Looking for that Voodoo doll!!!!!!!!!

VACATION IS OVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, yesterday we left the house at 11:am, heading to Grandmom's who lives in Leesburg, New Jersey. We got a little more than half way and the car started making a funny noise. Jim pulled over and checked the engine, no problems found. He gets back into car, everything seems fine and then the car starts jerking, making a weird noise worse then the other one. Jim says should we turn around and go home? I tell him we almost to Grandmom's, let's keep going. We made it to grandmom's finally. Everyone was happy to see us. It was Grandmom, Mom and Dad (Jims parents) and his brother Bruce. My FIL went out and got  sandwiches for dinner. They all had cheesesteak subs, Rebecca had chicken nuggets and french fries and I had Eggplant parm sub. My gosh, it was delicious!!!!!! Jim went out after dinner and checked the car over, he said he could'nt find anything wrong. No leaks, nothing loose, tires all secure. So, at 8:pm we decided it was time to leave. Rebecca had to say goodbye to Bruces 2 bunnies, which I might add he named Bruce and Brucer, lol. Then she went and seen her Poppop's Peacock bird's one last time. He has a male and female, full grown, another male who is the son of these 2 beautiful birds but he's older, was born last summer, and the Momma peacock just had 2 babies a few weeks ago, a male and a female. They are the most beautiful birds. Mommom gave her a purse with a few dollar bills and a bunch of quarters in it, and her great grandmom gave her 2 beautiful story books and Poppop gave her a lovely, Duck calling whistle, thank you soooooooooo much for that whistle poppop, I thought you loved Jim and I, lol. Ok, so we get on the road heading home, everything seems fine. We're on Rte 55, where the speed limit is 65mph. We see the sign saying Entering Glassboro, and all of a sudden the car makes a hard jerk, grinding noise appears, smoke coming from under car and we're losing power. Jim pulls over, I get out of car, take Rebecca out of car seat and move towards back of car to a safe distance. Jim checks  engine and see's nothing, checks under car see's nothing. I should add it's an older car, 1989 Toyota Corolla. He says get back in car, so we do. He starts up car, engine sounds fine. Puts it in drive, it starts going then starts losing speed. Jim then knew what it was, transmission went. He put it in second gear, we could do about 45mph for about 5 miles. Then second gear goes, and he puts it in low gear, where we're now going 25mph. He had his emergency flashers on, so cars were passing us, not giving us any problems. Transmission was going fast. We made it to Ben Franklin Bridge, paid the $3.00 toll, and barelyhad enough speed to get to top of bridge, once we reached the top, Jim let the car coast down. We exited onto Hwy 95, where let me tell you people drive like fricken nuts. We were barely crawling along, the car would'nt shift anymore because drive and second gears were gone. My daughter had tried to call me but  lost signal, dam cellphones. I left her a message on voice mail saying  where we were and what was happening. She finally got through and asked if we wanted Dan to come get us. Jim said no, he was gonna take the car as far as it could go. So, I told her if we need her, we'll call. Well, we made it home, thank god!!!!!! I was having panic attack after attack all the way home. My chest was hurting, I felt like I could'nt breathe, but I felt better after I got into my place and had a  cool drink of juice. Jim checked the car this morning, he said transmission is shot, so he cleaned all our things and paper work and tools from car. I called the Purple Heart Foundation and donated car to them. They'll be here within 48 hours to come get the car. And she said we'll be given a receipt for a tax right off. So, car is done, we had sold our van last year due to parking in this city is so scarce, so we're without a vehicle now. Jim says we just gotta deal with it for a couple of weeks until we get the money to go to a car lot and buy a used one. We can't afford a new car right now. I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow, but our friend Joe said I can use his Blazer to go to doctor's and do my grocery shopping. Thank you Uncle Joe. So, now it's no beach, no fishing, no crabbing, no fun, grrrrrrrrrrrrr. First vacation Jim has had in over 20 years and this happens. I swear I think there's a Voodoo doll out there with my name on it, and if I find it, it's toast!!! Now I'm even more stressed than I was before. I have a doctor's appointment at the Cancer Center next week, and I may have to cancel that if I don't have a way there. It's just a check-up. Tomorrow's appointment is with my primary doctor. Results of that Nuclear Cardio Stress Test I had done and blood work is being done to check and see if cholesterol has gone down. Maybe I'll get good news and can go back to dentist and have my teeth pulled so I can get my dentures. Yea right, probably get more bad news. Anyone finds that dag on voodoo doll please let me know, lol.

Ok, now, Jim calls Emma today lets her know all that's going on. Now she and Dan have a nice car sitting in my sister's yard they were gonna sell, but decided not too. It looks great, runs great, we sort of suggested maybe we can buy it from them, no reply from her on that. But she did come over and let Jim use her Pontiac Vibe to go to the store for dinner and drug store for some medicine for the itching mosquitto bites Rebecca obtained yesterday over at Grandmom's. Man mosquitto's in New Jersey are bad. We have none here in Philadelphia. I guess the smog and car exhausts kills them, lol. So, Emma sits here and tells  me Dan went missing the other night when he went to store for milk. He returns home after 4:am with arm bruised and bandaged. He said he was'nt feeling well, chest hurt and was tight so he went to hospital. After an EKG, blood work, and ultra sound of his heart, they determined he had a 40% blockage in one of the arteries to his heart and he had a mild heart attack. His blood pressure is high and so is his cholesterol level. He told them he can't be admitted for surgery cause his insurance from work has'nt started yet, but will be in less then a month. He has to go see his primary doctor and a cardiologists also. Do you know this man changed his clothes, had a cup of coffee and went to work. He said there was no way he was risking his job. He's still on the probation status with it. I hope and pray he is ok, and his insurance comes quick so he can have that surgery to remove the blockage. Please keep him in your prayers.

Well, I mailed out my first 4 postcards yesterday to four new JLand friends, and I got a postcard today. I was so excited, I showed it to hubby, he smiled. And said way to go honey. That made me feel good. If anyone else wants a postcard from me please email me with address and I will get it out to you ASAP, and hope to receive one from you also. This is fun, I'm so glad it was suggested. At the end of the week I will make an entry on my postcards I received. Guess I'd better go now. Gonna get in my jammies and go play some bingo before bed. Take care everyone! Happy Journaling, lol. ((((((HUGS)))))))))