hoffywhf
- Oct 26, 2010
- 3 min read

Good Start, Bad Ending

The day started off nicely. I headed to the new farm this morning since today was farrier day there. The weather was exceptionally pleasant, breezy and overcast but with a temperature in the high 70’s. The horses were in a great mood, very relaxed and copacetic about life.

When I know I am going to be bringing horses in later in the day I usually slip their halters on while they are eating breakfast. It makes it easier to sneak up on them later and just grab the halter. I watched Hemi and Thomas playing a fun game of halter tag with each other.

Hemi and Thomas playing halter tag

Later in the morning I started bringing horses into the barn for some spa treatments. I am one that really enjoys grooming and bathing horses so I did a lot of grooming and bathing of horses. The farrier came mid-day and as always we had a pleasant time chatting and gossiping while working on the horses. After the horses were done with their pedicures and spa treatments they went back outside and resumed their regularly scheduled program of grazing. I watched them grazing for a few minutes and enjoyed the serenity.

The Big Boys grazing quietly

I wrapped up my work there and was heading home. Jason was going to be finishing out the day at the new farm and I needed to do some errands and other things around the house. I’m driving along on the interstate and suddenly all is not well. The dashboard on the truck lit up like a Christmas tree and the electronic readout is flashing “battery not charging” at me. Ummmm, what the heck?

Then I realize I have no power steering, no power anything. Thankfully I happened to be right at an exit ramp and I exited the interstate and coasted into the parking lot of a gas station that was right off the ramp. I pretty much pulled my arms out the sockets turning the steering wheel, and shifted into neutral and stood on the brakes and stopped. I was very thankful to have made it off the interstate in one piece minus one serpentine belt. Stupid truck only has like 30,000 miles on it. GRRRRRR.

I call AAA to have a tow truck come. Talk about a frustrating conversation:

AAA operator: I need the address of your location Me: I’m right off of Exit ‘X’ on I-65 AAA: But I need the exact address Me: I just coasted off of I-65 at Exit ‘X’; I have no idea what the address is. AAA: What street are you on? Me: (starting to get a very irritated edge in my voice) I’m on whatever road is right off of Exit X on I-65

We continue round and round on this scenario until she finally gets it that we’re not going to be giving out a street address. Geesh. Then she asks where I want the truck to be towed.

Me: Walker Chevrolet in Franklin AAA: What is the address for Walker Chevrolet Me: We aren’t going through this again are we? AAA: Well I need the address to give to the tow truck driver Me: I can assure you the tow truck driver will know where Walker Chevrolet is located.

I finally end the world’s most frustrating conversation with AAA and wait for the tow truck. In the meantime I thankfully track down my dad who is able to come and rescue me.

While I am waiting for the tow truck and my dad I start having the “it could be worse” conversation with myself. I do try to be an optimist. I start with “it could be raining right now. I could be stranded here in the pouring rain.” Well, that was the cue for a torrential downfall of rain to start. My goodness I must have peed in someone’s Wheaties today. I can barely hear myself thinking over the driving rain but I try again and go for a safer one this time – “at least I’m not hauling horses.” Yes, thank goodness I am not stranded on the interstate with horses in tow in the pouring rain. I instantly felt better.

The tow truck and my Dad arrived within a few minutes of each other. The clouds parted and the rain stopped so at least no one had to get wet while the stupid truck was loaded onto the tow truck. Right now I am not a fan of Chevrolet Duramax Diesel trucks. Right now I would like to have another Ford Powerstroke diesel. I said to Jason it is no wonder GM is bankrupt, they can’t build a decent vehicle.

Stupid Truck loaded on the tow truck