when I started this blog five years ago, I was a pet sitter and the name animal-crackers made sense. now I'm a stay-at-home-dad and freelance writer, but rather than confuse everyone by getting a different blog, it's just easier to keep posting things here.


Saturday, April 15, 2006

Bad Friday

It started out well.

On Thursday, Dr. Lung's office called to inform us that RSV season is officially over. RSV is a common cold-like illness that is very bad for preemies. Bad enough for Dylan to receive an $1,800 vaccine every month.

With the reason for the season gone Dylan can go out and mingle. So Andrea took him to the office with her yesterday morning. He cooed as everyone oo'd and ah'd.

Around lunchtime Josh and I drove to the office to bring him home. It was hot and traffic on the highway was creeping. By the time we reached the Statesman, the temperature gauge was near the three-quarters mark.

Now, I should have stayed for a little while and let the car cool off. But the boys were tired and hungry. So I figured I'd skip the highway.

I didn't get far. Good Friday traffic was ugly and while we were stuck on the Lamar bridge over Town Lake I watched with horror as the temperature gauge climbed into the red.

And there was no where to go. Surrounded by cars in the middle of a bridge with the kids in the back. Still, I thought I might make it, if I could just get to Whole Foods and buy some coolant or water.

Beyond the bridge, Lamar runs another couple hundred yards or so without a means of escape.

That's when the gauge maxed out and my engine started smoking.

Now, I don't know much about cars, but I know this is the time when I was supposed to pull over. Only there's no where to go. Cars behind me started honking.

After a few minutes of this, I was able to pull into the underground parking garage at Whole Foods. Of course, the place is packed and cars are creeping through the mazelike tunnels fighting for parking spaces. Just when I was about to turn off the ignition in the middle of the throughlane, a spot opened.

Andrea came and got the boys while I filled the radiator with water and then drove to a Jiffy Lube for a radiator flush and fill. Hopefully that took care of the problem.
posted by todd at 3:29 PM

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