A series of unfortunate events

It all started simply enough. I wanted to bake some bread to add to the meal that I was taking over to a friend with a new baby. I've made it before and it was easy and good so I thought it was a great idea. But things don't quite as planned on Tuesday; not even close! The bread rose too high in the pan causing butter to pour over the sides and gather into a lovely puddle in the bottom of my oven. I opened the oven door just in time to receive a cloud of smoke in the face. This was at 10:30am and I had a lot of other cooking to do that day in preparation for Recipe Club that night. It was not a good way to start my day in the kitchen.

I called my neighbor, D, and asked her if I could bring my bread over to finish baking in her oven. I told her what happened and she started to laugh because she had baked the same bread recipe over the weekend and had the exact same problem. She kept forgetting to clean it out so there was still burnt on butter in the bottom of her oven. D agreed to quickly wipe it up and turn on her oven. It just so happened that I was going over there at that time because D needed me to stay with her baby while she walked down to the bus stop to pick up her middle daughter. D's car was in the garage and it was too cold to voluntary take her baby to stand out in the snow.

When D came back from the bus stop she got a call from her oldest daughter's school that she was sick in the nurses office and needed to be picked up. D has no car and I was still baking bread in her oven so I offer to go get my car so she can go pick up her daughter. It had started to snow by the time I ran across the street to get my keys and phone. I had to call my friend who I was taking a meal to explain why I wouldn't be there anytime soon. I drove my Jeep over in front of D's house and ran back inside so she could leave.

Now I have a Jeep, but it doesn't have four wheel drive. It has rear wheel drive, which is awful in the snow. When I pulled in front of D's house there was some slushy snow on top of the pavement, but not a snow drift by any stretch of the imagination. D leaves the house with all three girls busy doing something. She comes back in two minutes later because the Jeep is stuck. Stuck in slush!! I go out and try to get it out with no success. I then try to push while D drives with no success (and narrowly avoided a face plant in the slushy mess as I lost my footing!). The only neighbors home were the elderly ones who we wouldn't dare ask.

Our friend, M, is home but has had a rough few days with a sick baby and we hated to bother her. But we didn't have a choice! So M comes running out in her t-shirt and between the two of us we are able to rock and push D back onto the road and she's on her way. I made the mistake of standing by the stuck tire and wound up covered in wet slush as the tire spun out. I also happened to be on the side where the exhaust was blowing out. I smelled like I'd been in an explosion between that and the smoke that poured out of my oven.

Thankfully, things begun to look up. My oven cleaned itself and my daughter took a good nap. I got to spend a few minutes with a sweet little newborn and hang out with his mom. I managed to get everything done I needed to for Recipe Club with time to spare and enjoyed an hour of peace because Cale took Haven to the hardware store with him. I really enjoyed myself at Recipe Club and feel like all the women are getting more comfortable with each other. The food was good, too!

So crazy morning aside, it was a good day. I'm thankful for great neighbors to help and be helped by and for the little ways God throws us together just when we need it the most.