when in rains, it pours.
and now it's cloudy with a chance of showers. (or 200% humidity, it depends on who you ask.)
(there are non-knitters who know me who also read along; knitting news will be above this. I know some keep their posts stictly about the yarn and what is on the needles, but there is too much going on for me to skim over.)
I made it back from Canada in one piece and will be heading off to Utah tomorrow. I had hoped to be in my apartment tonight, doing some last minute packing and trying to get things organized before I head off again. Trouble is that my car is out of commission, and I can't get back there from my parents house; tomorrow my duffel bag and I will take one bus south, walk over to my apartment and check the mail and grab a few things before heading to a different bus staion to catch a ride down to the airport. From there I have a direct flight (direct - if you call 4+ hours on a bus to get there direct!) into Salt Lake and the second part of my "vacation" will begin.
Last fall I had a series of car problems, averaging one a month. Eventually I had a new tire, new battery, new exhaust system and new car computer. I took it in for an inspection today thinking that it'd pass with flying colors and instead found that I was wrong; it isn't safe to be driving. My two front tires are bald and that includes the "new" one I bought last fall. Apparently my alignment is off, and nothing was said to me when they put the tire on last fall. My front brake pads and rotars need to be replaced and the left from CV axel boot is cracked, which means that my CV joint might need to be replaced. (I really hope the joint is fine because the boot is a $27 part; the joint is at least 15x that.)
Add the two windows that don't go down to the list and you'll see why my wheel (ha ha ha ha) purchase is going to be put off even longer. I have a check to cover my "living expenses" for this semester coming in the next few weeks, and it will all but be used to pay off my credit cards and future health insurance payments. I hope this marks the end of things breaking/getting old/needing to be replaced. I am tired of this. Whoever is here is going to try and get it to the speciallized car place (as I'm a SnAAB and they won't just work on them anywhere) so there's hope that it'll be fixed by the time I get back.
(my brother, who is using my parents "extra" car this summer has also been having car trouble. He was hit from behind at a stop light (then had to deal with the business of the guy who slammed into him and the insurance who refused to pay to get the car fixed), has had clutch problems (that were covered under the warranty because part of the clutch had been replaced) and now is having battery charging problems.
Being in Quebec with my mom was interesting; we are as different as we are alike - that's not good or bad, it just is. I am used to travelling by myself, and choosing if I want to make plans to see things. Travelling with my friends and collegues is easier then travelling with my family; it has something to do with sliding back into the "forever daughter" role and my mom feeling as though she needs to remain in the "mom" role. We are good friends, and short trips with understood goals are fine, but longer trips are getting harder. Things might change in the future, and I won't say that this is the last trip we'll take together, but it's offered me a lot of insight into how I like to travel and explore.
I am looking forward to a change in the weather (and "weather") and I'll be grateful for calmer, cooler days.
(there are non-knitters who know me who also read along; knitting news will be above this. I know some keep their posts stictly about the yarn and what is on the needles, but there is too much going on for me to skim over.)
I made it back from Canada in one piece and will be heading off to Utah tomorrow. I had hoped to be in my apartment tonight, doing some last minute packing and trying to get things organized before I head off again. Trouble is that my car is out of commission, and I can't get back there from my parents house; tomorrow my duffel bag and I will take one bus south, walk over to my apartment and check the mail and grab a few things before heading to a different bus staion to catch a ride down to the airport. From there I have a direct flight (direct - if you call 4+ hours on a bus to get there direct!) into Salt Lake and the second part of my "vacation" will begin.
Last fall I had a series of car problems, averaging one a month. Eventually I had a new tire, new battery, new exhaust system and new car computer. I took it in for an inspection today thinking that it'd pass with flying colors and instead found that I was wrong; it isn't safe to be driving. My two front tires are bald and that includes the "new" one I bought last fall. Apparently my alignment is off, and nothing was said to me when they put the tire on last fall. My front brake pads and rotars need to be replaced and the left from CV axel boot is cracked, which means that my CV joint might need to be replaced. (I really hope the joint is fine because the boot is a $27 part; the joint is at least 15x that.)
Add the two windows that don't go down to the list and you'll see why my wheel (ha ha ha ha) purchase is going to be put off even longer. I have a check to cover my "living expenses" for this semester coming in the next few weeks, and it will all but be used to pay off my credit cards and future health insurance payments. I hope this marks the end of things breaking/getting old/needing to be replaced. I am tired of this. Whoever is here is going to try and get it to the speciallized car place (as I'm a SnAAB and they won't just work on them anywhere) so there's hope that it'll be fixed by the time I get back.
(my brother, who is using my parents "extra" car this summer has also been having car trouble. He was hit from behind at a stop light (then had to deal with the business of the guy who slammed into him and the insurance who refused to pay to get the car fixed), has had clutch problems (that were covered under the warranty because part of the clutch had been replaced) and now is having battery charging problems.
Being in Quebec with my mom was interesting; we are as different as we are alike - that's not good or bad, it just is. I am used to travelling by myself, and choosing if I want to make plans to see things. Travelling with my friends and collegues is easier then travelling with my family; it has something to do with sliding back into the "forever daughter" role and my mom feeling as though she needs to remain in the "mom" role. We are good friends, and short trips with understood goals are fine, but longer trips are getting harder. Things might change in the future, and I won't say that this is the last trip we'll take together, but it's offered me a lot of insight into how I like to travel and explore.
I am looking forward to a change in the weather (and "weather") and I'll be grateful for calmer, cooler days.
posted by Kristen at 8:21 PM
3 Comments:
Car problems are a PITA. Our "beater" car also failed inspection yesterday (of course, it was supposed to be inspected in February--oops!). We need to get some body rust repaired, which will be a big hit to the wallet. The car is not worth anything (if we were to sell it), but it's worth a lot to us b/c we don't want to have to replace it!
Love the Quebec pics, I am dying to get back to Quebec city at some point.
And hope that your time in Utah is good!
Just as long as you don't expect cool weather in Utah! It's supposed to get up to around 100 today. However, I think I can safely promise less humidity, since we seem to hover around 10% most of the summer unless it's raining...
Have a wonderful trip! If you feel the call of yarn, check out The Wool Cabin, Black Sheep, or if you make it up to Ogden, The Needlepoint Joint and Knit Craft are musts!
Thanks for the comment and recommendation on my blog! Sorry to hear that you're in funk, too. I think that car stuff ALWAYS does that...grrr!
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