Oh, What a Night!

Yes, I’m channeling the Four Seasons here today and their beloved hit from 1976, “December 1963 (Oh, What a Night)”; because although it may not be late December back in ’63, it is mid-December in 2010, and Oh, What a Night indeed.

Some of my friends and family who read this blog may know that the heater in my car, Blue, has not been working as of late. I seem to have had this problem every year for the past three years or so and every year I take it out to the mechanic in Owens Cross Roads to have the heater worked on so I can survive the winter, or at least defrost the windshield in the mornings. It sometimes takes two or three trips out there before the mechanic gets it working exactly right, but he finally does and my freezing face and hands are appreciative.

This year was no exception. Back in November when Huntsville experienced the first cold weather of the season, I thought, oh no, not again, but sure enough, the heater wasn’t working and only blowing cold air. I decided I would wait until my foot surgery before I took Blue to the mechanic because obviously I wouldn’t need a car for a few days.

I picked the car up on Sunday evening after my foot surgery and the heater still didn’t work. While I was still cold, I was mostly aggravated and didn’t feel like wasting any more money on the car right now and decided I would tough it out as long as I could.

This past Friday, after I left work, I put a full tank of gas in Blue and also had the oil changed. The rest of Friday afternoon things ran smoothly and they ran smoothly on Saturday as well when I took The Tide to the vet and went by my parents’ house.

On Sunday morning when I was backing into a parking space at church, I thought I heard a strange sound and after parking, I staying in the car with it running for a while to listen – I didn’t hear anything out of the ordinary and went on inside. When I left church later that morning to go home, the engine started overheating! I was nervous because the last thing I want is for my car to blow up! I made it home and put some more anti-freeze in it and then went inside for lunch and a nap.

All of this brings me to Sunday night – Oh, What a Night! On the way to church, the car overheated again and so I called the mechanic and told him what was going on; I then called my dad for the same reason and we decided to take the car to the mechanic after church was over. I was going to drive to my parents’ house and then to the mechanics.

We had an abbreviated service because of the weather last night and afterwards I started out towards my parents’ house. I had to pull over less than 10 minutes into my journey. I let the car rest a while and then drove for another few minutes and had to pull over again. Basically, I could only drive the car for four minutes and then had to pull over for 10. On top of this, there was no heat in the car and it was around 20 degrees outside and snowing. And the cherry on top was that I was driving down a dark curvy road with very few areas to pull over. NOT FUN!

I finally made it to my parents’ house and after talking with them for a few minutes and warming my buns by the fire, my dad and I headed out again. I thought he was going to drive my car and I his, but he jumped in his car and so I was stuck with Blue. I got maybe a half mile or so from there house before the car started to seize up and I had to pull over on the side of the road. To my knowledge the car is still there. I think my dad is calling the wrecker to bring it to the mechanic today. Good times, people, good times.

After abandoning Blue, we headed across town to my maternal grandfather’s house to pick up a truck for my dad and I took my dad’s car, which I am driving today – all of this in snowy weather. Blue really knows how to pick a night to act up.

I have no idea what the damages are going to be but I can only imagine it isn’t going to be pretty. I have done my best to keep the oil changed and keep the maintenance up on the car so I have no idea what has happened.

I will probably have to get a new car, but I just hope Blue can carry me through the end of July until I get back from my trip to France. When you are saying your prayers tonight, please remember me and my car troubles. I’ve had enough to last a lifetime and I need all the help I can get.