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- #841
SSDreamin
Almost Self-Reliant
I went to my brother's house yesterday and picked up my sister so she could visit here for a few hours. My sister is 1 1/2 years older than me, and for most of my younger years, was my idol. I was painfully shy. She was fearless. I never saw her meet a person she couldn't talk to/relate to on some level. I wanted to be just like her SO badly. My teachers picked on me, mainly because they expected me to be just like her - friendly, outgoing, and not afraid to speak up in class. She started heading down a path, as a teenager, that I vehemently disagreed with. I begged her to change, I took care of her daughter when she was so messed up that she didn't remember she HAD a child. I lived my life, but always tried to fit her in and keep in touch. Then, we had a huge falling out - I realized her toxic life (and failure to clean up) was effecting MY life and MY relationships. I severed all contact - changed my phone number, made sure NONE of my family gave her my address, the whole nine yards. For the past 4 years, my life has been much calmer without her in it. My brother guilted me into interacting with her during this visit of hers, and I am glad he did. My DS needs to know his Aunt, and understand the different outcomes that can come from the same upbringing: I think my brother, my sister and I are an interesting study in that construct. Interesting, also, is the fact that my sister STILL could pass for MY mother's age, if you didn't know her. So sad.
So, the sister was fascinated with my animals (You wouldn't think we had grown up on THE SAME FARM
), especially the cows. Ice Cream and Ferdinand won her over immediately - Ferdinand even quit eating so she could give him scratches under his chin! She was also amazed at dinner 
I decided to make 'breakfast for dinner', since my sister had forgot her dentures, and has no teeth, plus she was anxious to eat some "delicious, farm fresh eggs" I made pancakes from scratch, syrup from scratch (the guys favorite by far - brown sugar syrup 
), eggs and bacon. DS had finished his schoolwork for the week while we were visiting and got his TV cord back so he could play video games, etc - he said he didn't want to because was enjoying visiting with his Aunt!! She may not have realized it, but that was a pretty high compliment from him! At one point, after we dropped her off (he actually CAME WITH ME 
), he commented "She wasn't anything like I thought she'd be. She's funny, and fun to talk to!" Which makes her drug addiction so much sadder to me - but I'm glad my son got to see a glimpse of the girl I used to look up to.
Anyway, the cop story. We have almost zero money for gas right now, and my brother lives 45 minutes away. Two round trips meant I had to drive Hubby's work car, instead of my beast. Took her back well after dark and, about 5 miles from my brother's house, I see flashing lights in my rear view mirror. My first instinct is to glance at the speedometer, even though I have the cruise on at 55. So, I pull off the road as my sister comments that maybe it's an ambulance and my son says maybe they are headed to a call. Nope, he pulls up right behind me
Now, I've been stopped only twice before in my life. I knew what I was doing wrong on both those occasions, I also had good excuses as to WHY I was doing it This time, I'm drawing a total blank! Not speeding, seat belt's all on. 
He approached the car, asked for the usual stuff (which, I felt I HAD to explain, might take a minute considering I wasn't in my usual vehicle ). Then, he asks the million dollar question "Do you know why I pulled you over?" Ummm...no. Do they honestly expect you to throw out a couple of ideas for them to choose from?! Turns out, one of my headlights was out. He walked to the front of the car, asked me to turn on my high beams, then went to the back of the car, asked me to test my turn signals and brakes, then said one part of my tail lights goes out when I apply the brakes. :/ I decided to try being funny, to avoid an obvious R&R (and distract him from the cracked windshield 
) Well, it worked 
He promised to not pull me back over if he saw me after I dropped the sister off and told me to use my high beams as much as *legally* possible so my head light out wouldn't be obvious; but warned me that I would have to go through 2 OTHER jurisdictions before I got home (he DID run my license before cutting me any slack). On a good note, my sister never made a PEEP the ENTIRE TIME (which could mean she had something on her that could've got ME in trouble Hmmm...)! Actually, neither did DS. After the Deputy released me to go, DS said he REEEEALLY wanted to take a drink of his soda, but didn't want to make any sudden moves in the back seat On top of everything, that stupid car has a short in the hazard lights, and the dash dings the whole time you're driving! Which can be drown out by the radio, unless your sister won't stop talking so you have to keep it turned down or turn it off when a cop stops you I dropped sister off, told her that, unless I could afford gas for my truck, I'd see her on her next trip up here in 10 years, then jumped on the hubster as soon as I got home for making me drive that thing! His response? "Oh yeah, I have the replacement bulb for that head light right there (next to the front door), I just forgot to put it in" 
So, the sister was fascinated with my animals (You wouldn't think we had grown up on THE SAME FARM
), especially the cows. Ice Cream and Ferdinand won her over immediately - Ferdinand even quit eating so she could give him scratches under his chin! She was also amazed at dinner I decided to make 'breakfast for dinner', since my sister had forgot her dentures, and has no teeth, plus she was anxious to eat some "delicious, farm fresh eggs" I made pancakes from scratch, syrup from scratch (the guys favorite by far - brown sugar syrup ), eggs and bacon. DS had finished his schoolwork for the week while we were visiting and got his TV cord back so he could play video games, etc - he said he didn't want to because was enjoying visiting with his Aunt!! She may not have realized it, but that was a pretty high compliment from him! At one point, after we dropped her off (he actually CAME WITH ME ), he commented "She wasn't anything like I thought she'd be. She's funny, and fun to talk to!" Which makes her drug addiction so much sadder to me - but I'm glad my son got to see a glimpse of the girl I used to look up to. Anyway, the cop story. We have almost zero money for gas right now, and my brother lives 45 minutes away. Two round trips meant I had to drive Hubby's work car, instead of my beast. Took her back well after dark and, about 5 miles from my brother's house, I see flashing lights in my rear view mirror. My first instinct is to glance at the speedometer, even though I have the cruise on at 55. So, I pull off the road as my sister comments that maybe it's an ambulance and my son says maybe they are headed to a call. Nope, he pulls up right behind me
Now, I've been stopped only twice before in my life. I knew what I was doing wrong on both those occasions, I also had good excuses as to WHY I was doing it This time, I'm drawing a total blank! Not speeding, seat belt's all on. He approached the car, asked for the usual stuff (which, I felt I HAD to explain, might take a minute considering I wasn't in my usual vehicle ). Then, he asks the million dollar question "Do you know why I pulled you over?" Ummm...no. Do they honestly expect you to throw out a couple of ideas for them to choose from?! Turns out, one of my headlights was out. He walked to the front of the car, asked me to turn on my high beams, then went to the back of the car, asked me to test my turn signals and brakes, then said one part of my tail lights goes out when I apply the brakes. :/ I decided to try being funny, to avoid an obvious R&R (and distract him from the cracked windshield ) Well, it worked He promised to not pull me back over if he saw me after I dropped the sister off and told me to use my high beams as much as *legally* possible so my head light out wouldn't be obvious; but warned me that I would have to go through 2 OTHER jurisdictions before I got home (he DID run my license before cutting me any slack). On a good note, my sister never made a PEEP the ENTIRE TIME (which could mean she had something on her that could've got ME in trouble Hmmm...)! Actually, neither did DS. After the Deputy released me to go, DS said he REEEEALLY wanted to take a drink of his soda, but didn't want to make any sudden moves in the back seat On top of everything, that stupid car has a short in the hazard lights, and the dash dings the whole time you're driving! Which can be drown out by the radio, unless your sister won't stop talking so you have to keep it turned down or turn it off when a cop stops you I dropped sister off, told her that, unless I could afford gas for my truck, I'd see her on her next trip up here in 10 years, then jumped on the hubster as soon as I got home for making me drive that thing! His response? "Oh yeah, I have the replacement bulb for that head light right there (next to the front door), I just forgot to put it in" 
them.
