Life with Critter:
I was at the barn when my phone rang. It was moments away from going to voice mail before I managed to get a hand free and answer it.
"It's your hubby. Can you do me a favor?"
"Possibly."
"I'm changing the oil on the mower. Can you stop on your way home and get me some oil?"
(There are two auto parts stores within a quarter mile of each other, and while neither is exactly "on my way," you can see them both from an intersection I pass through, so they aren't really "out of my way," either)
"I can do that. What kind?"
"Motor oil. What kind did you think, canola oil?"
The horse I was leading is chewing on the gate, and having playful thoughts about chewing on me, as Critter laughs at his own joke.
"Do you think you could give me a straight answer for once in your life?"
"Geez, somebody didn't sleep well, did she? Tigerspurr 10W30. It's for the diesel. I only need about a quart, but I believe they only sell it in gallons."
"Tigerspurr 10W30. Got it."
A bit later, I have finished scrubbing out a water trough and am refilling it when my phone rings again. Guess who?
"Have you gotten that oil yet?"
"No, I'm still at the barn. I'm standing here, watching the water trough refill. I'll be leaving before long."
"Well, never mind about the oil. Turns out I had enough. I didn't think I did, but the dipstick reads right where it should."
"Glad to hear you aren't standing around waiting on me. See you in a bit."
As I finish the last thing I have to do, my phone rings again.
"Have you left yet?"
"I am walking to the car as we speak."
"Can you stop at Car Goes and pick up a belt they are holding for me? It's for the mower."
"Can do."
I get to Car Goes, and ask for the belt. The only belt in the "hold" area doesn't have a name on it, and nobody in the store knows about holding a belt. The clerk tells me, "I was talking to a guy a little bit ago about a belt for a mower, but we don't have one in stock, I told him we'd have to order it."
So, I call Critter.
"I'm at Car Goes . . . . ."
"What are you doing at Car Goes? You should be at Autozoom."
"You said Car Goes."
"Well, There's your problem. You should be at Autozoom. They have it."
So, I go down the road to Autozoom, where the clerk doesn't have a belt on hold. She even calls the other store on Market Street, to see if perhaps he had called them. No luck. So, I call Critter again.
"Ok, now I'm at Autozoom. They don't know from nothing. How about I let you talk to the clerk?"
Critter and the clerk compare notes, and the number for her store isn't even close to the number he called. Fortunately, Critter has the part number of the belt written down, and by cross-referencing through her handy-dandy computer, the clerk finds that she has the belt in stock. I pay for it, and am on my way. When I get home, Critter muses that perhaps he called the other Market Street store, but like I said, the clerk and I had already covered that ground.
"Hmmm. I wonder who I called?"
Sorry, unknown clerk at whatever other Autozoom, but I'm not going to be there to pick up that belt.
I was at the barn when my phone rang. It was moments away from going to voice mail before I managed to get a hand free and answer it.
"It's your hubby. Can you do me a favor?"
"Possibly."
"I'm changing the oil on the mower. Can you stop on your way home and get me some oil?"
(There are two auto parts stores within a quarter mile of each other, and while neither is exactly "on my way," you can see them both from an intersection I pass through, so they aren't really "out of my way," either)
"I can do that. What kind?"
"Motor oil. What kind did you think, canola oil?"
The horse I was leading is chewing on the gate, and having playful thoughts about chewing on me, as Critter laughs at his own joke.
"Do you think you could give me a straight answer for once in your life?"
"Geez, somebody didn't sleep well, did she? Tigerspurr 10W30. It's for the diesel. I only need about a quart, but I believe they only sell it in gallons."
"Tigerspurr 10W30. Got it."
A bit later, I have finished scrubbing out a water trough and am refilling it when my phone rings again. Guess who?
"Have you gotten that oil yet?"
"No, I'm still at the barn. I'm standing here, watching the water trough refill. I'll be leaving before long."
"Well, never mind about the oil. Turns out I had enough. I didn't think I did, but the dipstick reads right where it should."
"Glad to hear you aren't standing around waiting on me. See you in a bit."
As I finish the last thing I have to do, my phone rings again.
"Have you left yet?"
"I am walking to the car as we speak."
"Can you stop at Car Goes and pick up a belt they are holding for me? It's for the mower."
"Can do."
I get to Car Goes, and ask for the belt. The only belt in the "hold" area doesn't have a name on it, and nobody in the store knows about holding a belt. The clerk tells me, "I was talking to a guy a little bit ago about a belt for a mower, but we don't have one in stock, I told him we'd have to order it."
So, I call Critter.
"I'm at Car Goes . . . . ."
"What are you doing at Car Goes? You should be at Autozoom."
"You said Car Goes."
"Well, There's your problem. You should be at Autozoom. They have it."
So, I go down the road to Autozoom, where the clerk doesn't have a belt on hold. She even calls the other store on Market Street, to see if perhaps he had called them. No luck. So, I call Critter again.
"Ok, now I'm at Autozoom. They don't know from nothing. How about I let you talk to the clerk?"
Critter and the clerk compare notes, and the number for her store isn't even close to the number he called. Fortunately, Critter has the part number of the belt written down, and by cross-referencing through her handy-dandy computer, the clerk finds that she has the belt in stock. I pay for it, and am on my way. When I get home, Critter muses that perhaps he called the other Market Street store, but like I said, the clerk and I had already covered that ground.
"Hmmm. I wonder who I called?"
Sorry, unknown clerk at whatever other Autozoom, but I'm not going to be there to pick up that belt.
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Posting everywhere! I'm a great grandma!
