Through these rose-colored glasses, this glass looks half full
Scenario: On Friday, receive consulting paycheck from former employer, along with unexpected check from new employer, to the tune of $564.
On Monday, take coolant-leaking car to trusted mechanic. Mechanic recognizes car by sight and has paperwork already filled out (probably from memory).
Stress to mechanic that my attachment to car is slowly dwindling, along with my patience and checkbook balance.
Tell mechanic to fix coolant leak issue and investigate why car horn is no longer working. Tell him I will fix car horn only if not expensive, such as the case of a burned-out fuse. Realize I don’t know if car horns even have fuses. Decide not to mention other issues, such as the rear window that doesn’t seal shut properly, or the air vents that only operate on high.
Mechanic says it will be $571 to fix everything. Agonize over whether or not to fix car, despite mechanic’s assertion that the car is “a good car.” Good for him, maybe.
After consulting with husband, decide to bite the bullet and fix car since car payments are the stuff of nightmares. HATE car payments. Try to ignore the fact that the money spent on the car within the last few months equals 6 months of car payments.
Remember that car pulled same stunt 8 years ago, requiring many repairs in a short amount of time and actually refusing to start on the way to dealership to look at new cars. Then ran relatively fine for years. Maybe this is just a phase?
Am briefly sad/angry at losing windfall money to car, but then am grateful that said windfall means I will technically pay only $7 for repairs.
Very grateful.
When life gives you lemons, etc, etc. Isn’t that always the way?
Comment by Nowheymama — June 15, 2009 @ 1:08 pm
oh man, that is hard to swallow, having to use all your unexpected fun money on boring car stuff
HOWEVER, you are very right… it would be ONE MILLION times worse to have had to pay $570 out of pocket! so basically it’s like you got $570 in car repairs FOR FREE! 
Comment by Alice — June 15, 2009 @ 1:17 pm
I would be back and forth on this one all night. Yay! No unexpected repair bill to foot! Boo! No money to blow (or use for something I needed!) How sucky. It’d have been much better if NEITHER thing had happened. Sorry.
Comment by Sarah — June 15, 2009 @ 2:11 pm
GAH. Yay for $7 car repairs! BOO for having to use your windfall. But like you, I would be very grateful that it had worked out so neatly.
Comment by nonsoccermom — June 15, 2009 @ 3:38 pm
Sometimes I wish we could go back to the horse way of transportation. Surely horses are more low maintenance??
Comment by Shelly — June 15, 2009 @ 4:03 pm
ARGH. So CRUEL. Bad car! I like how it’s tenacious and refuses to start when you try to go look at new cars. It certainly has (expensive) personality.
Comment by Jess — June 15, 2009 @ 4:46 pm
WHAT A TEASE.
Comment by slynnro — June 15, 2009 @ 5:24 pm
There has got to be a way to turn things around for you and Jason. There just has to be. Maybe if you turn around in place a few times? Or perhaps you need to turn your hats inside out, you know rally cap style?
Oh and you are SO right to hate car payments. They are the worst!!!!! Every month I moan about mine.
Comment by Emily — June 15, 2009 @ 11:12 pm
Oh man! That sucks but yet it doesn’t. At least you’re looking on the positive side. That counts for a lot.
Comment by Shelly — June 16, 2009 @ 8:04 am
I’m thinking your mechanic has a microphone embedded somewhere in that airvent that doesn’t work very well, and is closely monitoring your financial situation. A $7 difference? Seems awfully fishy to me…
Comment by Whimsy — June 16, 2009 @ 10:48 am
Oy. A. just took the truck in to the shop this morning – AGAIN. Need an unexpected windfall over here!
Comment by Artemisia — June 16, 2009 @ 11:33 am