The Old Ball and Joint Routine

Joints, balls & old rusty vans seem to be the theme of my life lately.  Number one son fractured his pelvic area & popped out his hip joint back in May.  The daily trip to Memorial Hospital in South Bend, Indiana on the main highway was nothing but a nasty bump & grind.  I believe only a couple of hunky chunks from Chippendale's could surpass the fifty bumps I counted while making the 22 mile trip.  So today, the number one son & I decide we will drive down to Elkhart, Indiana so I can fluff the booth at Hart City.  I would drop him off at his old job to visit with his boss & workers & pick him on my way back.  I get everything marked & loaded in 90 degree heat, get the son in the front seat & off we go.  Don't even get out of town when I hear a thump, thump & luckily right in front of Division Tire.  Pull in, explain my dire situation and tell the owner that it could quite possibly be a stone stuck in the tire.  They hoist the van up & sure enough, I hear him say in the background "it's the ball joint".  Having had some past experience with the hip joint, I know it's not a good situation.  Quick phone call to the husband, who talks with the owner & who says it's not good.  Hubby thinks if I drive real slow & watch out for potholes I'll be o.k.  Quick decision by me, to turn around & come back home to the air conditioned house.  Elkhart & Hart City will have to wait as I have no intention of breaking down on the busy streets of Elkhart in this heat & humidity.  Many months of driving back & forth to the hospital & nursing home may have been too much for the Emerald Gem (aka the van).  One of the nice things about living in a small town is almost everyone knows you.  Fortunately for me, I know the owner of the tire place, Steve Green & he always does right by me & our family.  As for me, I wish it had just been a tire that needed to be replaced.  So for now I will turn my attention to doing some cross-stitch samplers & enjoy the cool of the air conditioned house.  Hart City will have to wait.