It's amazing what you get used to.

So stopping is a good thing.

The brakes on the car are fixed. Brakes, oil change and flat tire came in at $388, which is $12 less than what I had to spend.

I picked up the car and Pam followed me to make sure everything drove well. Holy stopping point, Batman! I pulled out of the mechanic, drove about 200 feet and stopped at the 4-way intersection east of the mechanic. I merely had to tap the brakes and the car STOPPED! I mean STOPPED! Halted! Didn't go any farther!

I could stop before, but I would press the brake pedal down almost all the way. I know it's a gradual wear. Depending upon the amount and style of driving you do, you wear your brakes out slowly or faster. I didn't realize, until I got into the car last night with new brakes, that what I experienced wasn't right. I was stopping and stopping very well, thank you, so what seems to be the problem here? Given that I'm not on the road as much as I used to be, I probably won't need the extensive brake work for another couple of years.

Next repair is Monday. The water pump is dying and that has to be replaced. Fortunately, I get paid on Friday and can pay for that, but the next stress is what don't I pay to cover this?

I just tell myself that "it is what it is". I'm not going out of my way to be a deadbeat, life just tossed me some rocks instead of flowers. I have some cash to go get groceries and I can pay the most important bills.

It's not the life I wanted, but it's the life I have. That's what the luck journal reminds me. I think about people who have lost homes and I have experience with family who lost homes in the great Cedar Rapids flood. I still have everything and it could be a whole lot worse.

So, I stop and give quiet thanks for having frozen chicken breasts in a bag in the freezer even if, for the third day in a row, I forgot to take some out and set to marinating in homemade teriyaki sauce.

Beverage: Earl Gray tea

Deb