Life is really just a series of problems. Some are big and take a lot out of us, while others are small and we negotiate through them without even stopping to realize that they are problems. It’s like we are all living in some kind of giant game, and to level up we have to get past all the problems. Yes, I’m still playing Mafia Wars. Sigh.

But seriously, I’ve been thinking about the whole problem thing today. It started when I faced the problem of what to blog about. This blog has been so neglected that I really felt the need to say something today. The first thing that came to my mind was my most recent problem and that got me thinking. I was going to title this post “Problems” but I have readers with much bigger problems who may scoff and my idea of a noteworthy problem. I also have readers who would look at my problems from the other end of the spectrum and gasp out a sympathetic “Oh My!” The game isn’t the same for all of us and I’ve been lucky to find myself in a much easier challenge then some of you.

This post is dedicated to all my friends who will read this and think my problems are small. Firstly, because I agree with you that they are small. Secondly, because I want to say to you that I understand your heavy load and think thoughts of support and strength for you all day long. I wish you all the strength to confront your problems, survive the battles and move on to the next level. And I hope the next level will be a smoother one for you.

Now on to my tales of woe. Actually the first one isn’t so woeful, it could have been but oddly enough I smiled all the way through it. People who really know me will understand why I call that odd.

Tuesday afternoon I bought my son a salt lamp very much like the one pictured. I put it in my tote bag along with my camera, lenses and purse, then headed for the airport and my travels home. On the drive to the airport I told Recliner Man that I would probably encounter a problem trying to bring the large rock onto the plane. It is so heavy I thought they  might consider it a potential weapon. Recliner Man thought I was being silly. Hmmm… I think he thinks that a lot…. something else to ponder at another time.

I got to the security check point at the airport and began the unpacking routine to make it through the screeners. Take off your shoes and put them in a plastic bin on the conveyor belt, Remove the laptop from it’s case and place it in a bin. Remove your baggie of liquids and place it in a bin. Place the tote bag on the belt. Take the shoes out of the bin and place them directly on the belt because they have changed their rules again. And then I walked through the portal. All things considered, this was going smoothly, so far. I got to the other side and out came my shoes, laptop, and laptop case. Then the belt started to move backward, then forward a little, then back again. Back and forth, back and forth. The scanner operator was getting excited about something and kept turning to her two co-workers asking, “Did you put this in? Did you put this in?” She seemed to be getting more gleeful with each back and forth movement of the belt. I think she felt she was passing some test.  Ah ha! See this Recliner Man, I wasn’t being silly! LOL

One of her co-workers, an older gentleman who wasn’t so prone to excitement, called out “Is anyone traveling with remains?”  The scanner called out, “CODE RED!” Twice. I looked at the older gentleman and said, “It’s a lamp made out of salt.”

The older gentleman said, “I’ve got to have a look at this” and took the tote bag to a side table, asking me to come along. To my surprise he allowed me to collect my other items from the belt and bring them along. (The last time I was pulled aside they made me leave my purse and laptop several feet away on the belt, unattended.) He told me they thought that it might have been explosives. As I sat there putting my shoes on he began unpacking my tote bag,  and opening the heavy brown box. He pulled out the wire and light bulb, then removed the heavy, tissue wrapped, chunk of salt. With a heavy touch of disappointment he said, “It’s a rock.”

At this point the supervisor strolled up. Isn’t it comforting to know how quickly they respond to a “CODE RED!” ? She was not at all happy to see me sitting there with my items and him casually looking through them. She was chewing his butt off about not following the protocol of a code red. This was one underworker who didn’t know when to keep his mouth shut because he just kept poo-pooing her with comments like, “after we discussed with her it wasn’t an issue and we downgraded it.” Silly Man. After I was left to repack my bag she took him aside and chewed off what was left of his butt.

The Boy said to me, “You were lucky they didn’t take you off to some small dark room and have the bomb squad blow up your bag.” He is right. Note to self, next time you travel with a big rock make sure your purse and nice camera is in a different bag… just in case.

So, I’ve made it back home. My son picked me up at the airport and we went to a late dinner together. I told him the airport story keeping out enough details to prevent him from figuring out what his gift was. I like to build suspense. When we got back to my house I gave him the gift and he loves it. All the more because it now has a story associated with it.

Yesterday was my first full day home and I called him after work to see if he would like to have dinner with me.  I picked him up and drove him to a salad buffet. After we ate we drove to a gas station to fill up my tank.

No sooner did we stop at the gas pump and my next problem presented itself with a man running over and pointing at the front end of my car. I got out to look and there was water pouring out onto the pavement. I stared at it and said, “That can’t be good.” I have a real knack for sizing up a situation and stating the obvious.

Then something that I’m not so happy about happened. I think I actually had a bit of panic over this. I felt a little befuddled as I started calling the auto club and dealing with the situation. I don’t get befuddled in these types of situations. I stay calm, cool, and focused. Am I getting old or am I just still a bit worn out from the trip? I don’t like feeling befuddled.

For the second time this month I found myself waiting along the curb in 100+ degrees waiting for a tow truck.

To my amazement the AAA sent out a tow truck from a service shop just a short walk from my house. It couldn’t be any more convenient. The driver was a nice man, although a bit chatty and I learned way too much about all his divorces during our six mile drive. He dropped me off at my house before taking the car over to the shop and locking it up for the night. This morning the shop manager called to tell me that the radiator tank is cracked. All together this little adventure will be setting me back close to $800. OUCH.

Once again I am reminded how lucky I am. I may have broken down in intense heat and be facing a huge bill but I didn’t break down on a busy highway and my husband still has his job, so we will be able to pay for this. A lot of people at his company recently lost their jobs. I’d say my problems are still just small problems.