C: Do I Need My Own Blankety-Blank Truck??!!

For weeks I have been needing a pickup truck.  I bought a daybed—need a mattress.  Am fixing up my bedroom porch—need wicker chairs.  Ditching my old, ratty BBQ cooker—need a new grill.  How do I get these things to my home?

Living in the country I am surrounded by helpful neighbors, almost all of whom have a pick up truck.  But I am working sunup to sundown through the week.  And last weekend it rained and I’m never able when they are…besides all the hauling I need requires several stops.  I hate imposing on people.  I just could not bring myself to call someone to lend me their truck for half a day.

All week I have been fuming…scheming to buy myself a work truck, knowing that if I did it would be outside something I really can afford.  Still, I live in the country; doesn’t that require a truck?  I’ve looked in the paper; I’ve gone on line at local car lots; I’ve even looked at the credit situation to check out monthly payments.  But I resisted, worrying about a looming tax payment.

So, today, the day before Easter, MIL, Son and I hoofed it to The Home Depot where we purchased a pre-assembled grill and rented one of their  pick up trucks.  This picture is not ours, but looks pretty much the same.

It was a doozy of a day.

First of all, I think everyone in our city was at The Home Depot, eager to fix up their homes for spring.  It took me half an hour to arrange for the truck.  Really, in the broad spectrum, this isn’t much of a wait.  But I was in a hurry!

We got the truck, loaded the grill and headed for Garden Ridge for two  wicker rocking chairs I had spotted for $80 apiece.  When we got there, they had gone “off sale,” and were $100 each.  I dithered but in the end went on and purchased them.  When can I count on another day with a truck?

Next stop: Sam’s, where I had seen a twin-sized mattress for $98.00.  Just the thing.  But, OMG!  Do you know what Sam’s is like on the day before Easter?  You don’t want to know… We gave it a pass.  I decided to pay a bit more another day and have it delivered.

We headed home, dropped MIL off at her house and headed to mine.

“Pull around the house,” Son instructed. “Back up to the porch, and we won’t have to lift these things—they will just slide right off onto the porch.”

Sure thing! But I couldn’t get the angle right and pulled down into my meadow to re-adjust.  My Son yelled, “Noooo!  Waaait!”

Too late.  The momentum was too much, and I realized too late that I was sitting in the middle of standing water.  When I tried to move forward or backward the wheels spun, sending mud everywhere.  I was stuck good.  It probably wasn’t as bad as this picture looks, but I’m telling you, we covered the truck with mud and ourselves to boot.

Son calmly got boards and put them under the tires.  Eventually I freed the truck, we got the goods unloaded and I turned the truck toward town to return  it, leaving Son to work around the place.

I went to the do-it-yourself carwash to get the truck clean of the mud we had plastered on it.  As I was there, my phone rang.  It was Son.  “Mom, where are you?   You’ve left the keys to your car, and you won’t be able to get home!” (We had left my car on the Home Depot parking lot).

Thank God I was only 5 miles down the road.  And Thank God he spotted my keys.  I think that getting into town (20 miles) without the keys would have caused a meltdown of monumental proportions.  Son averted disaster by delivering the keys to me while I was washing the truck down.

I returned the truck, got my car and realized it was 1:00 and I was feeling a little dizzy from not eating—not even breakfast.  I pulled into Sonic (strictly forbidden but rationalized that I deserved it for all the trouble I have had today.)

After lunch I took myself to the Kroger store (mud and all) for a few final things for Easter dinner.  And, of course, I ran into someone I knew, looking a total mud wreck.  But it was only V’s eldest daughter and husband.  They hugged me anyway…being like family.

As I entered the car after loading the groceries, I was still carrying the illicit Sonic coke…which collapsed in my grip as I slid into the car, spewing Coke and ice all over the driver’s seat.  I had an afghan in the back seat, thank goodness, so was able to soak it up and make it home.

And the house is still not in order for my family tomorrow.  I’ll be up late tonight getting there.  But, you know, all-in-all I suppose I have had more disastrous days.

The Home Depot truck cost me $36 (not counting the carwash…).  I think that’s a pretty good deal.  I’m thinking I’ll nix the idea of purchasing a truck and just use theirs instead.

And, as for  tomorrow, it is my usual circle, and they’re used to me and my housekeeping by now.  We’re looking forward to a wonderful Easter Day!  Hope you have one as well!  C