For anyone who missed it elsewhere, or who only got half of the story on Facebook, here’s what happened on Wednesday:

We’d known for a while that the Santa Fe (Tina) needed welding done on her front flex pipe. My husband finally got us booked in for that*, and we asked them to put our winter tires on at the same time. No problem.

Then last week, our rear brakes started grinding. We parked the car on the side lawn, as all the classy people do, and asked the garage if they’d look at those when we came in, too.

The morning of our appointment got off to a rough start. I’d had a migraine the day before, and was suffering from severe mental fuzziness, the kind that makes you feel like your brain is wrapped in a cozy-yet-incredibly-stupid angora sweater. Still, I got away in good time, made it half-way to Gander …

…and realized that the snow tires were still in the shed.

For a moment, I became this meme.

After slamming my head repeatedly into the steering wheel, I let AJ know and turned around. He and Ike met me part-way with the tires, and I made it to the garage just in time.

And AJ didn’t make me feel badly about it. Best husband EVER.

I dropped the car off at 10, and got to spend a few hours on my own.

Things were going well. I did some shopping, and even got some work done at the coffee shop.

At 2:15, they called to say the rear brakes were shot. Not just the pads, but the rotors, everything. Also, they couldn’t weld that flex pipe, so yeah, that’d be another $700 for a new one. We’re looking at $1400-1600 in work, how’s that for you?

Not great, but we had no choice about the brakes. I enjoy stopping. I said “go ahead with those,” they said “shouldn’t take too long,” I walked back.

And I waited.

And they told me that more brake parts were rusted out and needed to be replaced. They could get the parts, but yeah, more money, pls and thanx.

And so I waited. And waited. And it needed more parts, and they couldn’t get one part, so they cleaned it instead. And I waited.

…and that resolution didn’t last long, because I was, in fact, bored out of my be-sweatered skull. Here’s how the rest of my afternoon unfolded:

(tried to write, too distracted)

So then things got weird…

Oh, did I mention that AJ had to work at 4, and I didn’t get out of there until 4:30, and then had to drive the 45 minutes to get home?

#DecidedlyInconvenient

Would have been fine if not for that whole “leaving kids alone in the house is bad” thing.

Well, I won’t leave you all hanging. I did get home, driving in the dark and the rain, but on snow tires and with good brakes. AJ got to work, better late than never.

Our bank account was depleted by almost $700, with more to go ASAP, but we’ll be okay. Yes, things would be easier if I were making money, but that’s just not happening right now. My job is to juggle the books so we still get a very merry Christmas. It’s all good…

…assuming they don’t find more stuff to fix when we get that front flex pipe replaced.

*sigh*

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*Some of you know that I suffer from a social anxiety/phobia relating to making phone calls. It’s horrible and inconvenient and screws up my life, and that’s all I’m going to say about it.