Recharged & Restocked & Back-Up Plans

One never knows where a day may go when it starts with a dead car battery, when one has places to be and people to see. It turns out it led to a mud puddle. I'll get to that later.

Thankful I was fully aware of my battery charging issues, the best part of the day was knowing I just needed a boost to get me to where I needed to be and I could take care of the rest.

My trusted mechanic was available to squeeze the car in but made no promises. "If it's anything more than the battery, I'm afraid I can't take care of anything else until next week."

Hoping for the best, planning for the worst, I had a game plan no matter where the car battery issue led. 

It turns out, it led me to a puddle which was definitely the worst part of the day. No, not slipping and falling into it mere steps away from the mechanic's front door. No, not the mud packed jeans, from the knees (yes, knees) down. No, it wasn't the bloody, mud-packed wound on my knee. It was the hole in the only pair of jeans I own that fit me.

I rolled with everything like a trooper. But gazing down to the holey knee in my jeans was a resounding, "OH!! NOOOOO!!!!"

Not to be deterred, I had a plan. I had bought a pair of pants that didn't fit and was hopeful Value Village would allow me to exchange them for my next new-to-me pair of jeans.

Yes!!! They extended their two week return policy to the month it took for me to get back to the city. I found two potential options. Bought only one. Brought them home and despite the sinking feeling I had that they weren't the ones, I was still disappointed when they didn't fit properly. The good news, is my ability to exchange them today. 

The better news is Plan B. Today's mission is a denim patch for my holey jeans and fabric glue.

I have gone through more black socks since I started back to work than ever before in the history of ever. I have found my most favorite (priced) black socks at Dollarama. Three pairs for $2.50 - a price that can't be beat. I have tried more expensive socks. No difference in their endurance. I choose cheap and buy in bulk. Whenever I go to Dollarama, I wander down the sock aisle to replenish my back-up supply. I have been looking for months. Nothing. I was down to a back-up supply of only one pair. So ... when I found my favorite socks yesterday, I bought all I could find in the store. Twenty one pairs of socks for $19.43 INCLUDING taxes.

Anyway, back to my story going nowhere but everywhere ...

I haven't had the heart to throw out all of these socks. Maybe I could sew up the toes when I get my sewing machine set up. If ever they stopped replenishing the socks in the store, I have a back-up plan. Back-up plans. It's all about back-up plans.

Add this to the fact that my most favorite black pajama pants have not been restocked since 2018 (yes, I know these things). I should have bought more at the time. Seven years later, after constant use, the knees on my pajama pants are wearing thin. I need to find new ones or find a way to patch them. Hence, the stock pile of black socks just may come in handy. If only I could think of a way to adhere them to my pj's.

Enter a humorous story told by my brother-in-law last weekend. He told of a time when his youngest sister thought she was putting Brylcreem (a hair styling product for men) on her hair, when it was actually fabric glue. The end result was a buzz-cut before buzz-cuts were in vogue. 

Funny but tragic story ... but the wheels in my head immediately started to turn. I just need to buy fabric glue to glue patches (cut to size) from my holey sock supply to my holey pajama pants.

Today's mission: replacement jeans; denim patches; fabric glue.

Life has come full circle. It's no wonder some people have a hard time parting with old belongings. If you hang onto something long enough, one can find a use for most anything.

P.S. My battery issue remains a mystery. Despite testing the battery and alternator, and cleaning/lubricating up a corroded negative battery connection, he has no explanation as to why this is happening. All I can say, is I'm grateful for the one-click-warning I get. One click upon trying to start the car. Then it starts. For an untold number of times after the warning. Until it doesn't.