Breaking Down, Getting Lost, and Going Home

I had NO idea when I woke up this morning how incredibly off my day was going to end up. This morning today's schedule looked something like this

7:30- Drive boys to school
8:00- Study
8:30- Deliveries (2)
9:00- Visiting Teaching
10:30- Exercise
11:30- Help a friend move
2:30- Pick up boys from school
3:30- HSM practice
6:00- Parenting seminar
7:00- Dinner
7:30- Homework
8:30- Boys to bed

I was booked tight all day long and was really counting on things going smoothly in order to get everything done. On days like this though one little hiccup can really mess things up and sevral hiccups can ruin the whole day. Little did I know I was in for hiccup after hiccup after hiccup all day long! Here is what happened.

While I was sitting in drop off zone at school getting the boys off for the day, my cell phone rang. It was Robert. Our not so trusty Italian car (the one he kindly drives so I don't have to) broke down on his way to work. No problem I thought I should be able to pick him up get him to work and still make my 9:00 am appointment. So I darted off to the resue. When I arrived Robert had already called a tow truck but since it was morning rush hour it was going to take 30-40 minutes. Shoot, I am going to miss Visiting Teaching, Sara will have to go alone. I made the necessary phone calls and got everything straightened out. And though I was sad to miss my morning visit, I was actually looking forward to the thirty minute wait with Robert because it would mean a little time together. Just a few minutes after I hung up the phone a tow truck pulled up (we were both shocked as service in Italy is NEVER that fast) so Robert got out to talk to the guy. He was not the man Robert talked with on the phone, he was not even from the same company but the guy refused to leave until Robert agreed to let them tow our car. Ten minutes or so into that conversation another tow truck pulled up. The first guys finally got the message and took off but when Robert talked to the second guy he realized that HE is not the right guy either. Momma Mia! After some broken Italian and lots of hand gestures the second guy figured out what Robert was trying to tell him and left. Robert get back into the car for literally thirty seconds when ANOTHER tow truck pulled up. Okay clearly we are not going to get to talk now, I though but that is okay, we will have twenty minutes together on the ride back to the Base. Fortunately this was the right guy. He got the car hooked up in a jiffy and in just a few minutes were were ready to go. BUT he insisted that Robert ride back to the auto shop in his truck. So much for talking.

As I was driving back to Base I did some quick figuring in my head and realized that after dropping off the car at the shop, getting enough euro to pay the tow guy and getting Robert to work I was going to be late to help my friend move. So I grabbed my cell phone to call her but her number was missing a digit in my phone book so my call would not go through. I called a around a bit but no one has her number. I realized that I would have to go home to get it. I called Robert I told him I would be by to pick him up at the Base in 30 minutes. I drove home got the number and raced back to get Robert. BUT when I go there he has still not paid the tow guy because the euro ATM is out of order. Hello? What else could go wrong today? I wondered. We wait till ten, get the euro, pay the guy and jump in the car to work. I finally get a chance to ask Robert when happened and he explains everything and tells me that it is not good. He said he thought the car was beyond repair and would have to be replaced. Ok, this isn't funny any more. Are you serious? Buying a car overseas is a royal pain in the rump. Not to mention terribly time consuming and very expensive! I dropped Robert off at work at 11:00. Okay now that that is taken care of I can move on with my day. I optimistically thought. I will worry about the car AFTER we get the repair estimate from the shop.

Now, on to my 11:30 appointment. So, I got out the directions to my friends house. BUT I realized that the directions she gave had me started from my house, not Robert's work. And since we live in Italy and roads here don't make any sense... I would have to go all the way back home to be able to use her directions. No worries, she already knows I am going to be a few minutes late. I drove all the way back home and began following her directions. It was fairly easily and things were going great until I miss the exit I was supposed to take. No problem, I'll just turn around. 1 hour and 45 minutes and 5 toll booths later I was completely lost. Ahhh, why is this happening to me today? I have things to do people? Arrrg, forget it- I'm going home! I called my friend and told her I wasn't going to make it. So, I pulled over, got out my TomTom and hit HOME. BUT instead of being a good little TomTom and providing directions for me like it supposed to, this little sign popped up that said, "no route found". Is is not happening to me! I tried again but got the same thing. Sigh. I realized in that moment that I had a choice to make- I could either laugh or cry. I wanted to cry... but I didn't. I took a deep breath, rolled down the windows, turned up the volume on my favorite song and started driving. I will make home eventually I thought and until I do I will listen to my music and pretend that this is how I wanted to spend my day.

I was sure that by the time I got home I would be all jazzed up and ready to do something super productive. But when I walked in the door and saw the crazy mess that was left over from the morning- I though, oh the heck with it! I am going to have lunch, write about my insane morning and then I am going to take a nap!

So there you have it friends the sorry tale of my breaking down- getting lost- going home-crazy kinda day! I hope your day goes better than mine!