I finally ventured out…

I stayed home on Friday and worked from home…it was icy and slushy that morning when it was time to drive to work. But, it ended up being ok the rest of the day – cold and dreary, but ok to drive. I went to the grocery store to get some food, since the storm was supposed to roll in and stick around the rest of the weekend.

That was the LAST time I stuck my nose out until this morning, when I had to leave for work. The sleet came in all day Saturday and Sunday…it never really snowed…but our street and driveway and yard are covered in about 3 inches of HARD ICE.

I was a nervous wreck this morning, as I’ve never had to drive in this stuff before. And, I had to take my car to the shop on the way (more on that later), so B had to follow me and then drop me off at work. He was NOT sympathetic to my feelings. In fact, he was just plain mean about it. He told me to stop being a baby and get out there and learn how to drive in this stuff.

Yes, I need to learn how to drive in this, but I don’t need my husband yelling at me to stop being a baby…that’s not helpful, or encouraging, or nice. I got mad back at him and told him I was going to quit my job and not leave the house again until the roads were clear…I may even have muttered something about God-forsaken Kansas…who knows…

Finally, at 8:15, I bundled up and got into my car. Backing out of the garage and down the driveway was the worst part of the whole drive. B was right, I just need to get out into it and practice, but whatever. The roads had been plowed, salted, and sanded…so after I got out of our neighborhood (which HADN’T been plowed), I was fine. I just took it slow.

It took 30 minutes to drive the 10 miles across town to the shop for my car, where I had to leave my baby so they can replace the head gasket. For the last few weeks, my car has been telling me that the coolant level is low. The first couple times, we just filled it up, then B started to notice coolant leaking on the floor of the garage. So, I made an appointment at the only place in town that works on Saabs, and I took it in. We just thought the coolant tank had a leak in it…but, OH NO…the head gasket is blown.

Now, usually that means you’ve driven the car too hard, or run it out of oil, or something equally horrible…but I have done none of those things…so, who knows how this happened. Luckily when I bought my car, it came with an extended warranty that is still good. The estimate for the work came back at $771, which is 30% less than I thought it would be (my GF’s hubby thought it would be $3,000…what?? But he was WAY wrong), and my warranty will pay about 70% of the total. Not bad. So, my baby is sitting in the cold waiting to get fixed…it will probably be there most of this week.

It’s ok that I’m without a car this week because I’m supposed to go to Shreveport, LA, tomorrow for some training for work. I’M DRIVING 550 miles to Louisiana to a plant we have there to get some training FOR ONE DAY. I will spend twice as much time in the car as I will in the plant. Oh well, at least it’s not behind my desk!

And here’s the cool part of the whole thing. Hubby is going to go with me because the plant I’m going to visit makes the seats for the H3. The seat plant is part of my company, and the finished seats go straight across town to the final assembly plant for the H3…which, is the vehicle hubby owns, drives, and LOVES!! AND WE GET TO GO SEE IT!!

For all you non-manufacturing types out there, you may think I’m kinda strange, but I LOVE to see how things are built and manufactured, especially if it’s something I own. And if you saw my basement, you would know how much my former Marine hubby LOVES LOVES LOVES Hummers.

Of course, the storm that hit us also hit Oklahoma, Texas, and Louisiana, so we have to wait and see what the roads look like later today before we decide when we’re leaving.