2002 Story Set
| February 6, 2002 The van was towed - after we (AAA and I) looked at the engine and saw coolant - however, we did not check the coolant reservoir. I KNEW I should have spoken up - but guys get so crazy when women know more than they do. And AAA has now told me that four tows in one year was enough for free - I'd have to pay them next time. Time to double check my towing policy with State Farm! Ever try to lead a big truck (platform tow) through 20 miles of rush hour traffic, while he drives through a weigh station? Took me two miles to catch up to him and get in front again. He asked me, once we had arrived and he was unhooking the van, "How come this dealer?" "'Cause I have them trained. And I work right up the street." So, I stroll into the service center, already late for a meeting, and hand the keys to the service manager, Dave. I am, at this point, shaking my head - because when I back the van up after the truck put it back on its four feet, the radiator light was NOT on! I had to tell this to the tow truck driver - he said, "It probably just needed to be shook up." Right. Next time I'll bench-press the van and shake it up. Probably could if the Estrogen patch doesn't work! So I tell this interesting story of the on again - off again sensor light to Dave, who goes out and looks. Did I say that that little strap that holds the front seat in the air (the driver's seat lifts up to get to the engine) - well, that little strap is missing. AAA and I had braced the seat up with my club. Dave did that too, until a mechanic walked by and he could capture assistance. He came back in grinning. Turns out it was the sensor in the coolant reservoir. He said - "Needs coolant --- $500." (chuckle chuckle) and tossed me my keys. I tossed them right back. I said - "Hell no. If it's down here - service the damn thing!" ($300 for a 30,000 mile service). Check tires, drain coolant. All that stuff. And get me my van back so I can get the kid to the hospital for chemo tomorrow - because the 2002 Tacoma truck does not go there! It has yet to get its first "ding". And now I have two cars at the dealers! (I hate that!) I'll figure it out. I then said, "Oh, by the way, what does LowJack for the truck cost now? They had said it would be on special around Christmas. (Was about $1,000 - now down to $575) OK - I'll play musical cars. Do the Van today - I'll swap it out with the truck in the early morning so the van can go to the hospital for my son's chemo. Then I'll figure out how to get the two cars home. Hmmmm. The van will be there all day (Wednesday) - I will deliver the truck tomorrow (Thursday) and snatch the van for the run to the hospital in the wee hours of the morning. They are going to install LowJack on the truck on Thursday. Ok, so far so good. At work at last - I called my older boy and asked for help again -----his birthday is Friday. So I will go back with the van and grab the truck - on Friday. (The camper shell is next. Now I will be able to go to San Diego.) When I grab MY truck back on Friday - my older son will bring HIS Tacoma truck in - for a new windshield I am paying for since its his birthday and since he rescues his mother. He will drive the van home - I will drive my truck (you saw that coming) - and then - after a pause - I will run him back for his truck. Got all that?????? I am winded just working that all out! PLUS - we have Team in Training meeting Thursday night - and I want my younger son there!!!! Possibly on an IV since he has another spider bite. And then I also have to ask Dave, although I dread the answer, "Check the sir conditioner and tell me what's wrong since it won't turn on - I'll fix it later. And what about the missing teeth in the transmission? "Better off with a new one than a rebuild," he says. Right. That will be later this year. Hopefully before the van locks up altogether and I need another tow. Is there anything left on that car that I have not replaced? Worth it when I slide into a tight parking space in the bowels of the Children's hospital parking structure. Now for the fun. My computer at work came back - they left a message. I walked over and got it and brought it back to my office and ----- and it does not power-up in the docking station! ---- the NT boots on the power cord ---- so far so good. --- but the docking station can't see it when it's stuck into the station and stays dark (no lights whatsoever). I slammed the ZIP drive (that I own) into the back of the laptop (instead of the docking station) and rebooted with a power cord in stand-alone mode and off-loaded all the files I needed. Then they came and fiddled. (I had tried different cords, reattached it, pulled the battery, etc etc - no joy. But you know men, they must try it themselves. Can't take a woman's word!) Then they took BOTH the docking station and the laptop back with them - which means the NT may really be delayed getting back if the parts they got so fast are bad ones. (They did not expect to get parts on Tuesday - it usually takes a week!) I am SOOOOO glad I went out and bought that ZIP drive for the NT! I am SOOOO glad I have a Mac computer at home! My boss wants me not to touch anything until the moon changes phase. I walked by the reception desk at work and the phone system went down. Followed by the entire company's computer network! 10,000 people hung up or hanging. I went down twice. Well, I walked by the desk twice. I pacified myself. I bought a lottery ticket. |
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