BLOG123005

December 30 2005

Woah, been a heck of a few days. Things have just "not gone right" for me. Nothing big or huge, just a LOT
of it. That kind of thing can get to ya after a few days so I've been kind of mentally worn out.

Vehicle repair rant to follow

For one thing, Tan's vehicle was having some kind of problem, so we took it to where he always takes it -
and has for several years - Pep Boys.

Okay. He turns it in at noon and they haven't even looked at it by four. Kim picks him up from the shop and
we tell them to call us once they've taken a look and can tell us what's up and give us an estimate.

Well, they pretty much don't call. They don't get to it that day, even. Apparently they're SO busy that day
that they're going to start on it the next day. Okay. Fine.

The next day, early they call us. We need a new water pump and a bunch of other stuff done. Stuff has just
worn out. To the tune of about $575.

Woah.

Ouch.

Okay. We gotta do what we gotta do so we tell them to go ahead.

And we don't hear from them for the rest of the day.

They call us that evening saying that things are pretty much repaired but there's a gasket they need two of,
but only have one, and will have to wait for it to come in the next day. So no truck. But after they get the
gasket, things should go very quickly. They tell us to give a call an hour an a half after they open.

Okay.

Tan takes another night off. Doesn't like it. We really can't afford it. But he has little choice.

Okay, next morning we wait, then call. There's a problem. One of the hoses they have didn't fit. (And they
didn't know this the night before!) It's an inch and a half too short.

Okay. Just get the new one and call us back when it's done. It shouldn't take too long to replace a goddamn
hose.

Now, keep in mind these past three days we had a LOT of running around to do before the new year comes
ringing in. Not errands for celebration. We had to purchase a lot of stuff for Hobb's Grove before the 31st
otherwise poor Hobb's would be taxed on so much of their earnings that it ended up something like 35%.
Woah. So, we needed to spend money. Sounds like fun, until you have to figure out what to spend on where,
as long as it's Hobb's related.

In any case, all that is down the drain because most places closed early today (Friday). So even though we're
pretty much guaranteed the truck back, our three days are very shot.

They told us to wait an hour an a half to after they opened to call. We did. They weren't ready yet. They said
they'd call.

Right.

They didn't.

Ben had the day off and took me to two of the places I need to go to make purchases but he had a lot of his
own running around to do as well.

I got home and they still hadn't called and it was around 1:45. To put in a hose. Five hours.

I am more than a little peeved and Tan is so frustrated that he just throws his hands up over the whole thing.

Finally I call them. And before I can say "boo" the guy is telling me it's just being bled and will be ready in
about ten minutes. I responded with "So if I start your way right now…?"

"It should be ready when you get here."

Yay!

Ben drives us down and drops us off.

But there's one thing…

The truck is still in a bay.

With its hood up.

Not good.

We walk into the payment area of the shop and wait a good long time before someone helps us.

Now I'm a VERY unhappy camper. This is costing a great deal of time AND money and I cannot see any
reason for it.

A guy who looks remarkably like the man who played Garibaldi in Babylon 5, but is much shorter, sighs
heavily and begins talking.

"We put it all together, bled it and then started it up and the radiator started hissing from the sides. You're
going to need a new radiator."

I look at him in shock. "That's going to put us WELL over six hundred dollars," I sort of rumble at him.

He looks up at me, and then away, stuttering. "W--w-we, I'm…not going to charge you for it."

I stand waiting for more.

He looks up at the clock, while telling one of his guys to pull and replace the radiator. "It should be ready by
5:30."

I look at the clock. "Okay. Thanks," we tell him as we quit the room and call Ben on the cell. He came right
away.

We did another of my errands and went home.

And waited.

At 5:24 they called.

It's ready.

Halleluja!

We go and pick it up.

We're so relieved. And we have a nice itemized bill with no charge for the radiator.

Half way home, it starts hissing funny.

I am SO not happy…

(When Tanamin got home from work he told me the odd hissing had disappeared. I hope it stays gone.
*sigh*)

Vehicle repair rant end

Other than that, things are melloooow around here. Mostly focused on getting the stuff for Hobb's and
relaxing. Or trying to in any case.

Still frustrated because it still looks like I won't be making it to FC. Not completely sure, yet, though. I also
haven't heard squeak from them about art panels. I'm pretty sure I paid for them WAY back but I'm not on
the list (and now it's sold out!) and they said they'd look but after that I've heard nothing but the quiet chirp
of crickets. *sigh* This does not bode well.