Last Thursday we all went shopping down near the city for a new computer because our old one gets slower and more unreliable each week. We looked at Office Works, then Harvey Norman's, but decided to go back to Office Works because their computers seemed to be better value. It was fairly late on a cold and wet afternoon and we were in a hurry to get back before the store closed. But suddenly, as we waited to turn at a busy intersection, the car just conked out! We were stuck there waving the rest of the traffic past.

I called the RAA on Andrew's mobile phone and the receptionist told me that they'd have somebody out to help us in under an hour. "It's a very awkward spot," I reminded her, hoping to get us closer to the top of the queue. "We'll see what we can do." However, when the RAA car finally arrived, we're certain that if it was within the hour, it must've taken him 59 minutes. Blake had been a very good boy, singing songs patiently in the back of the car while we were waiting. In fact, they were all pretty good. Emma said, "I'm scared. I wish we were home." but didn't make too much of a fuss. Logan scrunced down as low as he could so people couldn't see him and muttered, "Why is everything we ever get a lemon?" Then he worked out a list. "Computer, car, printer, DVD, video recorder..." He was right. We have had a few problems with purchases over the years. The only bright spot is that it helped the time pass.

It turned out that we had a battery problem, even though our mechanic had just put a new one in along with a new alternator just a few weeks ago. The RAA mechanic told us that the alternator from our mechanic must've come from a faulty batch and we needed it to be replaced. So on our nervous way back up the Freeway home, Logan said, "See, another lemon! I told you."

As it happens, I had quite a busy day planned for Friday and as the family car was out of action for the time being, Andrew graciously let me use his work station-wagon. In the afternoon there was a meeting of an Adelaide Christian authors group and then Emma and I were going on to a  church lady's conference in the evening. I knew I'd be tired but I thought I'd try to fit them both in. I knew that Emma would be bored at the writer's group so I dropped her off at my Mum and Dad's place, which is on the way down to the city.  As it happened, an Auntie and Uncle of mine were there visiting, so I stayed a bit longer than I intended to talk. Then back out into the pouring rain to drive to the writer's group. I'm not used driving Andrew's car, and I'm not used to city driving in wet conditions so the combination made me tense. By the time the group finished it had grown dark and it was even harder to drive back to my parents'. The rain was still gushing down, the roads were shiny and I was caught in peak hour traffic. Mum told me, "We were getting a bit worried about you and we had some tea warmed up for you." So I tried to eat without bolting it down and then it was time to leave for the conference. Out into thick city traffic once again.

Emma was overwhelmed by the lovely things at the conference before it even started. The highlight was a huge  white chocolate fountain! There were marshmallows and fruit chunks to dip into it and she had a wonderful time. There was a winter theme of snowy white. Trees in boxes with white snow flake decorations, silver lamp posts, and my favourite, two beautiful snow white doves in a gorgeous cage. Then when the conference started, Emma went out with the young girls to learn scrap booking while I went into the main auditorium. It was there, when I was able to sit down for an extended period after all the rushing around, that tiredness began to catch up with me. It felt like a long drive back home up the Freeway, although Emma was happy and chattery. "I can't wait to tell Logan about the chocolate fountain!" she was saying.

On Saturday we had to be ready to leave very early before the boys were even awake to be back for the second day of the conference. She loved the opportunity to spend all day scrap-booking and listening the stories with no boys, and I found the conference was pretty good with some very thought-provoking sessions, although by the last one in the evening, my eyelids were beginning to droop while the speaker was still talking. Emma got to take home her lovely big scrapbook album and it was good to get back home to the boys and relax.