Crazy, I tell you.
Remember I mentioned how busy the last few months have been? The goal was to make it to yesterday. And I did. But last Friday (two Fridays ago), I wondered, briefly, if I was going to make it.
Here's what happened.
Remember this? Yep. Many of you were very supportive with your outrage, and I appreciate that. Personally, I didn't think it was all that evil, just desperately annoying, but the salesguy kept apologizing, so I went along with it.
Meanwhile, as I said, we were driving a vehicle that ... well, here's the thing. When I was a yoot, I dated this guy who always had a great car. (It's part of small town / rural culture. I don't remember that anyone gave a rip about Hockey Night in Canada. But all my guy-friends did singlehandedly keep ArmorAll in business.) So ... great car, as I said. Except once. He had put away the great car for the winter - and had a 1902 (I may have the year wrong) Pinto. Everything was broken, including the passenger seat which was attached to nothing at all. He called it his winter-beater.
Back to Spike and me. I've been OK with the aging, brown-bag, no-options, slowly-rusting Corolla we've been driving for 11 years. I was OK when the windshield cracked. I learned how to work the wonky left-turn signal. I shone my phone light on the dash when the dash lights died. But when the driver's seat suddenly broke one day - it hit me. We are driving a winter-beater. And it is not winter anymore. And I am not a yoot.
So ... on the Saturday of Easter weekend, Spike went out between rehearsals and visited four dealerships. I know, right? He's awesome. I love him. I didn't even know about it until all the rehearsals were over, and he quietly informed me that he had found another Perfect Vehicle for An Incredible Deal, and we needed to go test drive it. We did. We liked it. It almost sold - again! But Spike stabbed the other people with his spiky hair while I signed the papers, so it was all good.
Which brings me to last Friday (two Fridays ago). You were wondering if I'd ever get there, weren't you?
I had to go speak at a retreat in Another Town Far Away. We're a one-car family, whether it's new or old. So I had arranged to borrow a car from my Most Awesome Parents. That way, Spike (who was out of town, and would arrive home for the weekend after I left) would have a car.
But then it turned out that the car we bought would need to be picked up on Friday morning. Because I didn't have enough to do on Friday morning, prepping and packing.
THEN, my Most Awesome Parents called to tell me that their 2nd car had broken down, so they couldn't lend me their 1st car. That waffled over a day or two - is it fixed? is it not fixed? Oh wait, it's fixed! Oops - broke again.
So I texted Spike to say, "Sorry baby, I'm picking up the new car and taking it away for the weekend, and you are kinda stranded."
EXCEPT, the Simply Incredible Pastor for whom I was doing the retreat heard of my dilemma, and told me it was cheaper for her to rent a car for me than to pay mileage, so they would rent me a car.
I know. So nice, right?
So here's what I did last Friday (two Fridays ago).
Got up at 4:30 AM and did NOT watch the royal wedding. Went over notes, revamped things again, and packed. Dad picked me up at 7:30 AM, and dropped me at the rental place. Picked up the rental car, brought it home. Cleaned out the old Corolla, which I mentioned above. That took some time. Lotta picks and papers. Took the old Corolla at 9 AM to the dealership (stopping at work on the way to drop something off). Traded in the old Corolla for the new car. Went back to work briefly. Took the new car home, and parked it in the lot across the street. Put my luggage in the rental. Took it across the street. Got the new car, pulled it in the driveway, and popped Louie into the drivers seat to make Spike smile. Drove the rental back to work, where I met J-Blue at noon, and we left. Spoke briefly that night in Bancroft and then dropped into bed. All weekend long, Spike sent texts to me of his joy at driving the new car. He and a friend drove everywhere and hung out all weekend long. I was NOT jealous in any way.
So ... we have a new car. It's a 2009 Acura CSX. Dark blue. Tinted windows. Seats that are fully attached. And a completely reliable left-turn signal.
Yay :)
