Here is a run down of my Christmas Eve Eve...
I dropped the kids off at the mother-in-laws. She has agreed to watch them until about 1pm so that I can do all those "last minute" things that don't come up until the "last minute"!
I run to Walmart to return some splurge items that I really don't need, or even want for that matter. I get to Walmart at 9:25 am. Its a MADHOUSE! The return line is ages long! Are all these people returning "splurge" items like me? (I hear that approximately 40% of Americans will have a budget for Christmas this year. This doesn't seem strange to those of us on a constant budget, but for the rest of the nation, I guess this is shocking!)
I get a text from my hairstylist (Oh yes, finally a haircut!) and she has had a mix-up at the salon, can I come in later, etc. Fine, fine. I have all day!
I get another text, this time - Can you come now? I am overbooked! Still fine, I am flexible, and I really need to get my outgrown mullet cut!
Haircut goes well, 10:00 appt.- check!
Off to Target to pick up baby food. I have to circle the lot a few times, but I do manage to find a great spot that will not only fit my huge SUV within an inch of the two next to it, but also give me my 30 minutes of exercise for the day. Yes!
Target errand - check!
Off to my next appointment. I get ANOTHER text. This time from my next appt., letting me know that she is running a little (meaning more than a few minutes) late. Fine! I spend some time window shopping on 4th street, looking in all the stores that I never go into because the kids are liable to break something, and I sure as heck can't afford to buy it.
11:30 appt. - check!
Off to the bank, library and my hubby's work to drop off some Christmas cards.
I think to myself, "Things are sure going smooth today, I think that I deserve a coffee!" So I find the last spot on the street across from the coffee shop and hop out to pay the meter.
As I stand there, a car comes creeping around the corner and (yep, you guessed it) smashes into my car! I just stood there with my mouth gaping.
The man pulls over (mind you, he is traveling at about 2 miles an hour) and gets out. I realize that I should probably check the damage (and close my mouth). I walked around the car, and saw that my drivers-side taillight is broken, and there is a nice scrape on the side of the car. Bummer....and merry Christmas to me!
The driver approaches me, and I realize that he is pretty old. Now when I say pretty old, I mean that he was born in 1925. Literally. (That is what his license said....)
We exchange info, I call the hubby, he talks to the man, we work out some sort of deal (of course he doesn't want his insurance company to know..) and I am off to get my coffee. I even wished him a Merry Christmas - cheerfully!
So, here is the kicker! 5 years ago, Rich jackknifed a trailer that he was towing into the back of the car. It happened to break the passenger side taillight. We ordered one off the Internet so that he could repair it himself. It cost us about $80. Turns out that he accidentally ordered one for the drivers side instead! Do you think that we kept that one? Of course not? He threw it away (with gusto!), and put clear packing tape over the broken passenger side taillight (as a "temporary" fix, of course...). Sure would have come in handy now! Oh well, I guess we will just put clear packing tape over this one... Hey look - they match!