Family affair

I love Christmas! This will not be a shock to most of my friends. But there is this part of Christmas that I don't particularly like ... it usually involves some member of my family getting irritable and snapping at someone. At age 35, I've decided this is not a game I play anymore. I've had way too many angst-filled holidays to let these things get to me anymore.

So, while we had a wonderful Christmas ... including playing so much Guitar Hero at my sister's that I think I sprained my wrist ... I was pretty glad to head for home.

Except, Karma had other plans for me making it in a timely fashion. My aunt and I barely got around the corner when she noticed a light. An ominous exclamation point looming at us. Basically all it meant was low tire pressure. So, we headed for a gas station and filled up the tires. A little delay but then we were on the way.

Outside Lima, Ohio (which is perhaps the most boring state to drive across and that's saying a lot since I drove around Iowa this year), we sat in some mysterious traffic snarl up. That was a full half hour of nothing but sitting next to a car decorated in more Spartan crap than I have Michigan crap on my car. That's saying something.

Once again on our way, we were feeling good. Slightly delayed again but with the Kentucky border closer in our mental sights. Too good to be true. Outside Carrollton, something's not right. The exclamation point is back and then there is a sound ... and then the smell of burning rubber. A flat.

Calm in a crisis is my job ... so I whipped out the AAA card and called for roadside assistance. It surprisingly didn't take too long. I think that was because we were like prey on the side of the road as semis whipped past us rocking my aunt's Fit. So, with another half hour delay we were back on the road with a donut as a tire. That prompted my aunt to take the back roads, which are painfully long. I guess that's why they are back roads.

I was pretty happy to make it home ... and I'm wondering when Karma is going to give me a break. I apparently have to deal with her attitude until the very last second of 2008 before she's going to cut me some slack. I wish I knew what I did to piss her off.

To counteract this Karma business ... I'm going to compose my next blog entry about all the things I'm grateful for and accomplished during 2008. Wait for it ... it will be worth it I think.