Well, my copy of snow leopard didn't turn up on the 28th. The post came at midday, nothing. I am going to need a second copy at some point anyway for my wife's macbook, so I decided to head out to the apple store. I had been considering going first thing in the morning after work (I just finished working nights) but the store opens 2.5 hours after I finish work and my youngest child hasn't been sleeping well, so my wife also hasn't been sleeping and I need to get home to let her sleep.
I consider getting the kids on the train, but at the last minute decide the cars more convenient and I'm too tired to walk to/from the train station. So we all bundle into the car and head off. For some reason, instead of taking the normal route, I turn onto the motorway. Big mistake, it's a bank holiday weekend, the motorway is jammed with caravans and I'm past the point of no return. Still, after a few miles it settles down to a steady 50-60mph which is still faster than the alternative routes. So I stay on the motorway.
A few miles later, and 3 of the 4 lanes are closed, all the cars are filing into the fast lane and we've slowed to 5-10 mph. Suddenly there are no cars behind me, I look back and the police have stopped all cars dead on the motorway, I'm the last car through before they block it, there are police everywhere, ambulances and fire engines are arriving, cones are being put up, we slowly file past the incident which seems to be just two cars pulled over at the side of the road, no visible damage.
The lanes open up again and the speed limit restrictions are lifted. I notice the car running a little hot but we've just been in stop start traffic. Suddenly the needle climbs into the red and I pull over. Some steam comes out of the bonnet but not much, I pour some water into the reservoir and it all comes straight out the bottom of the engine. I realise I'm not going anywhere and get the kids (11 months and 4 years) out the car onto the other side of the crash barrier and call my reucse service. I tell them my exact location (from the numbered marker points on the side of the road), I tell them about the incident on the motorway, that if they join the motorway at the junction I've just passed it's clear, and I tell them I have two small children with me. They tell me they'll be an hour.
Half an hour laterI get a call from the contractor recovery people (separate from the breakdown company who contract out the work to the nearest local people) who tell me that they are stuck in the traffic from the incident and where am I. I tell them what I told the man on the phone, to be told that they weren't given that information, and that it'd now be at least 2 hours before they can get to me.
I find out from my wife that the road was closed as there was a man threatening to jump off it. So I spend the next hours thinking about how much the car will cost and suicide (I had a suicide in my family recently, it's been heavily on my mind), keeping the kids happy and under control at the side of the road the heat and how tired I am, (haven't slept for almost 24 hours at this point.)
5 hours later . they finally get to me. The motorway is still closed and by this point every route in every direction is backed up. The recovery guy is going to take me to the nearest services as it's the end of his shift, I wont be at the side of the road and can get drinks/food for the kids. Another truck will pick me up there.
The police don't let us into the services, it's closed off for "traffic management purposes" so we meet the truck at the next town. On the way back I see the man still clinging to the side of the bridge with police trying to talk him down. It's a 35 mile stationary tailback. The road is completely closed.
My car is taken to a local (to me) garage (which is closed so I leave the car outside) and I'm finally taken home, it's now 8 hours since I left the house, the kids are doing well but it's tense.
This morning I walk to the garage, (it's a few miles each way) to give them the keys, tell them what's wrong with it. It's the water pump/fan belt going to cost at least £2-300 IF I'm lucky. If I'm unlucky it's also the head gasket and will be £700. It's a holiday weekend so I wont get it back till at least Tuesday, I NEED it for work Wednesday and my motorbike is out of MOT.
I walk home to find my copy of Snow Leopard on the mat.
So, what's the worst getting snow leopard story you've got?
I consider getting the kids on the train, but at the last minute decide the cars more convenient and I'm too tired to walk to/from the train station. So we all bundle into the car and head off. For some reason, instead of taking the normal route, I turn onto the motorway. Big mistake, it's a bank holiday weekend, the motorway is jammed with caravans and I'm past the point of no return. Still, after a few miles it settles down to a steady 50-60mph which is still faster than the alternative routes. So I stay on the motorway.
A few miles later, and 3 of the 4 lanes are closed, all the cars are filing into the fast lane and we've slowed to 5-10 mph. Suddenly there are no cars behind me, I look back and the police have stopped all cars dead on the motorway, I'm the last car through before they block it, there are police everywhere, ambulances and fire engines are arriving, cones are being put up, we slowly file past the incident which seems to be just two cars pulled over at the side of the road, no visible damage.
The lanes open up again and the speed limit restrictions are lifted. I notice the car running a little hot but we've just been in stop start traffic. Suddenly the needle climbs into the red and I pull over. Some steam comes out of the bonnet but not much, I pour some water into the reservoir and it all comes straight out the bottom of the engine. I realise I'm not going anywhere and get the kids (11 months and 4 years) out the car onto the other side of the crash barrier and call my reucse service. I tell them my exact location (from the numbered marker points on the side of the road), I tell them about the incident on the motorway, that if they join the motorway at the junction I've just passed it's clear, and I tell them I have two small children with me. They tell me they'll be an hour.
Half an hour laterI get a call from the contractor recovery people (separate from the breakdown company who contract out the work to the nearest local people) who tell me that they are stuck in the traffic from the incident and where am I. I tell them what I told the man on the phone, to be told that they weren't given that information, and that it'd now be at least 2 hours before they can get to me.
I find out from my wife that the road was closed as there was a man threatening to jump off it. So I spend the next hours thinking about how much the car will cost and suicide (I had a suicide in my family recently, it's been heavily on my mind), keeping the kids happy and under control at the side of the road the heat and how tired I am, (haven't slept for almost 24 hours at this point.)
5 hours later . they finally get to me. The motorway is still closed and by this point every route in every direction is backed up. The recovery guy is going to take me to the nearest services as it's the end of his shift, I wont be at the side of the road and can get drinks/food for the kids. Another truck will pick me up there.
The police don't let us into the services, it's closed off for "traffic management purposes" so we meet the truck at the next town. On the way back I see the man still clinging to the side of the bridge with police trying to talk him down. It's a 35 mile stationary tailback. The road is completely closed.
My car is taken to a local (to me) garage (which is closed so I leave the car outside) and I'm finally taken home, it's now 8 hours since I left the house, the kids are doing well but it's tense.
This morning I walk to the garage, (it's a few miles each way) to give them the keys, tell them what's wrong with it. It's the water pump/fan belt going to cost at least £2-300 IF I'm lucky. If I'm unlucky it's also the head gasket and will be £700. It's a holiday weekend so I wont get it back till at least Tuesday, I NEED it for work Wednesday and my motorbike is out of MOT.
I walk home to find my copy of Snow Leopard on the mat.
So, what's the worst getting snow leopard story you've got?
