Magic Time

So as I have mentioned before, my husband has this magical power over electronics whereas I have the power to kill electronics. Evidently, all I had to do to get the radio fixed in my car was to take him for a drive and *poof*, it started working. Just like that.

With our powers combined….

As well, I decided instead of buying some new clothes (which I really need as I haven`t bought jeans or shirts in about a year or so and I`m starting to look a bit tatty) I would buy some music. And then I couldn`t decide what to buy. So, I bought a whole pile (online). I bought Ella Fitzgerald (x2 with Louis and the gang), Sara Bareilles (reminds me of Fiona Apple), Sheryl Crow (my fav) and Jack Johnson (his new one). My hubby was a little peeved that I bought a whole pile of music. But honestly, it is a whole lot cheaper than the big screen TV that he wants. And I bought some stuff that he would like. Don`t think I didn`t see him toe tapping away while he burned CDs so he could put the music on his laptop, oh, and his mp3 player.

Speaking of the music, it wouldn`t all download properly. I got around that, but then I ran up against the whole licenses problem which for whatever reason wasn`t letting me burn all of the songs to CD for a backup. So, I had hubby come over and of course the computer then acted perfectly fine. Oh well, I now have music everywhere I go.

I might just have to turn things up….

Getting Things Fixed

It’s a grey day here today. And not just because the steering rack needs to be replaced on the Dodge. That’s expensive. So, I did our taxes. I even filed them. Soon we will have our return and I can fix everything. Party time. Seriously, there are other things I would rather do with that return. We tend to be very responsible with our returns. For instance we used it as a down payment on our first house one year. But, there will be room for some fun. For example, I’m sure we’ll also use it to pay for our upcoming trip over the mountains to beautiful Victoria.

Speaking of fixing things, my laptop decided it didn’t want to play nice. It was working for a few days, so I lugged it all the way downtown yesterday. See, without a car, it meant walking my daughter in a stroller the 12 blocks to playschool, dropping her off and hanging at the library for 2 hours before returning to get her. So, after lugging the 8 pound laptop a total of 32 blocks, all I have is a broken blister on my heel. Because of course, my laptop would not work for me.

But I had a back up plan. I brought my library card (the nice librarian gave me a new one) so I could sign out tons of fun stuff in case my laptop acted up. I had even tracked down the BBC version of “Pride and Prejudice” which is supposed to be great. (I’ve been hearing about it for years. Evidently the scene where Colin Firth takes off his shirt actually sent women to emergency with heart palpitations when it was first aired on TV (who knew they had TV in the 1800s–ha, ha). Isn’t that totally crazy?) Anyway, I had all this great stuff to sign out and then I couldn’t find my library card. Groan. I had put it down somewhere at home and therefore I was a good 16 blocks from home and without my library card.

So now to just get the shingles replaced–again–on our roof, grow some new skin on my heel and a few other little tasks and my life should be back on track. Maybe…

I am Goddess of Turn Signals. (Also Very Dumb.)

So I finally triumphed the turn signal problem. I am currently shaking my head at my own stupidity. Shake, shake, shake.

 You know what is crazy about it all? Last week when they went all funky and my hubby was all like, get it fixed, get it fixed. Now, now. This weekend, this weekend! I had a feeling that I should wait until this week–like Monday or Tuesday to fix them. I guess the reason why was I didn’t need the three parts we tracked down nor the special tools or to spend hours of our lives on the problem.

It turns out that when I was checking fuses for the radio last week I somehow managed to scramble them up. Specifically, the turn signal one which is right under the radio one and is the same colour and also the only one visible if you don’t hunch down. So, anyway I pulled it and it ended up in an empty slot. And obviously not the correct one.

I checked the fuse box so many times this weekend! And every time I assumed that the turn signal fuse was in with the hazard flashers as I couldn’t see ‘flashers’ or ‘turn signals’. For whatever reason, it wasn’t until today that I noticed the off-to-the-side empty slot (hiding behind the large circuit fuse) that said above it ‘T/SIG’.

Well, I have to have a ‘duh’ moment every once in awhile, so hopefully I will be okay for at least several months.

In the end, I still have my appointment with Kal Tire. (When I changed the appointment from turn signals to CV Joints the guy was like, it was a fuse wasn’t it? Ack!) Anyway, I have to get the CV Joints replaced so now it shall be done–before something breaks and the car crumbles into a brick wall. CV Joints are not something that I am equipped to do on my own. (Ignoring the fact that I don’t have a garage and there is snow on the ground.) And of course, presuming that I would have the desire to fume and curse at my car for at least 20 hours in order to change them on my own. Well, maybe only 12 hours. Still, a lot of fuming and cursing and several trips to the parts/tool store.

Speaking of which, I have a lot of parts to return.

Glitches

Wow, I feel like for every step forward these days, I run up against a wall. If the world could just stop for a day or two, I might actually be able to catch up. But that would be boring.

 The cup of coffee I drank a few hours ago has me super jittery. My hands are a-shaking! So, it is time for a little classic music. Okay, that’s not helping. Not at all. I just want to speed it up. I just switched to The Offspring. Much better. My hands feel less jittery and out of synch with this stuff. Plus I can burn off all that caffeine with jiggling my leg. Maybe it wasn’t a good idea adding that instant mocha stuff to the coffee. That might have been a bit too much for me.

So why glitches? I am trying to fix my turn signals and keep running into problems. So, I guess problems and dead ends more than gltiches.

So, let’s see. I’ve tried replacing the flasher in my car. (No, no not the nude guy that’s supposed to be in the glove compartment according to my manual–he’s actually hanging out behind a panel.) Anyway, he’s A-okay.

So, screw the $8 fix. On to the $100 fix. After tracking down the part so I could have turn signals before the weekend is over, I discover that after talking to my dad, logically, it really can’t be that part. Even though the lame $25 manual said it would be. It just reinforces that Haynes manuals suck. Give me a Chilton anyday. Anyway, I learned how to use my little power meter for more than just checking my AA batteries today. I also found some more glitches.

So next stop is checking the igintion switch. Easy enough, right? Disconnect the battery so the airbag doesn’t blow up on me and pull the steering column cover so I can access the switch and test it. (Yet another use for my meter.)

Except that I don’t have the correct sized torx. So I borrowed some, but I can’t get the recessed screws with the T20 torx. Plus there is this funky torx screw head. So, after some research on the Internet, I discovered that it is a ‘tamper proof torx’ and discovered all these ways around it–including sending my hubby back to Parts Source ($5). That coffee I bought an ex-student on Friday has been well worth it. But that’s another story. (He saw me the other day in the Tim Horton’s drive thru and we were yelling back and forth from our vehicles and he ended up recommending Parts Source. Since then I’ve managed to find what I needed at P.S. two times. And because I was ahead of him in line and he is such a great guy, I bought his coffee when I bought mine. I’m glad I got to pay him back for his Karma-like help right then and there.)

Anyway, we will see if I can get to the switch in a bit when I have the right tools. Then maybe we can get to the bottom of this problem.

On the other hand, there are still a bunch of glitches on my website. When I fix two, I create another one. So, eventually, I will be down to only one glitch that won’t go away…in theory. But I’m stubborn and I will survive. I will survive…

Old Clunker

So, I managed to get the old car going. (It was so cold, our new, pampered car blew a fuse when my hubby asked it to do more than one thing at once.) After having the Shadow sit in freezing weather for days with the odd failed attempt to start it combined with crappy extension cords that may or not have been running the block heater, I figured I was going to require the assistance of a tow truck. But alas, the old beater did it. I went out yesterday and gave ‘er a couple of pumps of gas (even though it is fuel injected–I had forgotten to tell my hubby that it needed this special ‘touch’ once we got below -25C). And it started with barely any battery to spare.

Okay, your applause is embarrassing me. What, don’t stop!

That car just keeps going. Maybe because in its fourteen years its only gone 100,000km (although, I think that may have been jiggered with). Naturally the ‘check engine light’ glowed red all the way to the recycle depot and back. (It’s the car’s way of giving me the finger.) Being the dutiful and diligent driver that I am, I ignored it. When I went out again later, it forgave me. Just as I figured it would. Just as I know it really, really wants me to paint it all funky. In case you are thinking I am an abusive car owner, I did check the manual. I figured maybe it was giving me the tall finger salute because it was feeling pissy for having a low battery. You how helpful the manual was? “See dealership.” Thanks. In hell, I will.

Anyway, that car just keeps trucking. That’s why I love it. I do need to get the clunk in the front end checked out. It’s weird though, the car places here in town seem to know less than I do when it comes to cars. How many times did I have to have them check the tires before they discovered that they were dangerously out of round? Quite a few. So, any bets on this clunking? I’m guessing boots or CV joints. Although, funny story. Less than 2,000km ago, I had them inspect the front end (and specifically the steering) not once, but twice. Oh, it is all merry. Right, because clunking is natural?

Just because it is a clunker, it doesn’t mean it should clunk.

Oh, so cool! On the Spectrum they are doing a Sheryl Crow thingy with all her songs and stuff starting on Monday on Sirius Radio. I’m a little pumped. I can actually remember the first time I heard Sheryl Crow. I was driving Mikey (my car–that, in fact, I did paint up all crazy) along the gravel road East of home and when I heard her I was like, “I’m buying her album.” My then-boyfriend (I was in high school) always referred to her as “Your Sheryl Crow”. There’s this one song that always reminds me of the summer where I was supervisor for honey extracting. Long story. Had to be there. Moving on….

Anyway, the poor Shadow. It needs a new windshield, but that need keeps getting sent to the back of the line, kind of like the outlying schools around here when it comes for renovations. But anyway, I discovered that when you use the big worn out shovel to shovel the snow off your car, it doesn’t leave tiny little scratchy trails like I anticipated. Gouges in the already exfoliating paint. Don’t tell my husband. I’m betting he won’t notice until the summer when I wash the car. He hasn’t noticed yet and it has been a couple months. What, read about it here? Nah, he doesn’t read my blog!

Oh, and I told him about the broken shelf in the kitchen. In case you were wondering. That story was basically the most exciting thing that had happened in my day. Plus, it is kind of fun to watch the little vein in his forehead grow when I tell him about things that have broken on our 2 1/2 year old house.