Cars, Inspections, and Bills

I took my hubby's car in for emissions and inspection yesterday. It didn't pass--at first. The technician brought me the news like a saddened surgeon stepping from the operating room to tell hopeful family members that their loved one died under the knife--at least until he whipped out the next paper and asked if I wanted them to run diagnostics for only $80.00 an hour. He turned into a ray of sunshine as soon as I groaned a yes.

This is the point when I silently chewed out my hubby for being at work. Not that I mind him working, in fact I really, really like being able to pay the house payment and buy stuff like food, which we couldn't do if he didn't work. But, as you might remember, I don't know ANYTHING about cars other than where to put the gas, how to drive, and how to work the radio. Yup, I have skills, and somehow the mechanics all know this.

This is me at the mechanics:



I'm the little one on the right with no skills and the mechanic is the other guy. This is an actual photo. Seriously.

This is the mechanic when I come into his shop:



Except he doesn't wear a suit, and I think he got more money from me.

Anywho, I spent the next four hours (and a wad of cash) pacing the waiting room and pondering death by mechanic bill as they fiddled, replaced parts(more money, of course), and cajoled my hubby's ancient Civic into passing emissions.

Guess what I get to do today? Take in my daughter's jeep she purchased for emissions and inspections. Yup, this is where I once again silently curse my hubby for working, while simultaneously wondering if he could possibly get more hours to pay for car bills.

I'm sure the mechanic will be excited to see my face again. I may just make it onto his Christmas card list. You know, just something like, Merry Christmas, Leisha. I'm enjoying my second home. Thanks for paying for it. Have a great holiday and see you come inspection time.

Well, off to face more cars, inspections, and bills. Wish me luck, I'm going to need loads of it.

Middle-Of-The-Night Worries

I've had a couple of disjointed nights. For the second night in a row, I woke up at two in the morning and found myself in bed with a man. Of course, this man was my husband of seventeen years, but where ever my mind was before I woke up, it forget this small detail. Both times! How is that even possible? It's very freaky by the way. I don't recommend doing it. I think I might be be losing my mind. Hubby agrees.

I also woke up at three last night overcome with worry about the serpentine belt in our van. I'd like to point out that up until then, I didn't know there was a serpentine belt in the van.

I know a lot about vehicles. Important things like, they drive places, where the key goes, how to turn on the radio, where the gas goes, and how to open the little door to where the gas goes. I also know that oil isn't supposed to be black, and you should have someone else change it for you before it gets black, because someone with my level of expertise just shouldn't try to do surgery on her vehicle. And finally, I know there is an engine, and it has mysterious parts and tubes that do something and occasionally need to be fixed or replaced.

What these parts are is beyond my capacity to understand, so for me to wake up in the middle of the night worried about my belts is strange. Strange and disturbing. I tossed and turned for an hour before I got up and hit the Internet. After some lame Google searches like: " Do I have belts in my van? What are the belts called in my van?" and, "Do I have to get new belts for my van?" I hit pay dirt. (These searches are in quotes because I muttered them to myself as I typed. I just wanted you to have an accurate mental picture of me at four-ish in the morning.)

It turns out I do have a serpentine belt, and I probably do need to replace it about 5,000 miles ago. It costs around $20.00 Labor costs, well lets just say it's more than the part. Way more. Sigh. Now I'm worried that when I take it in and say, "Hey, I think I need my serpentine belt fixed because I woke up in the middle of the night all stressed about it." they'll poke around in my van's innards and discover a whole mess of things wrong. Then they'll tell me it will cost thousands of dollars, and I'll pass out on the floor. They'll sweep me away with the garbage, and I'll be late to pick up the carpool. But I digress.

I returned to my bed with my hubby of seventeen years, whom I proudly remembered, and lay awake until six worrying about getting the stupid serpentine belt replaced today. Yes, I know that sounds crazy, but I'm calling the mechanic guy as soon as they open. My family is driving to California this weekend, and I don't want to be beltless in the middle of Nevada, and I certainly don't want another night like last night.