I have been trying to get back into blogging so hard. I get my laptop, a Diet Mtn Dew, I turn on a show that I have seen 4 times already, my favorite blankie and pillow, and get ready. Nothing. I have nothing, Not exactly true, my life here in The Forest is nonstop. There is always some BS going on, always some funny story to share or picture to upload, I just don't have it in me. Back in February we bought a Ford Escape. When I wrecked my Toyota I borrowed the in-laws (Nano and Papa) Escape and loved it. Being a few years older I knew that it was a reliable vehicle. Jared drove it during the test drive, it was flawless. I drove it from the dealership in Shreveport to home, and then we tag team drove to Baton Rouge and back. I told him that I liked everything about it, except it shifted funny. My Toyota had a transmission (some kinda something) that made it to where I would never feel it change gears, and "Ford did that". Okay. I am not a car guru. The more I drove it the funkier it got. Cranking it and going into reverse was a hard TINK. Sometimes when it would downshift, I would lunge forward. OKAY! The way it's set up under the hood, you can put oil in it, see the battery, and like one other thing. Everything else you have to basically take the entire thing apart. In order to check the transmission fluid, we had to take it to a Ford place. Local mechanics couldn't access it. $300 later, I get it back, and it shifted better. CUE THE DUN DUN DUN DUNNNNNNN MUSIC. Okay. So Jared gets sick. So sick in fact, he couldn't go to work. This is like day two of sheer misery, and I know that I am getting it. I can feel it in my head and deep in my bones. But Lisa doesn't miss work, so I am going. I get in the Escape, back up, get to the end of the driveway, and the dashboard lights up like Augustus Waters' PET scan. The car was dinging at me, and the light was saying SERVICE TRANSMISSION NOW. I simply did not have time for that. I turned it off, turned it back on, and the light was gone. I said "oh good", and took off. About 30 feet down the driveway it started skipping. Missing. Jerking. At the end of the road I knew that I had to turn around. I did a U-ee, and of course overshot the road, so I went to back it up Terry, and it would not go into reverse at all. I cut through the ditch. Wasn't the first time. I was stressed already because I was worried about Jared, worried about him missing work, and then I had to go inside and look at his poor puffy red face and tell him about the car. I called work, said I was on my way and what was going on, got in the Ranger (TFFR), and took off. Very long story short. All four of us got sick. Jared missed work, I missed work, Thomas missed an entire week of work. The Escape is currently in Stonewall, LA. ($440 towing bill). It needs a new transmission. They found metal shavings in the transmission fluid, so that is not good. There have been so many 2017 Escape transmissions go out, that Ford doesn't have any. Like, there are none in production right now. It will be literal months. Next year. Having it rebuilt is not a guarantee, and the cost would be about the same. Did I mention the cost? $7,600. On top of the monthly car note and insurance. Did I mention the other kicker? Jared got injured at work right as he went back from sickness leave. It's been 3 weeks and will be at least 2 more. We are straight up in the middle of the book of Job. Both of us are stressed. I mean I make a decent wage, but not enough to carry the household. BUT!!!! you know what? We are not defeated. Every day when I want to stomp my feet, or when he wants to break down, it WILL be okay! I am a naturally pessimistic person, but I am looking up. Regarding the Escape, we have made all the phone calls. To the dealership, to the mechanic shop, we have asked other mechanics, there is no extended warranty available, the insurance cannot put the policy on hold because we still have payments left, the lemon law doesn't apply because the car is 5 years old. Our two options are to just wait for a transmission and then pay it, or pay off the car, and try to trade it in on something else. We are broken into pieces, but we will be put back together. He won't let me get mad, be sad, he holds my face in his hands and does that stupid Jared smile, and I know truly, that it will be okay. This is proof: Bailey is expecting a baby boy, Levi Lily is healthy, smart, sarcastic-rude, and about to go into the 3rd grade Mae graduated high school, and Thomas is being all successful at LSU My mother (who will never die) is healthy and also sarcastic-rude Nano and Papa are healthy and always willing to help no matter what And then there is Jared. This man, y'all. Never in my life. Never...could I have imagined that I could be as loved as I am. Never could I imagine that I could love someone like this. To ALLOW myself to love someone like this. I honestly didn't know that I had it in me. It is magical. It is intense. It is addicting. So yes. We will be okay.
God is good.
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Lisa DoddI enjoy sports, binge watching TV, food, reading, and slightly bearded men. Most popular blog posts from my previous Blog:
How I Died (Again) Lily is Here! The "Miracle" Diet Zesty Lemon Shrimp My Apologies to Shelby County, AL The Evolution of My Hair My Night Stalking Dale Murphy The Worst Late Night Snack Ever Questions from God Louisiana! Archives
December 2023
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