car update & would you look at the price of gas now ...

if you were here earlier in the week, you heard me whining about my car. i am happy to report that all is well with the silver bullet. i am not happy to report that, being neither blonde nor dumb (and no offense to those who are either) i managed to act like a dumb blonde.

it all started sunday morning when we couldn't get our car to start. after our n'bor gave us a jump, we sped off to church. the car seemed fine, but i'm paranoid. i was listening for any little sound that might mean trouble. we got home with no problem, but i still wasn't convinced.

that afternoon i decided to take some books back to the library. i told hubby that i would take #1 son so hubby could study in peace. that was good with him. thankfully, the library is only about 6 blocks away. why is that important? cuz when i got to the library and shut the car off i couldn't get the key out! i tried everything. i tried turning it back on, but no. i tried wiggling and jiggling the key, but no. i tried everything i could think of, and then i said, "to heck with it" i left the key in the car and went inside. #1 son and i got our new items and returned to the car. no go. nothing, nada. it was getting on in the afternoon so i said, "let's walk" we headed towards the greenbelt which has a nice trail away from roads and cars and walked home. #1 son decided to whine and sign pizza all the way home. i counted 14 pizza signs even after telling him that yes, we could bake a pizza in the oven when we got home. it was a nice brisk walk and not too daunting.

upon getting home, i told hubby what had happened. i was sure that our battery was toast, or our alternator was going out or some other weird gremlin type problem had occured.

we decided i would call someone the next day to get a jump. so the next day comes, and i HAVE to get something out in the mail to my sister. i had told her i'd mail it friday and i hadn't. i knew i didn't have an excuse so i had to get it out. i went to the campus apt office to see if they had a scale so i could weigh the small package. no such luck. they directed me to the fed ex place near the library. i bundled up in my coat and gloves, but forgot my scarf. oh boy, was that a dumb move. i walked to the fed ex place and missed the mail pickup there by 15 minutes! yikes. by now the wind is starting to kick up and its getting cold. my hands and arms and legs are warm enough, but my nose and ears and cheeks are freezing!

so from the fed ex place its 4 plus blocks to the post office. in the cold, in the wind, on a day where i'd rather be driving my car. when i get there, my glasses fog up in the post office. i weigh the package, put on the right amount of postage and pop it in the box. mission accomplished. that took me 30 minutes. as i decide on my route home, i decide it might be quicker and will certainly be nicer to take the greenbelt home. its just a jog and a skip from the post office to get on the greenbelt and away i go. yes, much nicer, but it takes me a full 30 minutes to get home.

that afternoon the campus security guys help me with a jump, but i still can't get the dumb car to start. i ask one of them to try. he looks down and sees that it isn't in PARK!!! it was in gear, all along! and that's why i couldn't get the key out nor could i get it to start. tho by that time it really did need a jump. so i get in the car, say thank you, and drive off. i'm sure they must have thot i was the ditziest woman they've met.

and all that walking in the frigid, cold of Idaho was cuz i had forgotton to put it in gear when i turned off the engine. in my defense, i have only driven this car since june/july and i'm still getting used to it. (cough, cough) so no, there's nothing drastically wrong with the silver bullet. only with the driver ...

but, on the bright side, have you seen the price of gas lately? here in little ol idaho we are under $1.50 wowsers!!! i spotted a sign reading $1.48/gallon a couple days ago. too bad my tank is still full and i don't need to fill up. but actually, that's a good thing.

what's gas going for in your area? do you miss those days of $3.72/gallon? who knows, they may come back next summer ... for now, i'm enjoying filling up my tank for less than $20.