Mambo Taxi

Yesterday, I woke up a bit early, determined that Snowpocalypse had not closed our university, got ready for work and spent some time with d., who was leaving for a conference [1], hiked through the snow to the nearest express bus, with a quick detour to pick up a chunk of smoked salmon for my breakfast bagels, just caught the bus, and made it to work in excellent time.

At which point I discovered that the salmon, which I had already noticed smelling awesome, also transferred some of that awesome smell to my gloves and the coat-pocket I had briefly put the salmon bag into.

Which happened to also contain my gym shorts, because on Wednesday I had a physio appointment and she wanted me to wear shorts.

And after work, I bussed downtown to the Art Gallery, which was hosting a Groundhog Day party [2], and in answering email from someone suggesting I pack earplugs for Thursday night's concert, I was pleased to reply that I did have earplugs on me; in fact they were in the pocket containing the smoked salmon, not the pocket with my gym shorts (as I had put the salmon in the other pocket, while I was putting on my gloves).

[1] in Florida, and I'm happy he made it, because it would be awful and ironic to miss a February trip to Florida because of a snowstorm. [3]

[2] Have you ever gone to a Groundhog Day party? Me neither, figured I would check it out. Plus, catered reception, and free visit to the art gallery, which I hadn't visited in a few years.

[3] even a work trip.

My last 24 hours, in three acts.

Act I

Last night, I wanted a burger for dinner. So I drove to our nearby veggie-burger joint, had a yummy dinner, then discovered the car's battery was flat. Lights on? Nope, it was still sunny when I got there. I opened the hood, the battery's covered in corrosion. Ooookay. So I called Rachel and Robin, Quaker friends who live 3 minutes away, and they drove up and gave me a jump-start. The car started right away. Exeunt both directions, warm fuzzies and happy music.

I took a 30-minute drive around town to recharge the battery, with the windows down, yippee!, got home, parked in front of the house (just in case). Turned off the car, waited a moment, tried to turn on the lights, and it went "click-click-click-click".

Oh. Damn.

Act II

This morning at 8, I walked to the tire-place down the street and swapped batteries. I rolled back home (with battery in a cart; I ain't carrying that thing even 4 blocks.) Put it in, tried to turn on the lights, and it still just goes "click-click-click-click." Grr.

I called the car shop we use; they said Mondays are busy, but yeah, I could drop it off. Now, on Tuesdays we're still leaving the hosue at 7:30, and dan's not yet healthy enough for a walk to work, or even really the walk to/from the bus. So this ain't great. Not a disaster, we have funds, but not great. I got a recommendation for a towing company, called them, they said they'd be 30 minutes.

Then, I asked my local programmer-friends on IRC whether the tow would drop the car off without me going with it, a suggestion from my clever boyfriend (who hasn't ever done that, but thought it was sensible.)

Yes, a friend said, you can do that, especially if the tow company has a relationship with the garage. Yay, I said, they recommended them. And it saves me a trip which I know would take at least 90 minutes, since the bus up there is sporadic.

Then Justin chimed into the IRC conversation, and said this problem sounds strange, it still sounds like a dead battery problem to him. He suggested I take some 400-grit sandpaper to the terminals to make sure it's a clean connection. Good idea! That I did, and also noticed that the positive terminal didn't even have a bolt clamping it on. Which I sort-of fixed. And Lo, the car started. I ran in, called the tow company and canceled, and went back on IRC to tell Justin I owed him one.

Then I heard the sound of a tow-truck backing up outside. Oops! Came out, waving, jumped on the running board to find myself face to face with the butchest woman I've seen in ages. Her head was half-shaved, half long-orange hair, she had a lip piercing, and when I said hi, I'm really sorry, I called a few minutes ago to cancel, she laughed and her tongue piercing didn't look at all out of place. She looked tough. I'm glad she was friendly. And it wasn't until she had left that I realized, I totally should've gotten her name, at least.

Right. So, off to work; got some stuff done, then at 2pm, dan asked if I could take him home.

Out to the car, which... started immediately.

Dropped him home, stopped to run an errand, and... it refused to start again.

This time, I had the jumper cables out and the hood up, at the ready for a quick jump from the next available driver. Yes, I've lost any inhibition against asking just anyone... And y'know, people in this town? They'll jump you just as promptly. At least if you're able to get your hood up quick.

Curtain, before the snickering gets too loud.

Act III:

What now? Maybe alternator, maybe starter, maybe dud battery. Motor's running, at least. Off to the auto shop, on the north side of town, to beg them to maybe fit me in this afternoon somehow?

They were busy; 4 cars had to be finished today. But the head guy said OK, I can wait around and see where they are in an hour. So I sat in the car, windows down, and listened to their radio and machinery. In my short sleeve shirt- OMG this weather! If it wasn't the uncertainty about the car, it would be pretty much divine. I even meditated for a while. And I discovered a pair of sunglasses in the glove compartment, which helped.

90 minutes later, I was back on the road. Here's what I learned:
1) the terminals need to be clamped down so they can't shake off.
2) hand-tight is NOWHERE near good enough, even if that's what they were when I took off the old battery. (Gee, maybe that was the root cause? Not the dying ancient battery? Hm.)
3) gruff car guys are still OK folks. I tipped him, because he didn't even bother writing it up, just said how about $20. And he could've said, no guarantee he'll even be able to look at it today, but he didn't.

And that is, I hope, the end of this story.

- home-made pizza for dinner: pineapple, anchovy, and onion
- coming home at 2 when the University semi-closed
- a much-needed 90-minute nap
- neighbour stopping by with her snowblower, saving me 20 minutes' shoveling (which had been taking more out of me than I realized at the time...)
- instead of seeing melted_snowball's concert tonight, I called and switched my ticket to tomorrow's matinée. My sweetie has good ideas.
- less of a headache than mid-afternoon. Hey, it's a gud. Weak gud, but still a gud.

On my Thanksgiving day off, while dan's still traveling:

Biked from City Cafe to City Cafe again; I took a huge number of photos of leaves turning. Homer Watson Park was quite beautiful, as was the road into Hespler (Fountain St.?) along the waving grain... The weather cooperated well- I was warm in short-sleeves.

Down:
12:46p-1:50 (10min stops) odo 736.76

Back:
2:22p-4:00 (30min? stops) odo 760.85

So, 54 minutes down, 68 minutes back. 24.09 miles.

I should upload those photos!

Yesterday's storms hit me coming and going. My day started in Toronto, where I spent the night with melted_snowball; he's there through this afternoon for a conference. I found it a good visit as one-day vacations go. But then was the getting home.

I parked our car at the Yorkdale mall, and by early afternoon, I was already on the road back home, when bam the rains started and became quite heavy quite quickly. As far as I can tell from the weather map and the radio, there was a fairly intense front that moved across the 401 just before I came through. The only really scary part of the drive was when I hit my first patch of the road being resurfaced- there was more than a few cm of water in the trough that was my lane, which made the conditions quite different quite quickly.

So, after 30 minutes of slow wet going, the weather cleared up and shortly I was on dry pavement again. As it was all the way home. I picked up roverthedog from the kennel, dropped her at home, then biked to work in partial sunshine.

I had one eye on the radar map, but I lost a gamble that I'd leave before the rain hit. And wow did it hit. So I stayed an extra hour, worked some more, chatted with sulle_stelle and rebooted stuff when the power went off for a second. I didn't see any of the hail or damaging wind, though the wind seemed quite strong at the University. The weather station recorded a record 24mm of rain between 7:30 and 7:45pm. I waited until 8, then made my way back in a light (but quite chilly) shower. My route home was flood-free, fortunately. Not like this, a shot taken for the local paper, of the four lane road just by Rover's kennel:



And now I have a UPS for my computer, and a very wet lawn that I didn't get to mow before today's rains started, and I wonder what the weather will be like for tonight's ride home. And hopefully the basement is still dry.