home. Rebecca asked me, Can we do that? I told her we could and that it is just a way to make us come back. We came back the next day after driving the truck to two other used car lots. Things have changed. It used to be just credit life insurance they would pitch at you, but now it is gap insurance, family care insurance, along with an extended warranty and some type of disability insurance. The terms were within our budget, but now I had to wade through all these extras. So we signed on the dotted line and drove home. Rebecca is back in Austin now with her "new" Blue 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 4 door and already has called about not being able to backup just once. Good thing I got the 12 month drive train warranty!
It has rained here a little the last few days. Just enough to keep me from working outside. At least the swampy area is cleared enough and mowed that now it should drain better, thanks to the loader bucket on the Big Red Beast. Sunday I will go to Austin and pick up Rebecca's truck to bring back and have the windshield fixed, along with repairing her computer desk while there. Anyway, I will use any excuse to see her! After all, she is my baby. When she was in elementary school, she gave herself the nickname of Booster. She got it from a Band Booster sticker. So she is my Boo!
Wow, Labor weekend is here. That is always a special weekend here as Dad's birthday is the 2nd and Mom's birthday is the 3rd. So it will be ice cream cake time again. Other then me coming over, they don't want anything. Seems the older they get, the more they ask me to come over. Which I want to do, but working nights and on the place each weekend, I feel short of time. Now when it is pretty outside, I call and ask them to come over. Mom has dementia and really likes to get away from home frequently. Then they get here and Mom is ready to leave and go home. I have taken over their finances now. That was a big deal for me at first. Here I had listened to them for 40 something years and did what they said. Now I had to tell them what was what with their finances. I asked my aunts and uncle who took care of Grandpa Williams' finance. My Uncle Carlos, up in Oklahoma, told me my Uncle Woody did. Great, he is gone! I wanted to pick his brain. But I have survived through 4 months now of doing their bills.
Monday, we both had doctor's appointments. In between the appointments, we took the car to the repair shop. After explaining what the old Nissan was doing, the repair manager stated my worst fear. He said it was going to need a transmission rebuild and that model Altima was around $2900. I could not see putting that much money in a 14 year old car, so we left the car there and started looking for her college graduation present. She graduates this December. She wanted a pickup. She wanted my Ram 2500 diesel! Luke does also! I have always disliked going through car buying protocols. You know, the sales routine, followed by meeting the Sales Manager routine, with a close by the finance guy. Followed about by the salesman going back and forth to his managers office, all the while keeping Rebecca's car keys. But I reminded myself Rebecca was learning here. Since it was getting dark, I told them we needed to leave as I was getting hungry. I asked for the car keys. They asked if we would like to take the Ram home. Rebecca asked me, Can we do that? I told her we could and that it is just a way to make us come back. We came back the next day after driving the truck to two other used car lots. Things have changed. It used to be just credit life insurance they would pitch at you, but now it is gap insurance, family care insurance, along with an extended warranty and some type of disability insurance. The terms were within our budget, but now I had to wade through all these extras. So we signed on the dotted line and drove home. Rebecca is back in Austin now with her "new" Blue 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 4 door and already has called about not being able to backup just once. Good thing I got the 12 month drive train warranty!
It has rained here a little the last few days. Just enough to keep me from working outside. At least the swampy area is cleared enough and mowed that now it should drain better, thanks to the loader bucket on the Big Red Beast. Sunday I will go to Austin and pick up Rebecca's truck to bring back and have the windshield fixed, along with repairing her computer desk while there. Anyway, I will use any excuse to see her! After all, she is my baby. When she was in elementary school, she gave herself the nickname of Booster. She got it from a Band Booster sticker. So she is my Boo!
Wow, Labor weekend is here. That is always a special weekend here as Dad's birthday is the 2nd and Mom's birthday is the 3rd. So it will be ice cream cake time again. Other then me coming over, they don't want anything. Seems the older they get, the more they ask me to come over. Which I want to do, but working nights and on the place each weekend, I feel short of time. Now when it is pretty outside, I call and ask them to come over. Mom has dementia and really likes to get away from home frequently. Then they get here and Mom is ready to leave and go home. I have taken over their finances now. That was a big deal for me at first. Here I had listened to them for 40 something years and did what they said. Now I had to tell them what was what with their finances. I asked my aunts and uncle who took care of Grandpa Williams' finance. My Uncle Carlos, up in Oklahoma, told me my Uncle Woody did. Great, he is gone! I wanted to pick his brain. But I have survived through 4 months now of doing their bills.
I have been remembering to put corn out for the wildlife. Every day around 12:30 two does come up to browse. They sure are pretty, but the pair of hawks are my favorite. They are out after each time I mow. That reminds me, I need to get outside and see if the elusive flying squirrel is out. We only see a quick glimpse of her.
So Monday is Labor Day. I plan on being with Mom and Dad. I wished I could work on my barn. But I can not knee or climb ladders right now. I pray your Labor Day weekend is as you would like it. Stop back here later to see what else is going on at CheyennePaints Ranch.
hugs, Brandi
