Nothing is ever easy around here....

Oh, the fun just goes on and on....*shakes head*

First off - I'm feeling much better, but still running a slight temp. Sadly, I don't dare miss work unless the temp goes sky high between now and alarm tomorrow.

Last evening, I had to fill my script, so since Robert was as sick as I was yesterday, I couldn't pawn it off on him, so decided to make one trip into town, timing it so I'd drop the script off, go introduce myself to the new class, let Jan take the lecture, and come back, pick up the script, and return home, crawl into my jammies, and be done for the night.

Except I only got as far as dropping off the script. When I came back to the Jeep, it wouldn't start. So, I ended up calling Robert to come rescue me, and just went home after leaving a message on Jan's cell.

Robert got up early this morning and went into town to start dealing with the Jeep. The plan was to get it over to the service station next to the store. But, it started right up. He waited a bit and tried it again, and again it started. We came to the conclusion that somehow or another I'd flooded it. I wondered "how weird is that?" considering I've never flooded it in the 3.5 years I've had it, but hey, I wasn't feeling well at all last night and considered it a very likely answer.

So, I got dressed, went back into town with him and sure enough, the Jeep started right up. I headed for home. I take a route through a housing development, and through the frontage roads around the mall to get back to the highway.

Halfway through the mall, the Jeep stalls. I start it, proceed ahead. I get out onto the highway, and she's just coughing and sputtering like a consumptive old woman with just a few breaths of life left.

And stalled on the highway at the stoplight. And we were first in the line of traffic.

I finally got people waved around me, and called the cops. Next thing I know, Robert has pulled up behind me. He'd stopped to get fuel before coming home. So, thankfully, he stayed there, with flashers on till the cops arrived to help and the tow truck was summoned.

So, the Jeep was towed to the mechanic.

Diagnosis? In dire need of a tune-up. I mis-timed that, that's for sure. I'd figured on seeing about that next month. So, the rest of the day was spent doctoring my throat which was very sore from being out in the wind, and getting a rental car for the next day or so.

I really hate it when I seem to have to do everything in a complicated manner.

* * *

Once upon a time I was a young woman of dateable age. In my day, in my small town, it behooved a young woman to be able to know a little bit about the mechanics of cars - at least if you wanted to have any sort of a conversation with the gearheads, who would never admit their secret love of literature or poetry.

I know my way around the basics of cars. Guess what? I can even change my own oil and have even changed my own radiator; I hate the feel/texture of antifreeze, btw. *shudder*

One of the good things about being married is not having to talk about the dwell on a spark plug or discuss the pros and cons of various brands of tires. However, knowing even the small amount I do know is helpful when I have to deal with a mechanic.

Apparently, this has been lost on Himself. We went to pick up the rental, stopped by the mechanic's to see what the verdict was on the Jeep, and found out that the Jeep had *gasp* original equipment! Oh HORRORS!!!

My Jeep is a 1998. She only has 56K on her. I'm not surprised that it's still original equipment, but Himself acted like it was the worst of all possible worlds. He ranted and raved at the mechanic about the place where we'd gotten the car ("We got it at dealership - dealerships are such rip offs!") The mechanic looked at him like he'd lost his mind. I wanted to dig a hole and crawl in. Or slap the shit outta Himself.

Now, I do agree that I should have gotten a tune up much sooner on an 8 year old car, but, ya know, I'm just a stupid female and cars just aren't my forte in some people's minds. So, if Himself was that concerned, he should have suggested it or done it himself, right?

Now, what must be taken into consideration is that Himself got car fever right after I purchased my Jeep. So, without consulting me, he went out and purchased himself a pick-up. Let me rephrase that...make that a lemon pick-up.

Tis truck has had mechanical problem after problem, including, but not limited to, a new transmission. There've been so many problems with it that I told him he needed to paint it lemon yellow, because it has been and always will be a lemon. He's very touchy about this. My suspicion is that he knows I'm right. And, it's been sputtering and gasping because apparently now it needs new injectors. I suspect that isn't going to be cheap.

But, my vehicle is a lemon in his book. And, all because it has original equipment!!!

* * * *

I've got a cute little black Toyota sitting in my driveway tonight. That's my rental car for the next day or so, till the Jeep is finished. I haven't rented a car for several years, so I was quite surprised when I called to make the reservation.

We've generally used Enterprise because their pricing has been the best when rentals are needed. So, I called them first.

The usual questions were asked, and then came the question that completely boggled me.

"Do you have a credit card?"

I gave up my credit cards a few years ago, opting instead for the use of only my bank card which is both a debit and credit card, depending on how I want to call it.

"Yes, I have a credit card."

"It has to be a credit card that stands alone - it can't be attached to your bank account."

"WHAT?"

Turns out if you don't have a non-bank credit card, you have to put down a $200 deposit, bring in not only your driver's license, but be able to show proof of insurance, and also show a copy of your phone bill and your house payment. And...it couldn't be in Robert's name, it had to be in my name if I was renting the car.

Enterprise lost my business. Hertz was more than happy to have it.

It's been a long time since I've stepped "down" into a car. I'm used to stepping "up" into a Jeep. I'll probably kill myself off in the morning by misjudging where my head is going or something!

The way this week is going, a concussion would probably fit right in.