2nd Adventures In Texas. (First one not yet written. Probably never will be.)

Notes on my 2nd Texas adventure so far:

8-24-11

A: Take my car to get oil change and tires rotated and balanced prior to leaving. Mechanic says transmission fluid is totally burnt, and transmission must be serviced. OK. Have service done, tires rotated and balanced, and leave. 2 hours after transmission servicing, I discovered blown transmission front pump seal by dint of car popping into neutral at 80 mph. Car won’t go, transmission dipstick totally dry. Car greasy along bottom and back. Grass by road has more transmission fluid in it than my car.

B: 2 hour wait for tow truck turned into 7 hour ordeal when tow trailer blew a tire. Got free Sonny’s out of it, though. First time I’ve had Sonny’s in YEARS, and it’s a good reminder why I only go when forced by something at least as bad as 2 fairly serious car incidents.

Running total: +1 day, $1700.

8-25-11

C: A good, kind, wonderful friend loaned me a spare car for a MONTH to drive to Texas and while in Texas. Thank you!

Running total: +1 day, $1700.

D: 6:45 pm: I’ve decided to drive through and check into my hotel in Arlington, TX, at 4 am 8-26-11. I try calling the hotel (for the 3rd time today) to let them know I’ll be very late, and they answer this time! But, they say, “We close at 7 pm. You’ll just have to check in after 11 am tomorrow.” Whew. Glad I got them! I call my friends Skip and Brooklyn in Lafayette, LA, to ask them if I can stay the night after all. They graciously re-extend their hospitality.

Running total: +1.5 days, $1700.

8-26-11

E: Leaving Louisiana the next morning, I am stopped on I-49 for going 84/75. I’ve NEVER been stopped for only 9 miles over! (which is as fast as I ever go anyway these days.) I tell the officer I’m not used to not having cruise control. He writes the citation. Someone’s desperate for revenue. I tell him his zipper is down. He thanks me. We part ways. I call the county sheriff. $256.

Running total: +1.507 days, $1956.

F: I’m at the hotel! Hallelujah! I wait in line behind someone trying to get a weekly rate for a 3-day stay. More power to her, if she’d just quit whining about it and smile. My turn. The hotel, which I have called 6 times to confirm my reservation, has no reservation. Rather, they DID have a reservation, but only for yesterday, which I missed. They’ve had 2 internet bookings since then, which take priority over telephone bookings. I silently ask God to guide my thoughts and actions. Manager is defensive and disinclined to bend. She does mention, though, that if one or both of the internet bookings don’t show, then I can have one of those. She was just about to call them and follow up, anyway. I ask her to do that before we talk any more about it. Easier to recover from missteps that are never made, after all! 1 minute later, she tells me one of them has cancelled. I’m in like Flynn. Thanks, God.

Running total: +1.514 days, $1956.

G: Hotel has no wireless internet. What? Oh, it’s got “Free hi-speed internet.” Wired, then. No problem, except I don’t have an Ethernet cable. I can get one of those at a Goodwill for a buck, no problem. I go to the room and start to crash, but can’t find utensils, cups, plates, pots… and front desk says they don’t have any of that. Ah. Double-duty goodwill trip, then. I buy enough china to start a pottery class. If the pottery class consists of Lego people.

Running total: +1.6 days, $1976.40.

H: I also bought 6 books for $4. I couldn’t help it.

Running total: +1.6 days, $1980.40.

And here I sit. Class starts tomorrow on 8-27-11. Pray for me!