So I spent this past weekend in Houston.
I believe I’ve mentioned that Mimi and Bops bought a vacation home in Houston, mainly because they jumped on the bandwagon with all the people that feel tropical vacation homes are overrated and opt to buy a second home in a large metropolitan area instead. And it really worked out perfectly because I ended up staying there this weekend with my friends Amanda, Janelle and Sophie.
At times like that it comes in super handy to have access to a house in a fun city with lots of restaurants and things to do. Let’s talk about the restaurants for just a moment. The following picture represents my personal kryptonite.
Can we have a moment of silence for the queso? I will remember it most fondly of all.
It’s safe to say that my healthy eating initiative kind of tanked over the last forty-eight hours, but I am planning to get right back on the broccoli-laden horse Monday morning. And I will remember once again what it’s like to go to bed feeling hungry every night.
Anyway, the reason I was in Houston was a Beth Moore event. Last year she challenged her blog readers to memorize twenty-four scriptures and this past weekend was a celebration for those that finished the year. It would be a lie for me to tell you I could recite all twenty-four verses completely by heart, but I could give you the general gist. Or I could go to my favorite fallback memory verse, “Jesus wept”.
Let’s also have a moment of silence for my long-term memory skills.
It was a great time to just get away and laugh with friends and eat too many of my favorite foods that I’ve neglected over the last three weeks. And I woke up Sunday morning, stretched and rolled back over with the joy that only comes when you know no one is going to jump on your head and ask you to turn on Shake It Up.
Then Sophie and I decided to go eat breakfast at Le Peep before I drove her to the airport to catch her flight. But as soon as we got in my car and began to drive, I noticed something was awry. Because I am an automotive genius. Also, the car was veering to one side and making a CLACKETY-CLACKETY-CLACKETY sound.
So we checked the tires as soon as we found a parking place and I can’t tell you how sad I was to discover this.
Bummer.
(Does anyone say bummer anymore? I don’t really think so.)
(Yet it has never applied more.)
And the question became what do you do about a flat tire in the middle of Le Peep parking lot on Sunday morning?
Well. You call your daddy.
At least that’s what I did. And he told me the location of a few places I could go but the problem was those places all required that I drive to them. Which wasn’t possible given the condition of my completely flat rear tire.
Then Sophie remembered she was a Triple A member and so we admitted we had a problem and appealed to a higher power.
Oh wait.
That’s the wrong organization. She said TRIPLE A.
But then we thought surely they wouldn’t come help her when she isn’t even in her car and is instead in the car of a friend who isn’t fortunate enough to be a member of Triple A.
We were wrong.
Sophie called the number on her card, explained our situation and they said OF COURSE they would come help us even though it wasn’t her car. They would be there in about forty-five minutes which gave us plenty of time to enjoy some french toast and coffee and eggs benedict.
All I can say is KUDOOZ to Triple A. I will be a fan forevermore. They sent the most helpful roadside assistant and he put the spare on my tire, checked the air in my other tires, told me I couldn’t make it back to San Antonio on my spare and cleaned out the floor mat in the back of the stay wag just because he was that nice.
When I called P to update him on the situation I told him we needed to join Triple A immediately. And he replied, “Or you could just learn to change a tire by yourself”.
He is hilarious.
I drove to Firestone because Discount Tire is closed on Sundays. (Do you care? Probably not.) The man behind the counter agreed with the Triple A man and told me the tire couldn’t be fixed. It had a gigantic nail in a bad location. So I picked out a new tire and we waited for them to put it on. Then they called me in to show me that my front tire also had a large nail in it, but it could be patched.
So I went to Houston this weekend and ran over a box of nails.
And I became a Triple A loyalist.
And then I bought a new tire which is my FAVORITE way to spend money.
And then I drove back to San Antonio.
The end.
The title of your post made me think it was finger/toe nails (like as in mani/pedi’s all around) but no such luck. BUMMER
How is it that nails get in tires, but do you EVER see nails just lying around on the road or in parking lots? Not I. Not ever once. From whence do they come?
Glad you weren’t on the highway when it happened.
Ummmmm, I say bummer. Does that mean I’m behind the times? 🙂
I, too, experienced food heaven this weekend by getting to eat two meals of DELICIOUS Tex-Mex for the first time, both meals taking me seriously off my program, but oh so good! (It included queso at Pappasito’s)! I was thrilled to get to meet you, thank you for your kindness to my mom and me. Wasn’t it such a great weekend? I will treasure Beth’s teaching and the southern hospitality of so many fabulous siestas for a long time. Sorry about that flat tire, but I’m glad you had fun with your girlfriends (those ladies seem like some great girlfriends to have!) Good luck getting back to your healthy eating. I’ve found it’s not nearly as fun as eating queso and chips, don’t you agree? 🙂
Blessings,
Karen (from Seattle)
Wrote a post about life in Morocco that you might get a kick out of:
http://westboundtwenty.blogspot.com/2012/01/observations.html
Also, while in the back alley illegal DVD store this weekend we found Season 3 of FNL dubbed in French. It was tempting, but the whole point of buying the French DVDs are to improve the ol’ French. And I would be too distracted with longing for Texas to pay attention. Although I might eventually have to get it just so that I can see how they translate Coach saying, “Aight”.
oh – I’m a big fan of Triple A. I had a flat recently while we were out shopping (we were on a busy street near the Pentagon when it happened) and even though I had loads of offers of help, I couldn’t change the flat because we were missing that oh-so-vital “key” to unlock the hub cap. Who knew there was a key? Apparently everyone who stopped to help us did. I felt pretty silly since we didn’t actually have the key for some reason.
Anyway. Did you know that it’s not your car that is covered but the driver? We thought I would be covered because my husband is the policy owner of the car itself but alas, that’s not the case. Each driver has to be covered which means we had to add my name to the policy before they would come out to help. But still, even with all of that, they came out and saved the day. And now I’m a policy holder too – extra bonus!
Spending money on new tires is as much fun as spending money on plumbing. I’m all about conspicuous consumption. Not one of my friends ever notices my new tires.
Those nice AAA guys will also come unlock your car if you’ve locked the keys inside for the 3rd time in a 2 month period and are reluctant to let your husband know. 🙂
In case anyone needs to know.
Spending money on new tires is as much fun as spending money on plumbing. I’m all about conspicuous consumption. Not one of my friends ever notices my new tires.
Those nice AAA guys will also come unlock your car if you’ve locked the keys inside for the 3rd time in a 2 month period and are reluctant to let your husband know. 🙂
In case anyone needs to know.
Apparently the Houston AAA people are much nicer than the Northern Virginia AAA people. I’d traveled there for a wedding. My van, one of our two family vehicles, decided to go kerplooey just as I was trying to actually go to the wedding. At least we have AAA, I thought. No, apparently “WE” don’t have AAA. Only my husband’s name is on the card, you see. The fact that I was his wife and was driving one of his/our cars did not matter one bit. No, they would not come. I missed the ceremony.
All you had to do was ask them to add your name to his policy and they would have come right out. I’m surprised they didn’t offer that info. We did that when my son was a new driver and we had forgotten to add him and he had a flat.
Triple A has saved me so many times. Flat tires, dead batteries, maps and step by step directions, and discounts. I love the Triple A.
I also say bummer, but I am clearly not hip, so that may not be any comfort.
See if your cell phone provider offers a similar service. Ours (verizon- whom I hate in every other way!) does, and it has gotten me into a locked car, changed flat tires, and towed me when broken down. All for only $3 or $4 a month! It doesn’t matter who’s vehicle you are in either, it is your personal road side assistant!
Love the Verizon Roadside Assistance people. They will come start your car in your garage when for reasons beyond me it wouldn’t start.
Spending money on new tires makes me nuts. Ditto new water pumps. Not that I know a thing about that….sigh.
Totally thought the title was referring to your shellac mani! And ditto on AAA–they are wonderful. My grandma renews my membership with them every year for my birthday. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.
Also, I use bummer in my everyday language. 🙂 But I’m 29, so there you have it.
Alas, I too say ‘bummer’ and ‘cool’…… apparently I am neither. But on a good note I see that Big Mama is back to her hilarious self! That ‘broccoli train’ you mentioned is NO FUN. Glad you had yourself a great weekend and got to cut loose in the big city. (Does anyone say ‘cut loose’ anymore?) You were under the influence of chips and queso and good friends, which is always a good place to be.
Bummer-sayer here and I’m 52 ~smile~ but that’s probably the least of things I say that isn’t cool or hip.
AAA. Don’t leave home without it.
Yes, a firm believer in AAA. Used to think it was only for old people….which I am becoming! ha! They have always been nothing but nice…and helpful!
Glad ya’ll had a fun weekend…..!
Well, besides the box of nails in your tire, I’d say the queso looks like it was worth it. 😉
It was so nice to see you this weekend….even if it was only for a nano second. I too am a huge fan of AAA. I recently stayed in a hotel and did not realize one of my kids left the interior light on in the car so the battery was completely dead the next morning. AAA was right there to give me a jump start. They did not vacuum my interior though. Bummer.
I was in Houston this weekend, too. Bummer that I didn’t get to meet you. I enjoyed some TexMex as well. Great weekend, sorry about your tires. Not a fun way to spend money, for sure.
Sorry you had tire trouble. Bummer. Or even better, “I hate when that happens.” 🙂
But when P said, “Or you could just learn to change a tire by yourself”, I seriously laughed out loud because I could hear my husband’s voice saying that, too. Gotta love ’em.
So, I spotted you this weekend.
And each time you were chatting and I did not want to interrupt…even though I thought about busting in the conversation because I just adore you. BUT, I was a good non-interruptive Southern gal. I got to meet Sophie and she was precious! I hope you had as good of a time as I did hearing Beth.
Your flat-tire adventures sound like that was a cherry on-top of a fabulous weekend. 🙂 Okay maybe not. But it made a great story!
If you’re gonna have a flat tire, I can’t imagine a better way to do it than this…over french toast at Le Peep with Sophie. Glad it all worked out and you didn’t even have to miss your yummy breakfast. Sure enjoyed meeting you two this weekend! If I can swing by 719 Misty Lea sometime and take a quick picture without anyone sending security after me, I’ll email it to you 🙂
I still can’t believe you got a flat! Ugh!
Triple A is the best money we spend. If you join, check out the super version for a few extra bucks. The added miles are worth it plus all the other stuff that comes with it that I never knew about. You can’t beat them if you ever lock your keys in the door, especially a Volvo door. Trust me on that one. They had to send out a specialist and covered the whole thing. I’d sure like to know what this queso stuff is you speak of. The only queso I ever see is in jars at Trader Joes. Clearly I missed out the one time I was in Texas.
I have to join in singing the praises of AAA. We have our homeowner and auto insurance through them. Not only do they give you awesome service no matter if you are the driver of the car or just a passenger in someone else’s, but they also have great prices on insurance and don’t raise your rates outrageously when you make a claim. If you’ve made a claim with anybody else, you know what I am talking about! The upgraded membership is only $35 extra a year for the 3 people we have on it. That is probably what she had and it is totally worth it! My son who is on it who doesn’t even have a car is covered when he is out of state at college riding with friends. I give them 5 stars.
I’m prone to find any nail within a 10 mile radius -especially if the hubs isn’t around!
Glad AAA worked for you and that you had a great time.
I’ll now pause for a moment of silence for the queso.
I think bummer is the most appropriate word for that scenario. Thank goodness you weren’t rushing to the airport trying to make a last minute flight! That would’ve taken it to the next bummer level. Your post is making me reconsider my whole, ‘I don’t need no stinkin’ Triple A’ attitude. I might just have to give them a call!
Your tire purchase reminds me of all the things I love to spend money on: washing machine repair, getting your automatic garage door fixed (twice), taking your kid to the doctor and being told it’s a virus, and air filters.
Ok, I’m done complaining, I mean, sharing.
Love your recounts! Go SSMT!
I am a huge fan of Beth Moore and have learned so much from her Bible studies. I just blogged about my desire to memorize scripture and my lack of memorization skills.
http://www.colortransformedfamily.com/2012/01/22/my-2012-word/
Nail in two tires! Bummer. Yes, I use it, love it, it expresses how I feel exactly. When I turned sixteen — fifty years ago! — my mother gave me a AAA card and a Chevron card — in my own name. Great safety net. Also, if your car is so sick it needs to see a mechanic, AAA will tow you. The cost of one tow will far exceed the yearly cost of a AAA card. They have listings of AAA Certified mechanics — nationwide. (Not that there are ever mechanics who would try to bilk you.) I don’t work for AAA and I’m not an insurance agent. Also, be sure to check with your car insurance agent first. Some car insurance policies include road side service.
Let me say when I read “nails” in the title, that is not what I expected. Especially after Friday’s post. Had it been about manicures it surely would have been less of a bummer. But God bless AAA. And AA. Both are meaningful, life-changing organizations;).
I just went out to my car at lunch in my attempt to run to Target on my lunch HOUR, and I found my reat tire flat as a pancake. I called my husband and he answered his phone with “So, coming to take me to lunch?” Um, no…I’m pretty much not going anywhere. I did come down to change it for me…but he is only about 20 minutes away.
I do say “bummer” because clearly I’m still in my teens. Please tell that to my roots. We use Honda roadside (very similar) and they rock. They say knights arrive on white horses, but I’ve seen a few in white pick-up or tow trucks.
Funny, so funny!
Glad you are OK and it happened where it did. Thankfully, it didn’t blow out on you heading down the Interstate. That is one of my worst fears.
AAA is the BOMB! (Did bomb go out with bummer?) Ditto queso.
I say bummer! Daily too.
Whenever my husband used to travel, our car would ALWAYS have an issue. Flat tires, dead battery, whatever, it happened. Three little kids, husband away, car acting like a fool. I made the man get another job:)
Glad you have fun and yummy food!
Melanie
I’m so happy that I got to meet you and Sophie this weekend! I’m from Amarillo, Texas, and I talked to you girls just as the event ended on Saturday. I messaged Kelly about meeting you two, and she was excited.
Sorry about your tire, but I love that you called your daddy! I’m 41 years old and still do the same thing.
I loved the weekend! It was such a blessing to me. I love that Beth can encourage and challenge at the same time.
Blessings,
Deena
I love how you say you picked out a tire…..kind of like picking out nails. I can see you standing in the isle picking out a tire based on the pattern of thread and how it matched something you saw at Target. Possibly by the shade of black, LOL
Before my Momma would let me start driving as a teenager I had to know how to change a tire and check my fluids. At the time I thought she was being ridiculous, but it has served me well MANY times!
I say bummer. 🙂
“And then we admitted we had a problem and appealed to a higher power.” Stinkin’ hilarious! I still say bummer, but I’m 50. Love your blog.
Karen in CA
As a native Houstonian let me tell you that you are not alone, I am just always thankful when it is a nail in the tire in the right place and it can be patched. I am always running to the local service station for a flat and I was starting to get a complex that it was just me and your story has reassured me that it isn’t me – it’s Houston!
Did you tell that flat tire it’s not going to prevent you from “taking your GROUND back?!” 🙂 Love you friend. It was so fun!
Well, as for P’s comment – you can always LEARN…however, just because I have a skill (changing the tire) doesn’t mean I have to use it (for example when I’m dressed up, or wearing cute shoes, or if it’s raining). I love AAA & AA, and use them both – they are my friends. Glad you were able to call your daddy – that is the best tactic and what I do as well. They are infitintely more helpful than husbands…lol.
One week i had crazy car trouble. Monday, someone hit my car with their truck. Tuesday, i locked my keys in my other car. Wednesday, i got a flat tire. Thursday, i didn’t go near my car. The way my week had gone, i was afraid my car would blow up. I’m glad you had such a fun weekend!