I am going home early.

[threadwalker]

It took me 2+ hrs, but I got my shed cleaned up and resorted out. But I'm not going home early for projecty-goodness.

Da spousal unit tiddied up the kitchen so I could make chickeny-goodness tonight, but I getting off early won't mean getting dinner on the table by dinner time.

I'd like to get home early to do a ton of "must do" chores, but even though I'm leaving early I won't get home early enough for any of that.

I'm leaving early because I don't have a car and I need time to walk from BART to preschool so I can check the kids out. Then we can then walk home.

When I dropped my car off this morning, I was whisked down to BART by "Chris", the nice mechanic. I had a vague plan to pick up the car after work; maybe Chris could pick me up from the BART station since he's low man on the totem pole at the shop. However, then I talked to Joe (the mechanic who owns the shop and whom I have great trust in), who said, "Your car is a mess. That car is not safe to take the kids in." I thought he was joking, but he was not.

I only heard the squeaky brake this week: all four are down to the rotor?

The fan belt is the original fan belt: Who knew the fan belt was on the edge of self-combusting?

I paid Jiffy Lube for my 90K fix, but now it's all crap?

The tires were replaced in recent memory (well, my memory sucks, maybe I need to consult someone else). But you have discovered something in the undercarriage is digging into the tires? That can't be good. And it's the "nut" on the "do-hikcy" of the steering thing-a-mabob?

And that stuck back door? they've never seen anything like it and they are going to have to take the interior panel off to get at it.

I actually brought the car in for an oil change, a peak at the brakes, and to get the back door unjammed (I have a door that won't open.)

After I got the diagnoses and an estimate on the prognosis; after the shock wore off, I realized I'd be Volvo-less through at least Friday. Then I called the spousal unit at lunch (when he does not answer his phone) and left a message. Yes, I am a coward. But he needs time to digest the info and embrace the reality before we can actually talk. Frankly, it is what it is. It costs less to repair than to buy another. And I've had very few reasons to take this car in. So I've skated for almost 4 years on just oil changes and tune-ups. In a sense, I guess I'm lucky that my 2nd hand car has been less hassle.

What will I drive tomorrow?
The blue truck is currently on loan to someone who's carless.
The suburban has no tags.
Or maybe I don't get to drive. Tomorrow might be a good chance to try biking to/from the BART station.

And man-oh-man, I wore the wrong shoes for hoofing it around town today!

Let me add, if the back door is stuck shut because there is a super-hero action figure jammed in it, 2 little kids are going to be very unhappy about some new rules in mommy's car.

Where is the silver lining? Other than I haven't died in the death-trap. Well... I guess that IS the silver lining.

There's a Big 5 near BART... maybe I'll swing through and get some socks and a cheap pair of sneakers for the rest of the walk home.

There are people who seem to skate through life with minimal drama. Is that like a phone plan that you can sign up for? I want to sign up for that plan. "Can you hear me now?" would be, "Can you detect drama now?" I want boring. Boring is good.

Comments

[falzalot.livejournal.com]

oh man, car woes. I've put way too much into mine recently, but I expect it to last me another 5 years.