The Further Adventures (and Humbling) of Vaquero Girl in the Bay Area

It rained today.

I wouldn't even mention it, but being in California and all, we don't see a lot of pre-sip.
But it rained today- the first rain of the season ( just before Cow Palace as per usual) and today it sucked more than usual.
Some people like the rain. I don't.
It grew dark and the warehouse was clammy and cold. The people didn't come and the day just dragggggged by.
Finally it was time to drive home- via rush hour traffic on Hwy 80 and Hwy 24.
If you have ever driven in rush hour traffic in the Bay Area, you that there is NO Rush to it at all. It should be called Slow Crawl Hour or This Sucks So Bad Hour.
There I was... doing the Slow Crawl towards home. It had been a super slow day at the Auction House because of the aforementioned rain, and I was looking forward to a glass of wine and a chicken breast;
Then...
               BAM!
 Something blew up in the engine of the BMW.

Smoke and Water Vapor poured out and the damn car just DIED in the second lane.  I was able to finally get it started ( First Thank you to my Big Guardian Angel) and pulled over to the middle median. Luckily during Slow Crawl Hour everyone goes at a slow crawl. People shook their heads in pity and joy that it wasn't them pulled over in the median.
And contrary to belief- there are a few Good People left in this here world. Even though THREE tow trucks passed me by, several motorists of all persuasions rolled down their windows, in the rain,  to ask if I was ok and did I need them to call for help!
 Bless all of you people!! 
I called 511 which is a free service in the Bay Area that will help stranded motorists. I was at the edge of Oakland and that is a poor place to be, anytime of the day, but especially in the glowing twilight. 511 did send a tow truck and Bless his little Heart, he hooked up and pulled me off of the freeway.

As he did , I realized that had I driven just four more minutes I would have been inside the long, dark no shoulder, no median length of the Caldecott Tunnel. ( Second Big Thank You to my Guardian Angel).

The Tow Truck driver took one look at my sorry , wet, OLD, blonde, self when I asked, in a small voice,       " Will I be SAFE in the part of Oakland you have to take me?" before he tucked me about a mile closer to the tunnel, on a frontage road that was easier to access and MUCH safer instead! ( Third BIG Thank You to that Guardian Angel!)
My cell was nearly dead ( of course).

I managed to call Hubby and had him call AAA Towing to come and get me and the car and take us home. Thanks AAA PLUS plan!

My old friend Jerry who is a retired CHP and knew me and my Step Dad heard my name on the radio. He called my cell to make sure I was ok.

Then while I was waiting for the 2nd Tow truck another  CHP came by and checked on me. What a little cutie pie he was and a nicer young man I have yet to meet.

The AAA Tow Truck Driver just happened to be around the next bend and he showed up in about 30 minutes.( Fourth Big Thank You to the Guardian Angel, in case you are counting!)  He got me safely home, parked the car in front of the house and refused the tip I offered him.

So even though my day totally sucked- the forces of the Universe that I insist exist- formed around me, not only to protect me in body, but to renew my spirit and faith in the humans that live and work around me. And to make me feel lucky and to count the blessing that the Universe has heaped up on me that I have a tendency to forget.

A hard lesson, relearned once again.

I am humbled.