I bought my 2004 Toyota Highlander six years next month. Practically every day for those six years, this vehicle has been started at least twice a day - some days many more times than that. Conservatively speaking, I have inserted the key, turned it over and had it roar to life without so much as a cough, hiccup, burp or sputter at least 4,000-5,000 times.
We took the girl and four of her closest friends to a weekend getaway in Pigeon Forge to celebrate her 15th birthday. So all weekend we piled (stuffed is more like it) seven adult-sized people in my trusty little SUV and scooted around Pigeon Forge, up to the The Sinks (yes, pictures coming) to jump and swim; we visited restaurants, shopping, and everywhere else we decided we wanted to go.
This morning, we gathered all five teenagers up for one last excursion: to one of the local pancake places for breakfast before heading home. We packed in our bags and ourselves, and I put the key in the ignition and turned it, just like always.
And it went "click, click, click."
Long story short, the battery had conked out. But it couldn't have happened at a better time - we still had access to the cabin, had a second car to go get a new battery, and I have an awesome husband who comes prepared with tools and the automotive skills to get the battery out, find an auto supply store, and replace the battery lickety split. We still had time for the obligatory pancake breakfast (it's a Smoky Mountain thing) and made it home by mid-afternoon.
I'm thankful it didn't happen when we were all out and about (it would have been especially inconvenient if it had died while we were swimming yesterday afternoon); and I'm extra-thankful my husband was willing to risk his sanity to help me chaperon five teenage girls this weekend. He's my hero!
