The End of a Not So Perfect Day

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Yesterday started off just fine for me, but not for Hubby. He hasn't been feeling well, but the state of California doesn't care. We had to have a truck that I can't drive smogged so it could be registered by tomorrow. The plan was for him to take the pickup into the shop to get the work done and then get it the smog test done. Things didn't go according to plan. First the truck didn't start, so he had to call AAA. The truck was at the other house, so I wasn't there. AAA got the truck started and followed my husband to the shop where he got the battery replaced, but that shop couldn't do the smog test and sent him to another shop in Templeton. He really liked the mechanics there, and they got him all taken care of. So far, so good. But he had to take the truck back to Templeton to get his car that was parked there. He was almost late for his dentist appointment at 2:30 back in Paso Robles. I had not heard from him during the day, so I had no idea that he'd had problems while trying to get the smog certificate. Meanwhile, back at the house, I had called the dentist to see if she could work me in to get the crown that had fallen off a tooth Friday night replaced. She said to come in at 2:30 when my husband was due, and she'd take care of both of us. I went about my business until time to go to the dentist. When I got there I expected to see my husband, but he wasn't there. I began to worry a bit and pray. I had kind of a weird feeling about it, since I knew they had reminded him of the appointment in the morning. I told the receptionist she might try to call my husband's cell phone to see why he hadn't arrived. An hour later my crown was replaced and my husband still hadn't arrived. They still couldn't get him on his cell phone. I was getting very concerned. There was not much I could do but go home and start retracing where he'd been. I called the Kia dealer where I knew he had planned to take the truck. They were very nice and told me that they had replaced the battery and sent him on to the other shop. Then they got the other shop on the phone for me, and we discovered my husband had finished with them there and he had mentioned that he needed to get to the dentist. A few minutes after I hung up, my husband finally called. He was at the Templeton house. He said he'd had an accident when he got home. He took the rutted dirt driveway too fast and the bumps knocked him around inside the truck, which does not have good shock absorbers. It's very old. So he was feeling quite shaken, and he also had to go to the bathroom and was hurrying. Because he needed to get to the house fast, he didn't park the truck by the shed as usual, but tried to park it on the cement slab next to his Kia. He got too close to the Kia, the mirrors tangled, and there's no way he can get into his car or move the truck away from it. He asked me to come get his. Of course, I said I would. Did I mention it was raining? I had not driven more than a block in our only functioning car when one of those warning notices came on the screen telling me I had to check my brakes immediately. The Toyota service center is only a short distance out of the way to go get Hubby, so I decided better to be safe than sorry. Since I knew Hubby was in the house, I decided to stop to see if it was safe to keep driving. I showed the person at the desk the warning light. He got the mechanic, who took it around the block to check things out. The light would not come on for him. Go figure! He check the brake fluid and said it was OK. He didn't charge me, and sent me on my way. I had called Hubby in the meantime to let him know why I was taking so long. As I approached the house,the driveway was so bad I had trouble getting up safely, but I took it very slowly. I don't know what I'd expected to see, because all he'd told me by then was that he'd had an accident. I guess I'd expected to see the Kia dented or crushed by the heavier truck. Instead I saw the two vehicles side by side with less than an inch between them. I didn't have my camera with me. I should always carry it because it seems every time I don't, an accident happens and I can't take a photo. I don't have a smartphone. Hubby got in my car and we came home. Then I fed him. He was sicker than when he'd left in the morning. About an hour after we got home the dentist called to ask about him and I told her about the accident. She goes to our church, and I knew she'd probably call to see why he hadn't come in. She knew I was worried. What none of us knew was that he'd left his cell phone at the house accidently and couldn't answer it. The blessings of the day? No one got hurt. The car and truck did not suffer too much. I didn't have to pay the dentist or the Toyota shop for what they did, and we both got safely home. The problem yet to solve? How to get the car and the truck apart so he can drive them again. We hope we won't have to cut one of the mirrors off to do that. A friend from church (Rebekah's husband) is coming tomorrow to see if he can help. I'm thankful for our church family all the time, but especially at times like this. Do you have a church family you can call on when you're in trouble and need help? Have you had any excitement lately you could have done without? Any blessings you want to share?