My Truck Has Been Recovered, the Poor Baby

My truck has been found, far enough *away* from home that perhaps we'll be lucky enough to not have to worry about a repeat visit from the thieves:



A woman was arrested driving it, but she "doesn't know who gave it to her."

Uh, yeah.

She, or the ghost-entity that "gave" her my truck decided to drive it hard, knocking it out of alignment, tearing the tonneau cover off, scratching/scraping something along the inside of the bed (adding some dings as well), while adding hundreds of miles to the odometer. She, or the anonymous truck-giver also attempted to add some window tint, "attempted" being the operative word.

Miss-Happy-to-Drive-a-Truck-that-She-KNOWS-Isn't-Hers has a thing for cheesy puff treats, McDonald's and chain smoking:



Blech. And while the car seat, my iPod Nano, our GARMIN, and my house keys were ditched, my 80's compilation c.d.'s were on heavy rotation in my cd player.

Great, the truck thieves like 80's pop and hair bands just like I do.

*Shudder*

Our local Ford dealership is babying my truck this week, replacing the windshield and rear bumper, detoxing (er, "using odor neutralizer on") the interior, repairing all the paint, my rear-view mirror, getting the truck back into alignment, doing an oil change, and detailing the interior. New plates are being sent, and I'm on the look-out for another Nano and GARMIN (so I'm predictable loyal, sue me), and hopefully sometime next week I'll be back to driving **~MY~** truck.

I'll be chucking the cd's. Sure, I'll make new ones, but I need some symbolic sense of closure.

Sorry Sony CD-Rewritable disks.

Terrific Tuesday

Evening isn't really my time to blog: busy days followed by household chores, and the pre-schooler wired for sound once it's home time aren't conducive to my writing flow. Tonight is no different, but it's been such an amazing day that I just can't wait until the quiet of tomorrow morning.

~Super Star Student E's leukemia screen came back...negative. Hopes answered, joyous relief for her incredible family- the most precious and exuberant smiles across her face today. The sun was actually shining brighter, truly.

~Writing my son's message for his yearbook page, it struck me that he'll be graduating from high school in May, off to start the cliché "next chapter in his life." Only it's not so cliché. It's exciting, and I'm proud.

~Artwork I won during OWOH has arrived from dear Lucy (her husband painted it!) at Lulu's Petals~ I'll show it to you in all its glory tomorrow, but take a peek, it's behind my new Brighton key fob...



~Now that I have a new key fob (because my truck was stolen last Tuesday), Murphy's Law kicked in: my truck has been found! Several misunderstandings, odd and inaccurate documentation and multiple confusing situations between two police departments and a city tow lot resulted in my truck finally being identified, though it won't be returned to us for a bit longer. Yes, a suspect was caught~ apparently she has a thing for McDonald's and Cheesy Puff treats~ the back seat can attest to that. My truck was also driven hard, possibly over 500 miles, with the cover torn off, so who knows what was transported in the bed...and to where it was taken. The engine starts, but there's a rough sound coming from the front end, and the truck is filthy. Miss Truck Thief and/or her cronies also tried to add window tint...I guess they're big on vehicle disguises or makeovers. Poor truck. We'll have the police dogs go through it once or twice too if we're allowed to take possession of it- who knows what substances might be hiding beneath the Cheesy Puff debris... Yes, oh yes, we'll be pressing charges. Fair is fair. Consequences happen. Hell hath no fury like the the ticked off mood of a kindergarten teacher/mommy.

~My home has smelled divine for the past few days. It's my week for lounge duty at school, so my baking hasn't gone to waste (or to my WAIST). Tonight it's banana pecan muffins with a caramel flavored crunchy topping...and some butter toffee cookies. I'll take some natural sugar tomorrow as well...fresh green grapes. Simple, grab and go.

~I've made new friends via BlogLand this week: a-w-e-s-o-m-e!

~Finally...I'm four posts away from my 500th Blog Post! Anyone interested in a giveaway?

Not What I'd Planned...

Today was the day I planned to teach, enjoy our class spring-picture appointment, and spend some time out in the warmer weather. I thought that once home after work, I'd even post a new-to-me song by Jack Johnson.

Instead, as I walked outside with the preschooler in tow this morning, I looked up to see my truck drive away from me. A smaller, dark vehicle led it down my street, and both sped away as I ran the preschooler back inside, yelled for Dear Daughter to call 9-1-1, while I called on my cell phone. I was talking to the dispatcher as my truck pulled out of view. To say it was a surreal experience is an understatement.

First I was scared and shocked. I was frustrated that while Dear Husband would have immediately recognized the year, make and model of the little car, I could identify nothing but the color. It was too dark to see the license plate on the vehicle, and I couldn't even remember what my own plate number was. My brain and emotions failed me.

I was then relieved and grateful: for whatever reason, the thieves took my truck, they didn't break into my home. My children weren't in the truck, and none of us were physically hurt. Though they took my house keys, my husband has the time to change the locks on our house, though we'll have to get his truck re-keyed. We are able to purchase another car seat. I'll miss my iPod Nano, but I get the satisfaction of knowing that IF the thieves are music hounds, they'll be bummed when they have to listen to Apples and Bananas or Shake Your Sillies Out by Raffi over and over again.

Now I'm mad. Beyond mad. And worried. Mad enough to feel that if my truck is recovered in less-than-pristine condition, I hope it's completely destroyed, with a body impaled upon the steering wheel. I know. How very non-Christian of me, how very cruel. This mood will pass, like the others have, if that's any consolation, Dear Reader. Worried, because if I have to imagine a worst-case scenario, I hope my truck is off to some chop shop somewhere in Kansas City, and NOT being used elsewhere to perpetrate more crime. The truck is out of my hands, out of my control, but I still feel responsible for it.

I know it shouldn't make a difference where or when my truck was stolen, but I have a feeling that if I'd woken up and looked out of the window after a long night's rest to see my truck missing, it would have been a much different experience. Walking out the door of your house holding your child's hand to look up and see your vehicle, maybe twenty-five feet away, speed off without you is unnerving, frightening.

I'll post Jack Johnson tomorrow, okie dokie?