Feeling a little down

about the car. I got the okay to drive, and now I can't go anywhere because my car's oil pressure light is on. I'm heading quickly into the 60% of income time when I go onto short-term disability (I'm on extended illness right now). I have a little windfall coming that the car obviously sensed [isn't that always the case?], but it's already spoken for. But I need the car fixed before I go back to work if at all possible, although if I did have to take the bus to work after my leave is over, at least PT is right down the street and that's a shuttle ride (I specifically asked for PT to be at UK Kentucky Clinic to help with that). It could be something minor, say, a clogged oil filter, or it could be something much worse. The last time my oil light even flickered (in another car, and it didn't come on steady at all), my engine blew. I'm certainly not driving it anywhere, since that could happen. I may see about having it towed to my mechanic and having him look it over to see what's wrong and see if it's a simple fix, at least, and then go from there. If it's big, we can just have it towed back. I think that's doable.

I had let my AAA lapse because I wouldn't be driving and because their recovery unit pissed me off so royally (at one point calling me three times within the space of five minutes while I was at work after I told them I planned to renew in the autumn) to the point where I don't plan on renewing now, but I have roadside assistance through my insurance that has actually been more useful this year. At one point, I got stuck on the ice and got an occurrence at work when AAA abandoned me and wouldn't come down my street. I finally got out on my own, but it was after the four-hour mark, so I'd missed too much, and it was an occurrence. I told the guy from my insurance who came out to jump my car that, and he said a lot of the big trucks don't actually have 4-wheel drive, and he'd never actually had trouble with the ice this year or gotten stuck because his was a smaller truck with it. I pay $12 a year for my insurance assistance vs. $185 or so for AAA. I need to see what the limits are for it. AAA is 4 or 5 calls a year, I know.

I know it's a short-lived window because the next surgery would be four weeks away anyway. Still, I'd hoped to have some time to drive where we'd get groceries and food, and I'd be able to go to appointments without having to rely on others. To those who have been helping, thank you so much. I'd already called and let those who had appointments lined up know I could drive yesterday, and then I'd had to call them back and ask them to take me to them again, and even had to add one for Tuesday, where I didn't have one lined up yet.

It'll all work out, I know. But it's still a bummer. Still, I'm going to focus on what I can do, which is call Kenny at Mitch's Auto on Monday and see what my options might be and go from there. I trust him. He's got a guy who'll tow for a lot lower than most, too, if it's going there.  And in the meantime, I'll just do the bike, keep working on my recovery, go to my appointments, and rely on my wonderful friends. Thank you all. I'll figure out everything else as it comes.

Dang it

...and my low oil pressure light is on in my car, so I am not driving after all. Harumpf. Also, randomly, my gas cap light is on, even though it is screwed in. The car is not idling correctly and smells like it is burning oil. There is oil in the car. It does need an oil change, but it's not over by much. This is a job for Kenny at Mitch's Auto Repair, but I can't send it over just yet, till I get paid.

I am not sure what the universe is trying to say here.

I so lucked out yesterday

The last several days my car has made an alarming thumping noise from the rear passenger side. Since I am terribly broke at the moment, having chosen rent and electricity over anything else, I was concerned that it would be expensive and/or dangerous. Fortunately I have a good repair shop and I called them to ask how much it would be for them to take a look at it, maybe test drive and listen to it. They said just to bring it on in and they'd be happy to look at it.

Well, I took it in yesterday and the mechanic and I took an interesting test drive, swerving back and forth down Industry Road. It could have been the bearings needing to be repacked, but he wanted to check something first. So he jacked it up and tested the wheel and it was a little loose. He tightened up all the wheels with a power driver and put air in the tyres as well. Then we went for a second drive and everything was fine.

No one's worked on my car since August (them, actually) and it's unlikely that it was left over from that since it was so many months ago. He said it might have been someone trying to take the tyre, with the oeconomy so bad. Anyway, it's fixed and they didn't charge me anything.

If you live here in Lexington, Mitch's Auto Repair is a great place to go. They don't gouge and don't 'find' other things wrong with the car that don't need to be fixed. When they fixed my brakes they also threw in plugging a tyre and fixing the door liner, which kept falling off. Plus they're very friendly. I highly recommend them. I'm so glad it wasn't costly and that they went ahead and looked at it right there on the spot. It rather sounded like the wheel was ready to come off and apparently I was right, or at least it was on its way. Here's their address:

Mitch's Auto Repair
1253 Industry Road Suite 120
Lexington, KY 40505
Phone number: (859) 254-6398

If you need to get your car repaired, they're a great place to go.

PS My car passed a milestone the other day--260,000 miles. :)