One Year Ago… Part 28

I truthfully believe they didn’t plan this right, his daughter’s birthday is 8 days after Christmas and although she has a very cool birthday (1/2/03) it sucks when you think she gets Christmas and her birthday all over at once. Throw personal property taxes and property taxes in there and you might as well just kiss yourself into the poor house!

Since his daughter stayed the night with his mom on Christmas Day, we made plans to head out first thing the day after to hit after Christmas sales. At least we were on a mission and knew what we wanted to get her, a camera she could call her own.

My Mustang does not, I repeat does not handle snow and ice, especially in my parents driveway where you go up hill both ways, literally. Prince Charming said we could take his truck, but I could see all the roadways and they were clear, as long as we could get out of my parents driveway we’d be in the clear. So we jumped in my car started down the hill gaining momentum so we could make it back up and it was a no go. As you might guess we started spinning. Grrrr I was mad so I backed down the hill and as far up the hill as I could to get another running start, gassed it and dang, no go. By this point I stopped, popped the truck, told PC I was getting in the trunk (for weight) and he was to drive it out. two more attempts and as he was backing down the hill for the third attempt he backed off into the yard and got stuck. By this point I was mad and throwing a temper tantrum that involved me saying, “I hate this stupid car. The damn thing is for sale as of right now!”

He laughed at me and said we should have taken my truck which got a good glare from me. At this point my dad was pulling out of the driveway in his truck and opened the window, “What’s wrong?”
I glared
-Didn’t you know you were supposed to stay on the roadway?
glared again
-It helps even if you gas it and don’t get stuck in the yard.
-I HATE this damn car

So my dad gets out of the truck and he and PC start trying to get it unstuck with no luck. She was planted in the yard. Finally they remember that I have a tow rope in my trunk so we got it out, my dad backed down the driveway, hooked on to my car and towed us out of the driveway on to the outter road. I thanked him, got in my car and continued to grumble about how I hated my car and my parents driveway and off to town we went.

Once we got to town we went to every store we thought might sell digital cameras. We eventually wound up at Office Depot and bought her a Kodak Easy Share. We tried for a pink camera but they were no where to be found so she got a red camera with a pink carrying case. Mission Accomplished. Gift bought.

We headed back to my parents house. By this time it had warmed up just enough and my dad drug the tractor through the driveway that I was able to get my car back in the driveway, well until it froze over that night :).

His daughter was with him the whole next week until noon on her birthday. I had to work that whole week. The two week timespan between the week leading up to Christmas and right after New Years are very slow at work. On New Years Eve we were all just staring at the clock, watching the count down. At 3:30 one of my co-workers told me since it was so slow to go ahead and head home they’d cover anything that came through so I hit the door running.

PC and my little angel were sitting at my house waiting for me. We spent some time with my folks and then headed to his sister’s house. We spent New Years with them playing John Deere Monopoly. PC’s nephew crashed around 10:30 but Miss Tbug was up with us the whole time. We went back to his mom’s house and all three crashed until morning.

We woke up on January 1st and spent some time with his mom. We’d made plans to take Tbug out for dinner for her birthday on the night of the first since we had to have her home at noon on the 2nd (her actual birthday). It was my parents, the three of us and PC’s mom. We asked Tbug where she’d like to go for her birthday dinner and she said, “The Joplin Steakhouse.”
My mom looked at me, “The Joplin Steakhouse?”
Me -Beat’s me?
PC to Tbug -What Joplin Steakhouse?
Tbug- That one in front of the furniture store.
PC – Describe what it looks like.
Tbug- You know the one that has the pond with fish in it next to the furniture Store
My mom- Do you mean the Japanese Steakhouse sweetheart?
Tbug – Yeah that’s it.

So there we had it. We were going to the Japanese Hibachi Steakhouse. Before we left for dinner we gave her her presents so she could take it with her to practice :). After Christmas and Santa presents I was worried about giving her anymore presents, but she made my day, she was excited beyond belief. “Is this what I think it is?” I grinned at her and she jumped up and down and wanted it open. A kid after my own heart!

Once dinner was over we headed back to my house. She walked in the door and what do you know, The dog was back.

…… To Be Continued…….