How Many Angela's Does It Take to Close a Door?

I had an interesting occurrence on the way to work today. I loaded Alexa, myself, and our bags into the car this morning and went to back out of the driveway. I noticed that the passenger's front door wasn't closed. I reached across the front seat to try to shut it, only to have it bounce back open. Muttering under my breath I got out of the car and walked around to shut it from the outside, only to have it bounce back open. I examined the door frame to see if there were any things sticking in the way. The usual seat belt suspect was stowed in its correct location. I bent down and looked at the latch itself and noticed that a piece of metal that probably shouldn't be was hanging down in the way. I poked it my finger only to have it drop back down in the way.

At this point I became keenly aware that this simply wasn't going to work. I was already running a few minutes late and needed to leave now to get Alexa to daycare and me to work. I grabbed the only thing I could think of (please remember all things mechanical seem to elude me) a bungee cord out of the back of my car. At this point I think we should all marvel at the fact that I have a bungee cord in my car... I actually have three of varying sizes. See, my dad knew what he was teaching me! I wrapped the bungee around the inside door handle of the passengers door and the other end I hooked under the driver's seat on something metal (true technical term).

It worked out pretty well! I have a 30 minute drive down a fairly windy highway to get to work. There were a few occasions, on some of the sharp left turns, that I need to reach out and hold the cord with my right hand, but managed to get Alexa dropped off and me to work basically on time.

During my planning period I called the garage across the street and asked if they could look at it. They said to bring it over and they would see what they could do. So on my lunch break I dropped the car off and asked the guys that even if they couldn't fix it if they could just securely close it then I would be able to make do until the part came in. One guy joked that he could weld it in place. I said, "We shouldn't rule out any options."

I went back at the end of the day to pick the car up feeling a little nervous about how much money I was going to have to hand out to get this fixed. I walked in and asked the guys how it went. "I got it to close three times in a row," he told me. This was followed by a variety of chuckles from the three other men sitting around the office.

"Seriously? The passenger door?"

"Yeah. Here I'll walk out with you and show you." I stood in the parking lot totally befuddled and watch him open and close the door.

"OK, I swear it didn't do that this morning. He went on to explain maybe the lubricant was cold this morning (it was like 12 degrees) and it got stuck but once the car warmed up it worked again. He told me to spray so de-icer up there if I wanted... like that wont just end badly. I got home today and decided I will try to just avoid using that door for the rest of the winter, and possibly look at moving to warmer climate. I mean if the car is even complaining!

Invisibility Cloak

My first car was a silver Chevy Spectrum. Well, actually that isn't true... my first car was a Ford Pinto wagon that belonged to my parents. I think I was so traumatized by the four speed standard transmission (with a clutch so hard to push my left leg was oddly stronger than the right), bald tires [because my dad always wanted to get all the wear possible out of them (I actually got a flat in that car by the hole being worn through the tire)], and let's not forget the yellow paint that made it resemble a banana. I have tried to block that one out. So my first car, that I spent my money on, was a 1985 Chevy Spectrum. It was a five speed standard transmission with a gentle clutch and a mellow silver color. Possibly a little too mellow as other drivers had a tendency to hit that car claiming they didn't see it. No kidding it happened at least three times. It was like the car was invisible, or maybe it is me that is invisible. I did attend an entire semester of my freshman year of college without a large majority of people knowing I was there. Seriously. It was a little weird how many people would approach me in January and ask where I transferred from. So it is altogether possible I have some type of invisibility cloak that I am unaware of.

It seems it was in effect today because even though I drive a RED Subaru Outback no less than four people almost ran into me today while driving through Ellsworth. Maine on my way back to Vermont. After the second time you begin to develop a bit of a complex. I know the tourist season can be a bit wild but this seemed a bit much. I did maneuver my way safely back home and for the first time this summer my check engine light did not come on during a road trip! Yippee!

We had the added perk this morning of my Uncle Lewis offering us a ride off the island on his boat. This was great because I was planning to take the ferry, but personalized service is so much nicer. It was a beautiful sunny morning for a ride.

Stella

I named my car Stella. I share this only because I know that I am not the only person who gives their cars names. Stella got her name from the play "A Street Car Names Desire." You know the famous scene where Stanley realizes he screwed up majorly and is yelling "Stella!" up the stairs. It is because of that scene and my laziness in shoveling my driveway that my car arrived at its name.

See Burlington, Vermont gets a lot of snow; a whole heck of a lot of snow some years. Sometimes I just don't realize that it is going to snow as much as it does and therefore don't get up early enough to shovel the driveway out. Sometimes I come home from work to find the street plows have closed the drive in, and sometimes (my favorite) I get up shovel the drive and in the two hours it takes me to shower, dress, eat, get the kids up, dressed, and fed the street or sidewalk plow has come by again and plowed another pile at the end of my drive. That makes for a grumpy start to your day I tell you. It also leads me to offer you the real estate advice to never buy a house on the right hand side of a one way street- because guess what side they pile all the snow on? Anyhow sometimes I have been known to just drive through the pile of snow at the end of my drive. When this occasion arises it seems that you should cheer for the car. I mean Subaru's are great for winter driving, but occasionally even I think I have asked her to clear a pretty big pile. At any rate, I have trained my girls to shout, "STELLA" while we back through. If nothing else it distracts them from the impact.

So Stella, yes Stella, is my car. She has had a bit of a rough time of it lately. The latest was my return to NH from Boston yesterday when my check engine light came on again for the second time in three weeks. I decided to call the closest Subaru dealer to where I was staying in Derry on the off chance that they would be open on a Sunday. I was surprised when a very peppy woman actually did answer. I explained my situation that I was traveling and heading back to Vermont tomorrow and that the check engine light came on. I went on to ask if someone might be able to look at it and tell me why it was on and if I could drive it home.

Peppy woman: "Oh I am sure it is nothing."

Me: "Well, I know it could be nothing, but I have a ways to drive tomorrow and I just want to be sure."

Ms. Peppy: "Oh I am sure it is no big deal these lights just come on."

Me: "But it is a check engine light. I mean shouldn't we, um, you know, check the engine?"

Ms. Peppy: "How about I put the manager on and he can reassure you it is nothing?"

I re-explain my situation to the manager.

Manager, " Oh sure we could probably help you tomorrow. The repair department isn't open today. They open tomorrow at 7:30. Why don't you call then and they can fit you in."

This seemed like a good idea. So I called at 7:40 this morning and spoke to a man in the repair department. He seemed to feel that since the light was on constantly that it was probably something not firing right. Apparently you are in really deep doo doo if it is flashing on and off. Then you can't drive it at all. He said it should be fine to drive home I just might find that I had less power on the hills. Because you know there aren't any hills crossing New Hampshire and Vermont. It is practically like Kansas out there...what with the two MOUNTAIN RANGES I CROSS.

Never the less I decided that maybe I was being overly paranoid. This being me and I am prone to about 14 different neurotic tendencies. I decided to head for home as is. I did pack extra water and food and charge up the cell phone in the event of a breakdown.

I would like to tell you that I was so happy and relaxed to have made my decision that I sailed right on home. I did sail right on home car wise, but of course this is me so I obsessed over every lurch, squeak, and ping for the entire 4 hours. The hills were especially fun as I crawled up then at between 40-45 miles per hour. I discovered that it behaved better if I didn't try to accelerate too much but kept an even pace. This was, of course, difficult on the steeper hills. I really enjoyed the red tractor trailer who sped up behind me blowing the air horn for me to go faster. Everyone relaxes more when we look in the mirror and see a giant grill and the word MACK written on it. I am not sure why he felt it so difficult to move to the left to the passing lane and go around me. There was no other traffic, perhaps he wanted the dog to move its head so he could see the Wonderpets movie on DVD too. I know the kids complained a lot about that.

Anyhow we made it. In my stress ridden drive I did have a lot of time to think about this situation. I think I have a suggestion for Subaru that will help cut down the stress of other rule following drivers like myself who feel that check engine means one should, you know, check the engine. Perhaps we could have three different lights come on instead that would describe the situation more accurately. They could say something like this:

1- Check engine, you know when you get around to it I have plenty of time no worries.

2- Check engine, now, we got big problems brewing

3- Get out of the car do not drive 5 more feet or the car will be engulfed in flames.

Maybe it is just me but I would find this more helpful. That way I would misplace my stress. As it was I fretted so much my all the way home waiting for my constant on light to start flashing I never changed my CD once. That means I spent 4 hours listening to the same Kasey Chambers' CD. I am now complete depressed about starving children in Cambodia and every guy who ever broke my heart. I am going to need long run in the morning to recover form all this.

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Boston photo highlights:

Grammie Sharon proves herself fearless by pulling out a crab (I wasn't going to touch that thing) for the girls to pet.

New England Aquarium

After spending a leisurely morning with Grammie and Auntie Kim, the girls and I headed down to Boston to the aquarium. I had gotten on line before leaving home and purchased the tickets online. I highly recommend this should you go. We by-passed a huge line on a warm day and got right up to the reserved ticket window.

I lived in Boston for a year while I went to graduate school. However, I was a poor graduate student and definitely didn't have money to go to the aquarium. Not to mention I got around via bus and subway. I really had no idea how to get to the aquarium via car. You would think that knowing all this I would have printed out a map before leaving- you would be wrong. It made for an interesting adventure. It actually didn't take us too much time to get there. Despite my miserably poor sense of direction, the Big Dig having tunneled under any interstate highway I would have remembered, and my usual backwards attempt to find things (water..it is near the water..which way is the water). We made it.

The girls enjoyed the seals and penguins. They are always a big hit. The touch tank area is fun too. Grammie was able to brave the dangerous terrain and reach in to pull a crab up for petting. Leaving Chloe to brag, "My Grammie could do it."

We had lunch in the cafe. The hit the gift shop on the way out where the girls each picked out a new stuffed animal. That way they can join the mass of 50+ other stuffed animals in their bedrooms. Should those suckers ever organize in some kind of real life Toy Story adventure we are done for. The best for me was the check out guy at the gift shop who was rapping his way through each transaction. I admire people who can be upbeat and fun even at the most mundane jobs. The guy was a riot!

Everyone had a good time even though it was really crowded. We seemed to spend the perfect amount of time there. Not being one of those parents that feels like they need to drag their kids through each and every exhibit to get their money's worth (although I do appreciate those people- they help make my kids look like the well behaved ones). I am content to leave when ever the kids seem to reach the point where they are getting weary.


Unfortunately, my car seems to be rebelling against any traveling I do this summer. On the way out my check engine light came on AGAIN. I called and found a place in Manchester that can look at it in the morning. Considering all the work I just had done on it I am more than a little annoyed. I am going to run it in early and hope for the best. Grammie says she can watch the kids. Maybe this way I won't have my dog up in the car lift like I did the last time. Although it may have had them take pity on me.

Cabbie Flies High

Well folks we did it. A prayer to the car gods got my car in and out in about an hour- thank you oh great and powerful Subaru people. I will say I had other plans for the $300 they charged, but considering I am running on very low sleep due to stress of fretting over my car. I am glad the- oxygen sensor- as it turned out was a quick fix. I was amazed at how quick they were I really expected a long wait given that I had no appointment. They were extremely efficient. So much so that after dropping the key with the desk. I took Alexa in to the bathroom and when I returned they had already driven my car into the garage. This concerned me a bit since the dog was still in the car. I was going to get him out when Alexa needed the bathroom and I was waylayed. The girls and I wandered our way around the building to find the garage only to see our beloved Cabbie dutifully sitting in the car being scratched on the head through the window by strangers. I explained that I was going to get him out of the car when we needed to head to the bathroom first. The mechanic was totally fine with it he said, "Well, I figured it was OK because he didn't bite me or anything, but he wasn't crazy about the lift." Poor Cabbie was hoisted up in the air on the lift! I told him the last thing Cabbie would do is bite someone. Lick, yes, bite, no.

Cabbie's adventures aside the girls and I are home and settling back into our own beds. I will venture back to Maine in about a month to infringe on my family's personal space once again.

Shall we pause for some photo highlights?

Uncle Lewis's boat!

Chloe and Grammie feed the geese, Elmer and Louise.

4th of July Parade where we got to spend time with cousin Annabel- that 4th of July wild child.

Climbing on the rocks around the beach- look at the sibling love and affection! You don't caputure that often people!