Sophia, Part 1 and some Happier Thoughts

Well, I've been putting this blog post off for a week because I wanted to tell the story all in the PAST TENSE. Unfortunately, it's still an ongoing trauma, so I'm recording it for everyone to empathize and tell me how sorry they feel for me. (As a side note, there are all kinds of things in life I vowed never to do. In fact, that's what our first post was about. One of those things was posting whiny blog posts. So, if they annoy you, just don't read this. I won't be offended. But I would prefer not to be judged. This is my story, and as usual I'll do my best to keep some humor in it. But this is the way life is going right now, and I want to record it so that in a few months I can look back and laugh, and appreciate how being dramatic is one of my defense mechanisms.

This post is all about the car. You can catch up on the first week of the trauma/drama in my last post here. To continue, we took the car back on Monday (the 9th) as planned. Jeff was a trooper, said he'd take of everything. Later he said that the part that they'd replaced was faulty. Since it was the supplier's fault, he'd reimburse Jeff for the labor cost and we'd all win. Yay. But the same problem happened with the second Cam Shaft Sensor they installed. Not good. Jeff and his team looked deeper, and it turned out that the computer which was identifying the problem WAS, in fact, the problem. So I needed a new computer for my car. See, the news just gets better and better.

Jeff found a used computer which he was willing to sell for a GREAT deal (if anyone is looking for a good mechanic in Huntsville, go to Roper Automotive - 533-9095) and said he could get it by yesterday (the 16th). Great. Only when they installed it, the car wouldn't run. They did some research and apparently the computers have to be specially programmed by the VW dealership (which I'd been avoiding like the plague, because dealerships are NOT YOUR FRIENDS). So I called the VW dealership, and low and behold, they won't install a used computer. Jeff checked out my extended warranty (which thank goodness I'd purchased), and it looked like it should be covered. So they had to put the old computer in the car, and I booked it to VW dealership last night (tough when you can't go above 3000 rpm, in case anyone is wondering) but made it at 5:29 when the service department closes at 5:30. (If accused of breaking any traffic laws, I'll deny it.)

So then today I called to check on the car, and he says, "The problem's not the computer. It's the cam shaft sensor." I came close to losing it at that point, but kept my cool, informed him that my mechanic had already tried to replace it twice, and maybe he'd like to call Jeff so they could discuss the nuts and blots of the problem. BUT wait there's more. Jeff had charged the warranty company for the replacement (duh. he replaced it), but so now the VW dealership is saying I'm going to have to go back over to Jeff's to get it installed because the warranty company won't pay THEM for the same work. Let's not forgot that we tried that TWICE and it DIDN'T WORK. So basically this guy is managing to tell me with presumably a straight face that I need to drive my unfixed car off the lot and back to Jeff (presumably after paying the $100 deductable for a service he "noticed I needed and took care of since it was covered under the warranty"). This sounds a little disjointed, and that's because it is. It's a fiasco. This should not be as difficult as it is, but the postpartum hormones, taking care of a newborn, the washer/dryer fiasco, getting back into the swing of things at work, trying to manage my headaches, and dealing with the fact that my grandma's health is failing are all contributing to me having to exercise serious self control not to swear a LOT.

And there you have it. Me whining. Shamelessly. In fact I might prefer if no one reads this and discovers what a negative person I am. But later in life I can look back and hopefully reminisce fondly. And maybe some of you can be more sympathetic to how crazy I am, and MAYBE even feel a little better about whatever traumas you're dealing with. Not because mine are worse. But because they're different.

So now I'm sure you've all been wondering about the title of the post. Sophia is the name of my car. My car before her was Ruby, a '92 Mazda Miata I loved dearly but went the way of all the earth two years ago. She was a part of me. I referred to her often by name in the third person, and all my close friends knew "who" I was talking about. I cried when she died. But then I bought Sophia, a 2003 Volkswagon Jetta. And I love her. She's fun and sporty, and I don't get wet when it rains. But I do NOT love the VW dealership.

In closing, I'd like to leave you all with some good things in life and blessings I'm grateful for:
-my wonderful husband, who tonight when I was apologizing for being in such a foul mood said, "it's ok, honey. I didn't just marry your good moods."
-my handsome son, who's healthy and smart and a joy in our lives.
-my parents and my parents-in-law, who gave us examples of how to be good husbands, wives, and parents
-friends and co-workers who put up with my mood swings and just roll with the punches and love me anyway

Now some frivolous ones:
-technology. "I love technology." (Props for those who get the reference.) But seriously it makes keeping in touch with friends and family so wonderful.
-pandora.com and my Jack Johnson station. I love the music of Jack Johnson. It soothes me.
-caffeinated beverages. That's right, my friends. I love me some diet coke, diet coke with lime, diet mt. dew, and diet dr. pepper.
-running. it's a stress reliever. I'm thinking I'll train for the Air Force Marathon and meet my dad in Dayton, Ohio in September. Any takers?

Hopefully my next post with have good car news and all sorts of rainbows and butterflies (again, props for those who get the reference...).