But I digress. 8.30 am and, first unfortunate event, said child still sick in bed. My diary full for the day, all meetings, all out of the office, cheekily coupled with some report writing and at least a dozen emails that had somehow gone from 'not important not urgent' to 'beyond important and ridiculously urgent' in the space of a weekend.
The morning sped by as I answered emails and checked on sick child every twenty minutes, snuck in a couple (more) loads of washing, ran the dishwasher and conducted phone calls via the ear piece that cunningly disguised the noises that said I was working from home. (first silver lining, the work from home-ability of my job)
Midday. 1 pm. Something had to give. Woke sick child (SC)and coaxed her into the car. What to do first? Perhaps some drop offs - that might work because then SC could wait in the car whilst I double parked it. Result! And now the supermarket. Out of cat food (last nights other unfortunate event...) She decides to come in with me.
The car had been a bit...shall we say...sluggish on the way to town. Made a mental note that it was 6 weeks overdue for a service and this was important to ensure it stayed within warranty.
Quick trip round the supermarket and back to the car. Second unfortunate event - the key is stuck in the ignition! Did I have a flat battery? (Quite possible as there is no warning beeper on the lights, as I have discovered to my peril on at least 5 other occasions including the unfortunate incident that involved a Waiheke ferry and Auckland5 oclock traffic but I digress). No, battery is fine. I ring the local Chery dealer - explain where I am and what's going on. They've never heard of such a thing, and more, they are no longer the Chery dealer - its an outfit in Hamilton. But, because I am a good customer they'll send someone out for a quick look.
Second silver lining - a lovely man turns up within 5 minutes, at no cost to me, to look at my car.
Unfortunately he can't fix it so I ring the new dealer in Hamilton. Fabulously nice service from a young man on the phone, until he clarifies the make and model of the car and tells me, actually no, they aren't the dealers of these at all.
I ring the national office, and eventually, through a series of more fortunate events end up talking to a guy on his mobile who just happens to be in the next office to the National Service Manager (both unfortunate and silvery as I learn that yes, my car is still under warranty, but no, there is no local dealer and the car will have to be towed to Taupo for fixing - at their cost...unfortunate silver?).
IN the middle of this a friend walks past the car, and offers to take SC home with her (silver!)
The guy on the phone gives me a number to call, and within 20 minutes - long enough for me to shoot up the road for a flat white in a takeaway cup - the local Roadside Assist man turns up, who (silver!) knows me and is based in a workshop just around the corner.
He hot wires the car (that's better than silver isn't it...) and we get to the workshop, even though i miss the entrance twice and have to drive right round Te Awamutu with google maps incorrectly directing me.
Don't worry he says, just tell me who to call at Chery head office and I'll sort it for you. (silver!)
I trot off, happily laden down with groceries, briefcase, laptop, kids car seat, and all the other flotsam i had retrieved from the car which appears to be headed for Taupo. Oops I'm wearing high heeled boots (unfortunate). There's a sunny seat I can rest on (silver). But I'm in Te Awamutu, and it's a long walk home (unfortunate).
My dinosaur kindly offers me his other car to use (platinum, it's a Porsche) but remembers it is currently in getting work done on it at a workshop 15 km away and not warranted. Could this day get any worse!!!!
A quick call to an obliging mechanic, and another to someone I remembered will be driving by my house from Te Awamutu to get home very soon, and I'm sorted.
Arrive to a ready 944, two kids fed and ready for pickup, and a helpfully quick dinner ready for throwing in the pan.
Yes a series of most unfortunate events, but also a LOT of silver linings, and I am, again, bowled over by the kindness of strangers.
And the best news. The marvelous AA/mechanic, has managed to not only fix the car, saving it a trip to Taupo, but he's put a beeper on my lights. Gold.
