Let's see, where to begin. It all started last night really, but let's begin with this morning and then back-track.
I took my cell phone off of the charger this morning and discovered that for some reason it didn't charge and has barely any juice left in it. Now that would be a minor annoyance were it not for the next issue...
My brand new used car fucked up on the way in to work this morning. First the battery light came on, which in itself made me think oh shit, but actually a battery isn't that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things. However... then the car got so I could barely steer it, like the power steering went completely out, only somehow even worse than just went out, like it went out and... gremlins were under there pushing against my steering attempts. Something. I dunno what.
Can anyone fathom how the battery light has anything to do with the power steering, or is it just me?
No power steering may have been manageable, except that I have to make a U-turn into the daycare. With no power steering this was just this side of impossible and, judging by the honks and dirty looks and er, other lovely gestures I got as I had to keep turning back and forth in forward and reverse to ultimately achieve my turn, it seemed one was sympathetic to my plight. Granted, they were ignorant of my plight. All they knew was that some idiot couldn't even make a simple U-turn.
So I dropped the kid off, got back in the car, and noted that the battery light was no longer on once I started the car. I conferred with the trusty owner's manual, which has only this to say about power steering troubleshooting:
"...if for some reason the hydraulic pressure is interrupted, it will still be
possible to steer your vehicle. Under these conditions you will observe a
substantial increase in steering effort."
Gee, that's great info, so helpful. For "some reason" like WHAT? WTF do I do to UN-interrupt the hydraulic pressure? And by the way, even using the word "substantial", you idiots substantially minimized the increase needed in steering effort.
So I managed to make it to my parking lot and park, largely because there were not many other cars there yet. If when I go to leave there are any cars at all near me, I'm in deep shit because I can't steer around them.
Hmmm, I could always have AAA tow it for me. Well, except that I let that expire back on January 18.
So, the nice service advisor named Jennifer at the Chrysler service department seems to think (after putting me on hold for a few minutes and probably consulting a man because what do most women know about cars and yes, I know that is sexist, but it also happens to be true) that it could be a thrown belt. She said that for only $87 they'd be happy to take a look, but that amount would also apply towards the repair should I have it done there. I inquired as to what if the belt only costs say $50 (less than the $87 to look at it). She chuckled, probably because she knows that NEVER happens, but she did say if the repair is less then I would only pay the price of the repair.
Yippee. I've had the car for 23 days and into the shop it goes.
So assuming I can steer the monster the 20 miles back to Arlington safely, I can have my uncle look at it first because if it is a thrown belt then it should be obvious to him and he can quickly ascertain how easy or difficult the job would be and whether he wants to attempt it etc etc., and if not I can drop it off and have it looked at.
Of course, on the chance that something may happen on the 20-mile venture, I got online and renewed my AAA membership and printed out my temporary membership card. And yes indeed you bet I am shameless enough to use it on the very same day I renewed it, if it comes to that. Assuming I have any cell battery left to call them, of course.
I really don't want to do that, though, have it towed. I seriously have this crazy thing where once I see my car on a tow truck, looking pitiful and broken, I generally decide within a couple of months at most that it's time to trade 'er in for something I haven't seen on a tow truck. But I can't do that this time since I just bought this car, so I need to avoid tow trucks if at all possible. Stupid, I know, but that's the way it is.
Is that enough of my shitty day for you, or do you want more?
More? More it is, then.
Last night I went to empty the dishwasher, which I had set to run the previous night while I slept so I don't have to hear the noisy-ass thing. All of the dishwasher soap was globbed in the bottom and the dishes were not clean.
Hmmmmmm. This home warranty thing I have rocks. I assure you these people are not making any money on me at all.
However, I decided to try to avoid the dishwasher equivalent of the Target Bag Incident and have my uncle take a look at it before calling for service. You know - just in case a Target bag or something equally asinine mysteriously made its way into my dishwasher and was mucking up the works.
No such luck. He couldn't find the problem with it. So the repair guy is coming on Friday between 12:00 and 5:00, which is a great excuse to just take the whole day off, which I have done. Woohoo. Something good from all the shit, at least.
I am just praying that the problem with the dishwasher isn't something rat-related. You know how they like to chew things and just basically fuck things up, and I know they were below my sink because they ate some poison from there. shudder shudder
ACK. The rat horror never ends.
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