Being a mom, I’m always putting off my needs and wants in order to take care of everyone elses’. But, after two years of suffering (yes, I said ‘suffering’) without a/c in my van, I finally decided to fork over the dough to get it fixed. As my luck would have it, the mechanic informed me that it was going to be “very costly” to fix it properly. He suggested an easier, less costly fix that ‘may‘ or ‘may not‘ take care of the problem. I paid the man $100 and he made my van blow cold air. Awesome. Seemed like a fair enough trade-off to me. Except… it only worked for 2 days.
{sigh}
I called the mechanic back up to give him the news and ask for an actual number to this “very costly” repair. He quoted a $1,000 price tag, further stating that it was possible he could do it for $750, but that most mechanics charge around $1,200 for the job. …And further more, the problem was a faulty air compressor… which just so happens to turn the serpentine belt on my van as well… which, with no belt a’turnin–no van a’runnin’. He estimated that there was 100 miles, give or take, left on the van without this repair.
“If you were ever thinking of trading in this van, now would be the time.” He suggested.
Lovely. So I’m thinking that either way, I’m going to need $1,000. I mean, that’s usually how much of a down-payment car dealerships ask for, right? Not only that, but we had taken out a personal loan against the title awhile back (when Bob was in-between jobs). So, effectively, the van wasn’t paid off yet. Common ‘car dealership’ practice is to add the existing loan on to the new loan. So, whatever the price of the vehicle I chose to purchase would be increased by the remainder of that loan. Ugh. I was not looking forward to any of this. I hate dealing with car salesmen. It’s usually such a long, tedious, sideways talking ordeal. I just hate it.
Imagine my surprise when everything went smoothly. Imagine my surprise when our visit to the dealership didn’t last a gazillion years and a day, but rather, less than an hour. Imagine my surprise when the dealership (currently expanding and wanting to increase their word-of-mouth advertising) paid off our old loan, AND reduced the sticker price of the vehicle I wanted by $2,000, AND I only had to give them $500 down. Imagine my surprise when I saw that we weren’t being jacked by the percentage rate of the loan. But most of all, imagine my surprise when I got a third of the way home in my new AIR CONDITIONED van and turned to the kids to say, “Oh my gawd! Is this for real? I’m really driving home in a new van. Somebody pinch me. …No, wait. I’m driving. You can’t pinch me. Oh look! We have a 5-disk CD player and a radio and leather seats and heated windows and electric, adjustable chairs and… Am I dreaming?”
{heh} I’m such a dweeb.
(It’s a 2000 Mercury Villager Estate. Not ‘new’ really, but new to me.)
Of course, my savings has now dwindled a bit—-savings that was meant to be a future down-payment on a roomier home (as well as ‘emergency’ and ‘schooling’ funds). Depleting that savings makes me nervous. I prefer to see the numbers climb, rather than drop. Who doesn’t?
In Missouri the sales tax isn’t added into the cost of the car loan, you have to pay that to the Dept. of Revenue yourself, along with title and registration fees. That was another chunk out of my savings. But, I’ll just have to get busy with the eBay auctions when I get back home, so I can build my savings account back up.
Yeah, you heard right. I’m not home. You see, before my old van broke down I had been planning another visit to my mother’s (in Mississippi). More money out of my savings. Double ugh. (F%$#*& gas prices) But, the kids were looking forward to the trip and I didn’t want to disappoint them. So away we went in our wonderfully air-conditioned van. Woo hoo! Nine hours on the road with two bickering children who don’t appreciate anything that I do for them. Could life be any sweeter?
We’ve been here since Friday night. My younger (32 yr. old) brother and my (3 yr. old) niece are here too. Last night my niece went ‘poopy‘ in her potty and my brother felt moved to bring the potty bowl out to show us all how BIG her poop was. I was eating chips and guacamole at the time. That was fun.
Today I cooked biscuits and gravy for everyone for breakfast, and then cleaned the kitchen, and washed the dishes. Mom doesn’t have a dishwasher. …well, apparently she does now… me. Right now, I’m sitting here typing to you all while my son watches the Game Show Network. Richard Dawson–The Family Feud. What an exciting time away from home I’m having, eh. {grin}
On the agenda we have a night of Bingo planned, a play at the local theatre, and a trip down to the Gulf of Mexico and New Orleans for a day or two. Now that will be fun. I think. I mean, I don’t know what to expect since the hurricane and flooding. The last time I visited the French Quarter I was just a small girl.
In the meantime I shall endeavor to answer my niece’s repetitive question of “Why?”
“Why?”
“Because.”
“Why?”
“Because.”
“Why?”
“Because.”
“Why?”
“Why do you ask?”
“Huh?”
“Where’s your Daddy?”
“Why?”
“This is fun.”
“Why?”
“No, really. We should do this more often.”
“Heh… yeah.”
Betcha the little munchkin was playin’ me all along.
Mom bought a six-pack of Heineken last night. I think I’ll have another.
{heh}
When we return back home in just under two weeks, my brother and niece will be moving in with us for a spell. Currently, my FIL is camping out at our place too. I sure hope my brother gets hired on somewhere quick, ‘cuz I don’t think my hubby’s paycheck is going to support a family of 10 for long. I don’t think my sanity will prevail, either. Although some may argue that I had none to begin with.
Is it September yet? Has school started?
No. Well, how about photo sharing time? 
We went to a park.
(Ally May, Manda, & Grandma.)
…And climbed this observation deck.
(Grandma, Manda, and Rocko.)
(CJ — looking down)
(My brother, Silas, with Ally May and Grandma.)
It was a bit windy up here.
…but the view of the Mississippi River was awesome!
(Click this one to enlarge.)
Ahhhh…
Tiocfaidh ár lá
You will see my mother (Grandma Marge), my brother (Silas), my niece (Ally May), affectionately termed the “Why-Pie” by Ps, my son (C.J.), and my daughter (Manda).
