Tags
american indian, bookstore, buffalo, hallenbeck hall, hose, overheating car, pow wow, psychokinesis, radiator, st. cloud, st. cloud state university, syrup, target, venison, veterans, walleye, water, wild rice
I have to preface the above piece of advice with a little story.
This past Saturday, Hubby, Eldest Son and I decided to attend a pow-wow that’s held every year at St. Cloud State University. The costuming and native dances are fascinating and hypnotic and another bonus of the event is that a free meal is served, complete with traditional American Indian foods. Last year we were served venison. This year, we got buffalo, walleye and wild rice. Yum! But, I’m getting ahead of myself.
As we arrived in St. Cloud, I had a thought. Hmm, I thought, our car hasn’t had any mechanical problems lately. That’s nice. About a mile later, as we were approaching Hallenbeck Hall, where the pow-wow was being held, Eldest Son said, “I smell syrup,” and Hubby and I did, too. By the time we drove into the parking lot, our engine was sputtering great clouds of steam through the hood, seriously overheating. Crap.
I told Hubby and Eldest Son about the thought I had on the way in and they both said, “You jinxed it.” Welcome to my psychokinesis.
We went into the pow-wow, caught the dance of the veterans, and then dinner was announced. We intended to stay and watch the performances following dinner, but we had a car to deal with. It was a Saturday evening and we knew no garage would be open. We were able to get some water for the radiator from a used bookstore/deli next to Hallenbeck Hall, thanks to the guys working there. We went to a nearby garage and, no surpise here, it was closed. With a little thought, we decided to try to drive home, hobbling over to Target to buy several gallons of water for the trip. We were prepared to stop periodically to let the engine cool. Somehow, we managed to get home without stopping once. The car didn’t overheat again.
The car is now at a local garage being fixed. There was a hole in one of the hoses, which let the coolant leak out, which is why the engine overheated.
But that’s not the end of the story. After we relayed our saga to my sister-in-law, she said she has a friend who has given her a piece of advice borne out of experience. When you’ve come into extra money, don’t ever mention it around your car because your car will find a way to make you spend that money on it. How very true.
And I’m going to add another piece of advice. Don’t ever think about how wonderfully your car is operating. Your car is determined to prove you wrong on this point and it will find a way to make you spend money on it.
Darned psychokinesis!
Oh, that is *so true* about cars. Houses also get grabby about any windfalls. As soon as you said you smelled syrup, I knew it was antifreeze. Glad it was just a hose and not anything more serious!
We didn’t say anything about money this evening and the microwave decided to arc. What’s up with that? Do we need to give our household appliances more love?
what a GREAT post title, it is perfect for this story. You’re a good titler.
It seems like to happens all the time. Something always breaks when you think you are ahead of the game.
Erin – I thought I was maybe pushing the limits of titling when I wrote this one because it’s so looooooong. Glad you like it.
David – My husband said the same thing last night after the microwave arced. I think it’s got to be one of Murphy’s Laws or something.
And this post…grrrrrr…growwllll….
I just got smacked with another blasted hyper expensive repair, I’m seething…there goes my entire summer money…all of it.
But I can’t be grouchy, right? Or else?
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What a pain, LK. Well, more than just a pain if all your summer money is gone. We had a radiator hose repaired after the over-heating incident. Within a few days, the check engine light went on, which it didn’t do when the car was over-heating. A vacuum hose was replaced. We drove the car out of the garage and went to a friend’s house. When we left the friend’s house, the check engine light was back on. Grrr! And double grrr! I called our repairman and he said to just let it be for a while, so we’ll wait and see whether our car decides to blow up. It’s all we can do.
I say go ahead and be grouchy, at least for a little while. It’s not worth having an aneurysm over, but the situation deserves a few eff-bombs, at least.
Yeah I unleashed a few “eff-bombs,” but I’m getting to the point in life now where I’m just assuming I’m never going have anything. (not really : ))
Hope yours doesn’t end up costing too much, or blow up.
I’m leaving this comment to let you know I finished the book, and you, my friend, have a rich and unique voice; good wholesome reading. A tad different from all the Victorian literature I’ve been pounding for the past 4mnths, and I appreciate the departure.
Great Job!
Keeping my eye out for the next one (novel this time?)..