Lisa and the Lucky Streak

The past few days have been oddly lucky. Now that I am writing my luck down, I wonder if I should buy a lottery ticket...
As you know, this past Sunday was Mother's Day. And as good daughters do, my sister and I planned to travel to our parent's house and cook brunch on Sunday morning. We had planned to arrive Saturday afternoon/evening for a full family visit-fun-time.
Saturday morning, I planned to take a yoga class and had put in my research and was excited about the one that fit my schedule. Then I would return home, have lunch, do some apartment cleaning and head to Shrewsbury.
All on schedule, I grabbed my mat, headed out the door, turned the key and click, click, click, click. Did I leave the lights on? No. And battery was replaced last year. Google was very helpful and told me that the rapid clicking was still likely the battery although I didn't think this was the case.
Roommate comes home, "Oh yeah, I have jumper cables." Nope. He doesn't. Sam is free from work at 11 and she definitely does. We hook the car up and it doesn't start. Let it run a bit and make sure that the connection is good. Still doesn't start. She lectures me that it is probably because I let my oil get too dirty. I know that is definitely not why it wasn't starting. She leaves. I call AAA. Tow truck will be at my house in an hour. Tow truck arrives. Tries a jump pack just in case. Nope. He thinks its the starter. Now we're talking! We put my car in neutral and roll it down the driveway to the truck. Load it. He asks me what I'd like to do with it. Long story short: he convinces me to have the car towed to the auto shop he works out (which is right down the street), says he can fix it now as long as he has the parts, and will change my oil too.
Now while waiting for the tow truck, I assumed since it was a Saturday and most car mechanics are closed, that I am stuck until Monday if not Tuesday without a car. So I had called my parents to share that I had no car. They offered to come get me and loan me one of theirs in the meantime. I thought, no, I will have a friend from home now living in Easthampton who is also headed to Shrewsbury pick me up. He agrees. Also have a friend visiting from Boston on the burner to drop me off when she heads home.
Again, long story short: car is fixed by 5. When I pick it up, mechanic suggests that I get new tires and gives me a quote for them. My dad had told me a month or so ago that one of the tires was at 60% but that the rest looked good so I didn't think anything of the mechanics comment but relayed the info to my dad anyway when I got home.
We have a great weekend.
Before I am set to drive back, Dad goes out and looks at car and returns to the kitchen saying that my back tires are unsafe to drive with. (Now mind you it poured all weekend and I drive the pike home at 65-70 mph thus could have hydroplaned but didn't).
I end up finding tires, already mounted (which means at least half the time and labor to switch them), in my town for half the price the mechanic quoted me. Dad picks them up, we switch them, and I'm off! Well, we got burritos first.
The luck was that so many things had the potential of getting in the way of our family plans and they didn't. Each challenge was met with an easy-to-reach solution. I am still riding high that everything worked out this way. And we got quite a bit planted at work this afternoon so I am pleased about that as well.
Happy Momma's Day y'all.

I am drawing a picture of a lynx and I just. cannot. finish it! I'm really procrastinating! And I was just thinking of you peeps and how I miss you all. Antonio and I are going to the bank tomorrow to talk mortgages eeeeeeeeeeeeeee! We're narrowing down our land/house searches to areas in Vermont and Maine. We may buy something and stay out here another year or so to save up more money for building and moving, but this is getting more and more real every day! Nina, I hope you guys are having luck with your searches! My parents are moving back to MA in June which will be good for them I think. And I'm happy to have the family start reconcentrating (apparently that's not a word?) back in New England.

I got a new job working for a tree and garden company, and I get to dig around in the dirt and saw stuff off of trees and it's so much better than my old job! I'm learning so much and it's awesome. Antonio is still at his same job but is now writing and photographing for a local paper on the side, so he's pretty happy. And he got a baby blue Prius after his accident, and is carpooling with someone else, so no danger of falling asleep thankfully. And we're saving a butt-ton on gas. Dougie and Puff are still adorable and snuggly.

I hope you all are doing swell and we miss you lots! We'll probably plan a visit back to New England around Thanksgiving or the late fall, so we'll keep you posted.

Lot's of <3's!

Alanna