An unconventional Valentine's...am I capable of any other kind??

As I have recently mentioned, Smitty and I are not big on Valentine's Day. We subscribe to being loving all year long and not just one commercially-induced day of the year. That being said, we "celebrated" last night, making dinner together and gazing lovingly into each others' eyes..Well, actually, we made dinner together, watched our favorite DVR's shows, and then did some other things I'm not at liberty to discuss...but pants were off..

I have had HORRIBLE previous Valentine's days. In fact, this blog started after the worst one I ever had, where I learned it's best A. not to discuss commitment on your 3rd date, and B. if during that conversation, the guy tells you he doesn't want a commitment, for God's sake, listen. We're friends now, but we both still refer to it as the "St. Valentine's Day Massacre," because we did, in fact, break up on that date, even though we did eventually get back together...only to break up again. Hence, point b. mentioned above.

I began today by driving to work, having my engine nearly catch on fire. Here's how this was a dually-faulted situation: (Once upon a time....)

On Saturday, Smitty sends me a text asking me to check underneath my car because I had left drops of green liquid on the carport. I ask, "What would that be?" He tells me it's radiator coolant, which, if leaking in excess, will burn up the engine. When I left work, I forgot to check it, but the temperature gauge was fine, and he had told me he would check the car on Sunday. Fault 1: I didn't check it. Fault 2: He didn't check it.

This morning, about 75% of the way to work, while sitting at a stoplight, the hood starts to smoke. I don't know what happened, I froze. My only goal was to make it to work. I wasn't at a place I could pull over, and I didn't want to be late for work or have to have him come retrieve me from the side of the road. Plus, I didn't want to be on the side of the road like a vagrant.

So, I drove an additional 8 miles with smoke coming out of the hood and the tailpipe, and eventually, the interior vent, while praying that the car didn't literally catch on fire. It didn't, but smoke did continue to come out of the hood after I turned the car off, and I had to tell our security guard at work, "If a white Aveo catches on fire, please page me on the intercom." Seriously...

So, now, we have the part, not installed yet, and we don't know if the engine is damaged. Apparently, the hose that connects the radiator and engine has a thermostat inside, and that exploded...The dealership told Smitty it was made of plastic. So, I am entirely correct when I say my car is made out of plastic. How incredibly unsafe.

So, all is well, considering, and this is a perfect example of how Smitty is a paragon of patience when it comes to dealing with me. He wanted to yell; oh, how he wanted to yell. But he restrained himself, only asking, "Why would you keep driving with smoke coming out of the hood?" I gave him my aforementioned reasons, and I'm sure there was sighing and eye-rolling when he read my e-mail response, but I didn't have to see it. God bless that tall, patient man. He even took me to dinner, so technically, we celebrated Valentine's Day..that's how we roll...

"Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be."
Robert Browning