New month, new challenges

Well, it's December now and Christmas creeps ever closer with each passing moment. For the third consecutive year, it looks like I will be spending it at a friend's house up here, which will be very nice. She lives outside of Washburn, way up on a hill overlooking Lake Superior. A beautiful setting ... unless you're driving a 1997 Pontiac with bald tires. LOL 
Last year on Christmas night, my car did a 180 on the way home from her house and ended up in the ditch. (And before you ask, Stan, I was stone cold sober because I had already been anxious about the drive home. LOL) The temperature was hovering right around zero degrees and this happened on an isolated gravel road a few miles from her house. I really thought that was going to be it for me. I knew I would freeze to death before I ever made it back to her house on foot (plus, I know I couldn't have made it up that steep, winding goat path she calls a driveway). I did have plenty of gas in the tank, so maybe I could've made it through the night or until some kind stranger happened by. 
However, it was truly a Christmas miracle because even though my car is famous for getting hopelessly stuck in similar situations, I took a deep breath, calmed down, said a prayer and was able to drive that sucker right out of the ditch and back onto the road -- going the opposite direction now, of course! I was too freaked out to even think about trying to turn around, so I just went that way, a much longer route, back to Highway 13 north of Washburn and eventually, despite being pretty shook up, I made it home safe. 
I was sure the car had to be totally damaged on the side or underneath, but I just kept going and didn't get out to look until I was in the garage at home. To my amazement, I could see nothing wrong with the car! No dents, no mangled fender or quarter-panel, nothing!! I drove it the rest of the winter and when I finally did have someone look at it in May (when winter was almost over up here!), they said everything was fine. Thank you, Lord!!
Needless to say, I am not too anxious to repeat that frightening experience, so when Claire invited me again this year to spend Christmas with her and her family, I politely refused, explaining that my car is another year older as are its tires, since I have been unable to buy new ones as I had planned before becoming unemployed. Kind soul that she is, she promptly offered to give me a ride out there after she finishes with work around noon on Christmas Eve and I am going to spend the night! That way we can both have a few cocktails worry-free!! LOL The only problem I foresee now is this: I HAVE A NEW JOB!!!!
Yes, that is the other point of this post. As of Thursday, I am now a trainee at the Super One Foods deli here in Ashland. LOL It's only part-time, but I am afraid it may interfere with my holiday plans. My normal hours will be 3-9 p.m. and I don't know what days I will be working that week, so we shall see. I can't exactly ask for any time off since I am the new kid on the block, but I am really hoping the planets align for me on this one and I get to have my Christmas cheer with Claire. 
I start the new gig tomorrow at 8 a.m. (yuk!) and will be going in early this week for training. So far I am scheduled to work three days this week, but my new boss, Kim, said she will probably have me work next weekend as well since that is when they really need the help. I am just hoping I can handle such a big change because I am definitely not used to being on my feet all day and haven't worked a job like this in decades. Wish me luck cuz I am gonna need it, folks!!

PS. I am now at 20,000 hits for this blog and counting!! Thank you, dear readers!