Dead to me

After getting the results on the van I was not pleased. It needed 550 bucks (before taxes, etc) to fix the current problem and another 480 for the bumper issue (long story - not my fault but it never got fixed). Plus there was the whole 1100 for a/c. Even if we just put in the 550 it was really more than we wanted to for that stupid piece of crap van. So we decided to cut our losses and go ahead and see what was available to buy with what we could get on a trade for the van. It took some serious juggling (the dealer actually came and picked me and the kids up at the house some 15 miles from the dealership) but we were able to leave in a new car. Well, new to us anyway. We now have a car payment again (haven't had one of those in several years) but I think we'll manage with some belt tightening.
So the van is dead to me. I was darned near ready to leave it on the side of the road for the buzzards but was happy to find out that it was worth something after all. And now, I feel secure in knowing that if I ever have a problem with the new vehicle, I at least have roadside assistance via the warranty we purchased with it.
So I give you our new Suzuki Grand Vitara:

We went from a van with 7 seats to this that has 5 (3 can squeeze into the backseat) and less 'cargo space' since I can't fold down the 3rd row anymore as there is no 3rd row, but I think it will suit our family just fine. We tested the space in the back today with a monthly grocery shop and was able to squeeze it all in there with no crushed bread or broken eggs and I rarely ever do that much shopping in one trip so we should be all good to go. The picture doesn't show the color well, it's a bluish silvery grey. I think I'll call her Sally.

Money Pit

Have I ever mentioned that my van is a money sucking death trap? Well, OK it may not be a death trap (yet) but it eats money like Americans eat potatoes. Stupid thing broke down on me again on Wednesday (of course I had somewhere to be as is usually the case when I am in the damn piece of crap van. The misbehavior was rather familiar and I got to thinking it was the exact same problem it was having about this time last year. Andrew convinced me to call the dealer and find out if it was still under warranty - it was exactly one year ago TO THE DAY that they did the work. The service tech was kind enough to open the ticket for me that night, even though I couldn't get it in until the next day - thus keeping it within the warranty period. If the problem is the same they will cover the cost of fixing it but if not I pay  $100 diagnostic plus whatever other fix it might need. We decided to have a dealer take a look at it to see what they will give us for it on a trade in....still waiting to hear back from both the dealer and the mechanic. Part of me (ooh goody something new!) hopes that it is bad enough we have to trade it in. The other (sensible) part of me doesn't want to deal with a big problem or trying to add a car payment into the already thin budget. I suspect I am just going to sit here and wait for the phone to ring and burn cross that bridge when I get to it. I need to do some research on when the best time to buy a car is (I am thinking it is close to the new year) and hope we can hold out until whenever that is. There is also the possibility that the economy is bad enough that the dealer will be needing a sale badly enough to really work it. Again, new car may not even be in the picture for now but I am trying to have all of my options laid out before I get to them.
I think I'll go warp the loom...

Stupid Van

So the van totally crapped out on me last Sunday. I was at Costco leaving the parking lot when it dies. Just the engine, not the whole shibang. I restart and off we go. Dies again. I called Andrew to come and rescue me (thank god I only had Jake with me and not both of the kids). He gets in to see the problem first hand and of course it goes just fine...we make it to Titus-Will and park it at the Service Dept. wich was closed for the holiday weekend. I put my key in the drop box while Andrew walked back to get is car. When he got back we transferred groceries and car seats and drove home.
So Tuesday rolls around and they are still working on it. Wednesday they tell me it's gonna be a part for like 435 plus the 96 for the diagnostic, and then there is labor costs too. He calls me back later - woops, looks like the problem is in the transmission, another 100 diagnostic charge for the seperate system. Thurday they finally find the problem and have to order a part. Friday it's fixed. When it's all said and done for parts labor and taxes we are out lik 775. Not as bad as initially quoted so that was a relief. I am so ready to get rid of this money pit of a van (still no a/c - not a vital part of the operating system) but we are of course buying a new house so that won't be happening for a while.

Yesterday with Andrew's help we dug the ditch for the electrician to lay the conduit from the house to the garage. That was a bit of a job considering we had to deal with a bunch of roots from the old apple tree - some so large I had to get the hatchet out and go to town on it - I have blisters on my hands :( but it's done :). We also went to a wedding, wich was one of the more enjoyable weddings I have been to in a while. Jacob and Abigail were very well behaved considering the hour (it was an evening wedding - we left early, about 9pm - they hadn't even cut cake yet).

Today I get busy with more packing...hopefully we will get the word back soon on how our appraisal goes and if we will be allowed to take early possession. Oh and contractors come Monday to get all of our stuff fixed for the buyers. Then we will be officially done with everything and just waiting for closing. Hopefully all goes smooth and by this time next week we are in our new home!

Who needs A/C

Sooo for a while now the A/C on the van has been acting up (not blowing cold - unless your moving so red lights were unbearable during that heatwave we had a few weeks back). Anyway I finally took it in to the dealership to have them look at it (mind you this entailed both children's carseats having to be moved to the courtesy shuttle - I am really glad we didn't wait around for them to do it cuz we would have been there until 3pm and we got there around 9am). Anyway the diagnostic cost $105 after taxes...the fix would have cost another $1000 on top of that. We can't afford that so we are going to go on our annual camping trip with no A/C. Fortunately it is supposed to be a reasonable temperature this year (not in the 90's or higher thank goodness).

Last night I made another snake for Abby and also one for an almost 5yr old friend of mine.

Abby's is the smaller 18inch size and Eldon's is the larger 34inch size.

Now the task at hand is getting the house whipped into shape and getting everything packed and ready to go camping. We are leaving at the crack o dawn on Saturday so I have 4 days to do it. So I guess I'll go start a load of laundry.

Feast or Famine

Things seem to come in 'clumps' for me. Good and bad. Yesterday was mostly trying rather than bad per-say but it was what it was.

First was our visit to the pediatrician to get our friend the pea out of someone's nose. We get there and get the news that he is due for shots too. I was pretty sure I had him all caught up on his shots at the last visit and if not how come I didn't get a phone call so I could stay on top of this kinda thing? Anyway...after weighing in etc, it took me and 2 nurses to hold the boy down while the RN tried to fish the damn pea out. She couldn't get it but during the process I mentioned that I had tried with a bulb syringe at home and one of the 'holder' nurses said 'oh, lets try that, I am really good with those.' She tried a couple of times and never produced said pea, but during that process Jake had a bit of a gagging, swallowing episode and we think he swallowed the darned thing. Either way we couldn't find it anymore so we just get to watch and wait and make sure he doesn't develop a cough or 'icky snot' that my show the damn thing moved into his sinus. So he was pretty pissed at this point. First he had been screaming 'MOMMY DOWN!!' then he moved onto telling the nurses 'Bye bye' wanting them to go away. He got calmed down enough to be breathing normally when she came in with the shots. So that set him off again. He was doing better by the time we got dressed and out the door (Thank God for the Gerber Graduates yogurt drop samples they had at check out...they made a wonderful 'treat' and really helped calm him down). We went and saw Daddy at work because Jake was upset with Mommy and really needed Daddy for a while...I really love that Brian works so close to home I am going to miss that when we move (someday).

We got home long enough for a diaper change, midmorning snack and for me to pay the bills (it's sooooo much fun watching my bank account go from 3 grand to 120 bucks in the span of 10 minutes). Just had to make sure we'd have enough in the account to pay for an inspection of our van...oh yeah the steering has been binding up on me...not exactly the safest thing so we HAD to get it taken care of. The guy asked if I wanted a shuttle service home or if I wanted to wait...I figured it couldn't take them all that long to LOOK at the damn thing...needless to say we waited for 2 stinking hours before they told us what the problem was...I would have been fine getting it over the phone, I just wish the guy had realized that I had a toddler with me and had told me it could potentially take that long (I miss my damn Toyota...The only service the damn thing EVER needed was oil changes, tire rotations and on one occasion, a new windshield). The fix is going to cost us about 1100 bucks. Joy. Not exactly what we need at a time when we are going to be dropping a crapload of money to pay for labor and delivery sometime in the next (God willing) 4 weeks. We got a shuttle ride home and got some lunch (poor kid had to wait that long but he did really well and they did provide cookies in the waiting room, so that helped even if they aren't exactly nutritious). By the time he went down for his nap it was 3:00 (he usually naps around 11 or 12 at the latest).

I had time to sit down for 1/2 hour before dinner had to go in the oven and I figured since I was up I may as well tidy the living room and kitchen, etc. Brian got home and we chatted while we puttered around the kitchen together when we got a phone call from an agent wanting to show the house (YAY!) we hadn't shown the house in 7 weeks and so my standard of cleanliness has been on a slow decline (well not my standard, but just giving a damn really since no one has been coming anyway)...The big surprise was that they wanted to see the house in 20 minutes!!!! I specifically ask for a minimum of 1hrs notice but I wasn't going to give up the chance to show my house so (thank God again) Brian was home to help me. I can't believe how clean we got the house in 20 minutes (not really dirty, but the clutter piles up ya know...) Now don't get me wrong, we were just shoving shit in drawers and closets, but in the end the basic need was met. Since we couldn't really go anywhere because the van wasn't here (3 of us don't fit so well in Brian's pickup) we just sat on the tailgate while they toured the house. I am really glad I was cooking dinner because our house smelled like turkey and not cat hair (and thankfully not a combination of the two cuz that would have been really bad). Anyway I guess overall showing the house was on the good side of things rather than bad but It meant I didn't get to sit down when I should have yesterday evening. Let's just hope they want to buy our house now.

Hopefully today will be less eventfull (except of course for that couple who saw our house yesterday, I want them to decide they really like it...I can take action if it means selling the house).