My Other Car Is A Broom

June 6, 2014



Let me recommend Safelite Auto Glass if you have any dings or cracks in you car windows. I can personally vouch for them as I have been a customer twice in the past year. I have been driving cars for 40 years and this past year is the first time I needed to have my windshield repaired. Not once but twice. The first time was a small ding. This time it was a long crack ( defined by the experts as longer than a dollar bill.) This has led me to try to explain such a phenomenon.


Beside the windshield issues I have also hit the bank drive through not once but twice. And the second time I was being extremely careful. I didn't hear the sickening crunch until I was almost clear of the area. I then hit the side of the garage with my mirror causing the casing to come apart. The mirror still works but there is a crack in the casing which is unsightly. Why is this happening all of a sudden? Well, okay I have often hit the garage in the past but not to this extent.


There can only be one explanation. The car is cursed! Yes, that's it. I won? acquired? received? the car as part of the divorce settlement. Sort of like compensation for making a mockery of the memories of my life. What can I expect from such a "gift ?" Beside the windshield and the various "accidents" there was also the punctured tire saga. If I didn't know any better I would think that someone put a spell on my vehicle. Well technically it isn't my vehicle yet. I better be extra vigilant when that day comes. But if you hear that I have suddenly lost my brakes...please think of this post.

Town Fair Tire

March 25, 2013



I know I have written about my tire pressure light in the past. And I thought I had solved that problem. But every once in a while the light would come on and I would fill the front driver side tire with air. Then one day a few weeks ago I noticed a small nail in that tire. But I ignored it. After all it was such a slow leak. I went to Rhode Island and the Berkshires knowing about the nail.


Thursday night the light went on again. And for some reason I didn't feel I could ignore it. I needed to drive to Farmington and then to Clinton on Saturday. And as much as I did not want to go to Town Fair Tire on a Friday after work, I did.


Of course it would be a two hour wait. Hilary very kindly picked me up and brought me back at 5 PM. There was my tire in the shop. "This can't be fixed," the man said. The nail was too close to the rim. It couldn't be patched. And they did not have the right tire there in the store. "OK, just put it back on and I'll come back when the tire comes in." But he refused to put the tire back. "It's unsafe to drive with this tire," he replied. I was frantic. I begged him to put it back. Then I realized I sounded just like the patients who can't understand why they are being cancelled for eating or drinking close to their surgery time. "We'll put the donut on just don't go over 55 MPH." Was he kidding?!!!  How would I get to Farmington? I knew I was overreacting but I couldn't help it.


Well, I took Hilary's car the next morning. Of course I not only woke up late but I spent 15 minutes in the driveway trying to orient myself to her car. I couldn't figure out how to get the CD out in the dark so I drove listening to her music. I felt very out of sorts. I missed my seat warmer and bluetooth.


But when I returned home they had the tire for my car as promised. It took less than 45 minutes to put it on. I don't know what possessed me to go get it checked when I did. Something told me not to drive on it anymore. I can still hear my father (who was very particular about car maintenance) saying, "Lucy, get that checked. What's wrong with you?" Maybe Sal is STILL watching out for me!

Blinkers Optional

March 18, 2013



I'm confused. I have a fairly new car (my consolation prize, or as someone so kindly put it, my victory prize) and mine came equipped with blinkers. And I use them every time I turn. Sometimes I even use them when I am turning out of my own driveway. So what about the majority of people who don't bother? Are there models that don't have blinkers? Is it not being taught in driving school? Or are people just too cool to use them?


Am I supposed to know when driving behind someone lost in thought that they are going to turn left into a store or their home? They abruptly stop right in front of me and SIT in the street while I slam on my brakes and use a variety of off color words. And off color words have become my speciality. Words I never thought I'd use and didn't even think in my mind. I save the really good ones for ANITA PEDULLA but I've amassed many others. Some even suggested to me by other people.


So lets get back to the blinkers. Today an old geezer almost ran me off the road as he slowly moved over into my lane in front of me without putting on his blinker. THEN he proceeded to travel at 20 miles per hour. 1. Why not just let me pass? 2. Just use your BLINKER!!!! I would have let you in if I had any idea what you wanted.


So please, those of you who are to special to follow the rules of the road, please tell me how difficult it is to flip the switch on your blinker. Are you the same people who throw wrappers out of your car window, blare your music, text while you drive or are you just a(n) _______? (fill in your favorite word)

Check Engine Light

December 7, 2012



Wednesday Hilary left for the gym in the morning. A few minutes later she was calling me on the phone. She doesn't just call to tell me she loves me. I answered with, "What's wrong?"

"My check engine light is on." Oh shit! I needed some work on my car also but have been trying not to think about it. Did I mention, I HATE car maintenance. Should I take an Ativan or should I deal with this now? Deal now, I decided. I needed to work the next two days so it wasn't going to get any easier.

I called Steve at Skip's garage. We have been going to him for years and I already had the "divorce" talk with him. So there wouldn't be any awkward moments when he asked "How's Dave?" But still, I just didn't want to deal with it at all.

But I did. He told me to come down and he would look at the car. Thankfully nothing seemed to be wrong. We picked it up and he didn't even charge me. He said he could fix my car next week. ( I seemed to have hit the same bank drive through on two separate occasions!) And I got to have lunch with my daughter at Bread and Chocolate. A cute little cafe in Hamden. Breakfast and lunch only. A perk for for having to deal with an unpleasant task. Not to be a Pollyanna but maybe there is a silver lining in most situations if you can keep your wits about you!

Tire Pressure

November 12, 2012



Last week a light went on in my car. It was the tire pressure light. Did I mention I HATE car maintenance? I let it go for a few days hoping it would just go off on its own. But it didn't. It was dark when I pulled into the gas station. I drove up to the air pump and got out. It was FREEZING. The pump said deposit 75 cents for gauge but air was free. A gauge? Really? I knew I had something like that at home in my junk drawer.

So I tried to use the air pump. Okay. Should I take those black rubber caps off the tires? I decided to try putting the contraption over the rubber caps. No go. So I gingerly unscrewed them hoping the air wouldn't come gushing out of the tire. Great!! I think I put air into the two right tires but wasn't sure. By now I was freezing and my hands were filthy. I couldn't bear to turn the car around and try the other side. Not to mention that I couldn't see because it was dark. And I was meeting Josh and Jocelyn for dinner. I got back in the car and the low pressure light was still on.

Later that night I was talking to Annie on the phone. She said I needed to have the gauge etc... and she would help me. But when I got up the next morning I went out there with the gauge and figured out the back two tires are low on air. Now I just have to figure out how to get the air from the pump to the tires!! Whatever happened to full service gas stations? BTW I  HATE to pump my own gas as well.

I went out on a mission but couldn't find a gas station that had air pumps. The one I did find was out of service. Then I remembered I had an air pump at home. We used it to blow up the floats for the kids. I dug it out from the shelf in the garage. It made an unbearably loud noise when I started it. I filled up all the tires, used the gauge and then started the car. Oh NO. The light was still on. Feeling very frustrated and late to meet my friend Alyson at the movies, I left. My plan was to find a service station the next day that did auto repairs and throw myself at their mercy. But as I was driving down the street I looked at the dashboard and the light was out. I DID IT!!!! Who would ever think that little act would make me so happy! But now I can add it to my list of firsts! Pretty soon I'm going to have Jocelyn show me how to change a tire!

Everything is Relative

  October 19, 2012



Yesterday was my day off. Because I worked all weekend and went away overnight last week I am very behind in everything. My house is a mess and I have lots of things to take care of for my sister.

So I got up at 6:30. My daughter needed her car serviced so we drove to Wallingford. I HATE taking care of the cars. That was never my job. But it is now. I guess being with your "soul mate" leaves you little time for helping your kids. All you can manage is lunch every other month or so. But I digress. We did enjoy a great breakfast at Ricks on 5, so being the parent who stuck around does have rewards. I know more about my kids then I ever thought possible and they about me. ( Much to Hilary's dismay)

When I got home I cooked. Steamed artichokes and pasta with chick peas. I vacuumed and cleaned the bathrooms and did laundry. Then I went to the library, the gas station, UPS, Liuzzi's Market and the bank. After that I took my handicapped sister to the grocery store where we spent the requisite two hours going up and down the aisles, checking all the prices and looking through a million coupons. I unloaded bags and bags of groceries and dragged the wheelchair in and out of the car. And the ankle I sprained in June was killing me. ( No, I didn't get the cortisone shot and decided to wear sandals because it was warm.) And THEN, at 5PM we drove back to Wallingford to pick up the car. Really cut into my cocktail hour.

Anyway enough of the pity party. I am SO grateful to have the option of working part time to have a day off to take care of my errands. I am happy to have a job, have my kids close by and healthy, and have my sister living in her home again. Six months ago I felt like I would't survive this. Today I feel lucky.