...I'm almost afraid to look

Well, I've been, uh, distracted... so I haven't been here in a while...

My back went out, then I was sick... much of the summer passed in a medicated haze.
Then on August 11, I took MsYBee to the eye doctor in Jerrytown and after I dropped her off but before I got home, the transmission of my car had a major "episode", thunking and stopping suddenly as if I had hit a momentary brick wall. The "drive" indicator was flashing[not good...] and the tach was jumping around like crazy.
I managed to get home and discovered that after turning the motor off, then on again, the drive light no longer flashed.

At this point, I figured that the timing belt I had elected not to replace last April was becoming an issue, but, I had NO money at that time to go get it checked out, so I waited until my pension checks came in, driving as little as possible because when I did, after only a mile or so, the problems returned, scaring me, so I just stayed home.On Sept.1, pension checks in the bank, I went to the dealer. They weren't sure what was wrong, but tried an "inexpensive" solution [$232.34] by replacing the 4th gear switch, hoping it would be that simple. It wasn't. After they tested it, they came back to tell me that the whole transmission was going out and would need to be replaced, to the tune of $4000.00, oh... and now it wouldn't shift into reverse anymore...

I was stunned... $4000 might as well have been $4,000,000... I had no way of getting that much money. So I "limped" home, hazard flashers blinking, not exceeding 35 mph,
being passed by irate drivers with cars that worked and clinching my teeth at each "shift" and the accompanying jolt. Since they had had problems getting it to go in reverse, I had to park on the street so I would be able to move. I knew that God had a plan to provide me with the money to fix my car, no other scenario seemed even feasible,but I had NO idea how He would provide the money.

Then I had a phone call from my cousin. He's 8 years older than I and we have never been close, but he had called once during July because he's researching our genealogy and he had some questions for me. He called back, because he had made plans to visit some distant relatives who lived in the foothills and wondered if I wanted to go. I had told him that I was in Chpt.13 the first time he called, so he understood when I told him that I really had no money for traveling at this point, so he volunteered to pay for the overnight accommodations and travel expenses. Since I knew that he's well off and just wanted company, I agreed. At some point in our conversation, I mentioned my car and we discussed the various possibilities. At this point he offered to lend me the money. I told him that I couldn't afford to pay him back and he said,"Just give me your pink slip and that will do fine for me".

I was almost speechless. We've never been close and I would have never asked him to lend me the money, though he really is quite able, financially. Later that day, I got an email saying,"The check's in the mail". I got it Monday, deposited it Tuesday and am having my car repaired tomorrow[Friday]. Interestingly, my cell phone died the evening that he had called me. I mean, really dead... as in go to the Sprint store and get a new one dead.

Hummm... the phone hangs on long enough to get my cousin's call and provide the money to fix my car, then dies... I go to the Sprint store because there I can be billed for the new phone, which I just got today. Hummmm...

what next...