When I was a single mom in Denver back in the mid to late ‘70’s, I didn’t have a pot to pee in or a window to throw it out of. I was living in HUD housing, supplementing my meager food budget with food from WIC, and occasionally qualifying for Food Stamps. I was poor as a church mouse and trying my best to raise my child alone 1,200 miles from my family. Hubby #1 was out of the service and had moved back to WV after we split for the last time. To say I was struggling was an understatement.

I could have stayed home on welfare. I would have loved the time with my daughter. But I knew that wasn’t the lesson I wanted her to learn. I wanted her to know when the going gets tough, you keep moving onward and upward. You never settle. I was only working part time, which didn’t bring in much money. When I finally found a full-time job, I was so proud of myself. Up to that point, every vehicle I’d had was a “throwaway” that I managed to scrape a few hundred dollars together to buy. 

One time, I bought a huge boat of a car from some Iranian dudes for $250. The hood AND the trunk were wired down with coat hangers. There was duct tape in too many places to count. Sometimes the Bendix spring would get stuck and I’d have to get the hammer out that I carried with me all the time and give the starter a few solid whacks to break it loose. Finally, when the power steering and power brakes went out, I limped it into a car dealership and bought my very first semi-decent vehicle…a royal blue Ford Pinto.

Over the years, I’ve still occasionally held onto a junker because I didn’t feel like putting a lot of money or effort into getting a newer vehicle. Then…finally…Hubby #2 finished medical school and residency and joined an established practice. Slowly but surely, our vehicles became newer and more reliable. I’ll never forget the very first brand new car we bought. It was a gorgeous emerald green Honda Accord with tan leather seats. We felt so affluent.

I don’t buy new vehicles anymore. The depreciation when you take them off the lot just hurts too much. I’m happy to buy a three or four year old pickup with lowish miles and call it good. Still, there’s the maintenance issue. When you get into older vehicles, more things go wrong, and they become unreliable. Mr. FixIt is our resident mechanic. He changes the oil and the brake pads and always makes sure things are working as they should.

With the crazy busy year we had, a few maintenance things snuck up on us. Here in West Virginia, vehicles must pass a State Safety Inspection every year in order to drive them on the roads. This is a good thing. Until you know you need new brakes in order to pass the inspection. And, the truck is older and the salt they use on the roads here have taken its toll.

Mr FixIt ordered new brake pads, rotors, and calipers for his truck back in September when we got home from Colorado. Bless his heart. He’s poured his heart into getting the job done between camping and taking me to Columbus for doctor’s appointments. He’s broken old brake lines and had to buy new ones, bending them with a special tool we had to order off Amazon. 

Sure, we could have taken the truck in and had the work done, but he did it himself for less than a quarter of what it would have cost, even at a mom and pop garage. Yesterday afternoon he finally finished! I am so proud of him for stubbornly plodding his way through and getting the job done. His job was made more difficult because he had those two small strokes last year. The feeling and dexterity is diminished in his hands and I know it was terribly frustrating for him. When he just couldn’t do something, which wasn’t often, I’d come and hold something for him. 

We went to town yesterday to get the tag on both of our trucks because they were due. The inspection is also due, so since we had my truck, we stopped at the garage on our way home to get that finished. And…guess what?

It needs new brakes! 

Oy!

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“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”

James 1:12 ESV