We live in a great time and in a great country

Most circumstances can be experienced in a couple of different ways by the participants.

A victim can ask "Why me?" or say "God hates me."

Or a survivor can dust off his knee(s), assuming he still has at least one arm and one leg, and say "Well, that could have been worse."

I prefer the second approach.

Bella's car is fixable but it would cost $3000 to fix a $2000 vehicle. The shop in Allendale graciously agreed to park it "out back" until I made arrangements to pick it up.

We have a family reunion this weekend. Mrs ERJ went to Allendale, west of Grand Rapids, to pick her up.

Mrs ERJ's vehicle puked ten miles from Bella's apartment.

Consequently, we are back down to one vehicle, the 1998 pickup truck.

The bright side
We live in a time when kids walk around with little computers and phones in their pocket.

Mrs ERJ called Bella and Bella elgooged to get Mrs ERJ the number for a tow truck and the address of the mechanic she is using.

Bella called a friend who just happened to be walking around with a telephone in her pocket and the friend picked up Mrs ERJ and then Bella. The friend deposited the two at a car rental emporium that Bella's pocket computer said had vehicles to rent.

The two were back home last night by eight.

Can you imagine doing that in 1985 or in Venezuela?

Mrs ERJ pulled a couple of plastic cards out of her wallet and the pleasant lady behind the counter found them a vehicle to drive for a few days. Amazing! A household with four vehicles? Astounding! Each vehicle has almost a quarter-million miles on the odometer. Staggers the imagination.

We are floating in an ocean of blessings.

On a different topic
Posting will be light today. I spend the morning and afternoon with mom and dad and then go back to spend the night.

The great news is that Bella will spend Friday night with mom and dad and get trained by one of the nurses in the family. We have another horse in the barn.

Let's hear it for more horses, young women and the rest...