Date Interrupted.

It started at 7:30 this morning - My sweet DH was going to take the van to Hibdon to get the additional new tired that it needed. He took #2 with him, and Mimi and Popsy were planning to meet them to actually purchase the tires because that was a birthday/anniversary gift for us. Then they were going to borrow #3 and #2 so that we could take #4 and go to Borders to spend the Bookworm King's birthday gift certificates.

Yeah. That was our plan.

If you remember the last Hibdon story, you know that we got the front tires replaced three months ago, and that God provided wonderfully for a grand rescue from a raining highway just south of civilization.

What I didn't say in that story was that my dad rescued me twice - once from the boys during the wait on the tire, and once from a mistake that Hibdon made that was financially beneficial for them and bad for me. So, when the King and #2 left this morning, I cautioned them to make sure that the job was done right.

It wasn't. And they didn't notice.

The counter-girl rang up the order wrong and the pit crew followed directions even though they should have questioned them - so we had two new tires on the front - again - and the same old tires on the back.

The King went on to Borders because it was his money and he needed time to shop. I took #2 and #3 to Mimi and went to fix the tire problem. The funny thing is that by the time the job was done right, Hibdon had sold me six tires for the price of four and done the labor necessary four times instead of two - and then I firmly and politely asked for a discount because they had wasted my time - not once, but twice. So it came down to six new Firestone tires for the price of three, labor paid twice instead of four times. If they were trying to swindle me, I'd say I won at that game.

Ya'll I can just see my dad grinning as he thinks about it. He was mad when I told him the story, but I know he was impressed that I asked for that discount.

ANYWAY - back to the date. I met up with the King, who apologized for not checking things out and bought me a peace offering (Cinnamon latte, yum.) not that that was necessary. The date was short but sweet. We discussed his purchases and I drooled over King Arthur Whole Grain Baking and hinted that I want it ASAP (there really wasn't much hinting there.) Coffee was yummy. #4 was dozy. Conversation was nice - but the date was cut short because of the tire debacle - Mimi and Popsy need to get to the game (I'm sure their presence and the appropriate shouting of "Orange" and "Power" contributed to the 39-3 win - Go Pokes!). Got to the register and found that the birthday money was downtown at the office.

But, he and #2 were planning a trip downtown for a birthday party anyway, so it was decided that they'd pick the wallet up on the way home. I brought the babies home for nap time. (I love nap time. I had a bit of a doze myself). I made mushroom-swiss burgers for dinner with hot dogs for the kids. The King and I ate while #2 and #3 got clean in the tub. That was part two of the date - dinner conversation. About a half hour later, there was more conversation in the car on the way to Borders to actually buy the books and but on the way home we got sucked into a conversation about WHO was going to bed WHEN and with or without stories. The outcome of that - #2 was the first to bed but the last to sleep - and he did get some stories, but he had to lay in his bed and listen from afar. There was more conversation over dessert and some over laundry folding and the watching of The Pirate of the Caribbean (1), which I had never seen.

Weirdest Date Day we ever had - but it was fun. God has blessed me with a wonderfully flexible man - lends a good bit of flexibility to my daily routine.

So, in short (and in order) - children grandparented, doughnuts eaten, tires fixed, books sought, coffee drunk, kids retrieved, naps taken, birthday partied, wallet procured, dinner fixed, burgers eaten, bookworms washed, books purchased, babies tucked, stories read, boy snoring, laundry folded, movie watched, Jack victorious, hubby happy, and now to bed.