The joys of being vehicularly challenged.

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I have so much I want to write about, but most of it is depressing to think about, let along read about! I'm sure I'll get around to it, but for now here is a funny (after the fact) story. Just another day in the life of me.

I have had my car since my 16th birthday (yes, I was spoiled rotten by my father and got a car for my birthday.  If it makes it even better he made me wait a year until I could drive it by myself). I recently turned 24 meaning I have had my car for 8 years.  In that time I have had very few serious problems with it.  Basically what I'm trying to say is when it comes to car trouble I am useless because I have not experienced a lot of car trouble.

A few weeks ago I finished teaching and called hubs while walking to my car.  I was parked in a parking structure on campus, 4th floor.  I get in my car and start backing out when I realize something was wrong.  My steering wheel felt very tight and kept pulling to the right.  I stopped on the 3rd floor at the suggestion of hubs and checked my tires.  I only wish what I found was as cute as the above picture.  My tire was completely flat. The perk to all this is I found it around 7:45.  The structure closes at 9 with no overnight stays allowed. Fantastic.

Hubs dad (my usual mechanic) was at least 2 hours away.  I called my stepdad to come rescue me.  He was roughly 45 minutes away. He made it to me at 8:30 and changed my tire out in record time.  There was only one little catch to this.  The spare.

funny side note: I called my dad and our conversation went something like this:

dad-what are you doing?

me- sitting here wishing you had taught me how to change a tire.

dad- I did teach you how to change a tire.

me- um, no you didn't. You never showed me how.

dad- oh yes I did.  I showed you how to pick up the phone and call AAA to change it for you!

Oh I love my daddy :)

As if having a huge screw through my front passenger tire wasn't enough, my spare tire had been sitting in my trunk for 10 years.  Yep, the spare was flat as well!  My stepdad drove us out of the structure by 8:45 (very carefully I may add) to the nearest gas station to put air in the spare tire.  We drove away from the gas station only to realize I was almost on E and needed gas. Go figure.

We finally got gas in the car and he followed me home.  My wonderful hubby took my car the next do to get new tires and generously loaned me his vehicle for the day (It was a wonderful day to have a vehicle with heated seats!).

Not even a week later, I took it to my father in law to change my brakes.  While removing the same tire that was flat I heard a groan and a crack.  When the place (which shall remain nameless out of pity) changed the tires, they did not screw the lugnuts on by hand first.  They used the automatic tool and basically it weakened one of the lugs and screwed it in sideways.  Had it broken while I was driving I would have definitely wrecked.  We drove all over town trying to find replacement parts.  Hubs ended up having to go to a place in Lexington to get the part! 

It's been a crazy week for my poor car! Luckily it looks like everything is fixed for now.  Hopefully it stays that way!