Tonight's picture was taken in January of 2006! How on earth was this photo taken 20 years ago? I do not know how this is possible, especially when you think about 17 of those 20 years, Mattie was NOT even alive!!! Mattie was three and half years old in this photo. He was sitting on a rocking duck, something that survived through the generations, as Mattie's grandparents bought this duck in Holland, and their boys used it, and then their grandchildren used it! Since Mattie was the last one in the cousin line to be born, Mattie basically inherited this duck. To this day, this duck remains in my office! It is a reminder of this precious moment in time.
Quote of the day: The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living. ~ Marcus Tullius Cicero
If you read last night's blog, then you know I was scheduled to take my mom's car in for its annual service appointment today. No my mom no longer drives, but since this car came from California, it was my mom's car to begin with, I therefore refer to it as MY MOM'S CAR! The car matches her good taste, it is a classic! Unlike my car, which is very practical and now has over 103,000 miles on it!
Dealing with my mom's car dealership sometimes takes my breath away! So much so that I have written several formal complaint letters to this dealership and the parent company! Mainly because the dealership could care less about the customer or making it easy for the customer to get a car serviced. Specifically I am referring to the fact that it is close to impossible for customer's to be given a loaner car when the car goes in for service. Service usually takes multiple days in the shop! Thankfully I own two cars, so we are never stranded, but since my separation/divorce, I have a great phobia about getting into a car with a stranger. Every time I go to this dealership, I have to take Uber to get back home or to return to pick up my car. I do it, but I am not happy about it. I have no one in my neighborhood who will help me!
I drove my dad to his memory care center today in my car! Then I went back home, and jumped into my mom's car and drove it to the dealership, which is about 30 minutes away from home. Why didn't I just take my dad to his memory care center in my mom's car? Because my mom's car is a sports car, low to the ground and very difficult for my dad to get in and out of! Since he is recovering from back pain when hospitalized, I did not want him to have a set back by tweaking his back getting in or out of the car. So it was worth my driving back home to switch cars.
When I arrived at the dealership, I met with the same representative who has helped us since 2021. However, I noticed a different feeling in the service department! Why? The dealership is under NEW management and new management has now arranged for customers to easily get a loaner car through an on-site rental company! I literally almost fell on the floor today when my representative said.... of course you can have a loaner car! That may sound like an inconsequential thing, but for me it turned my whole day around.
However, here's the funny thing! It took me ten minutes to orient myself to the loaner car! New cars are filled with technology, bells and whistles, and different ways to start the car, adjust seats and mirrors, and turning on the radio was a show! Honestly watching me in this car could have been a sitcom in and of itself! The car is so smart, that it knows the speed limit in whatever area you are driving. If you go several MPH over the speed limit the car sets off an alarm! I swear I had NO IDEA what was ringing at me, until I saw on the screen the speed limit alarm flashing! All I know is the speed limit maybe one thing, but around my area if you drive the speed limit, you will cause an accident, as everyone moves way passed the limit. So I had the alarm ringing at me constantly and I really couldn't adjust the seat appropriately! I am too small for this car, but luckily could see over the dash board!
It was a glorious weather day, close to 60 degrees, and things worked out with the car dealership! So to me, it was a good day, as I have learned to appreciate a day without a crisis. I savor these days! This afternoon, I took my mom out for tea. While I was on-line order our things, I could see a young woman sitting with two men. These men clearly had legal knowledge. They were talking loudly, so it was hard NOT to listen! They were trying to assist her. I quickly got up to speed, as she is separated from her spouse and she was talking about the chaos she is living with and the men sitting with her were trying to advise her. Mainly one of them kept saying to her.... given all that he has done, you want a divorce, right??? She wouldn't answer the question! To anyone else hearing this, I am sure the reaction would be..... What?? Get a divorce! But I understood this woman's position. When you love someone, devote your life to them, and think it is forever, it is very hard making a decision to dissolve such a union. But this is where the law and reality do not always match up. I felt for this woman today, because they were talking facts, and she was talking emotions! For this woman and all women facing a separation and divorce my heart goes out to them, as it is a huge life adjustment that permanently alters your future.
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