Wild and Wacky Wednesday

My alarm went off at 5:30 this morning so that I could work out at 6. I went outside and opened my newly rented garage. I had backed my car in yesterday so that I could just pull out this morning. I got in the car and started it, but it would not shift from park. I tried several times and then pulled out the manual. It said I needed to push the override button. I located that and tried to push it with my storage lock key, but to no avail. I came inside the house, found my tool box, and took out the screwdriver. That didn't work either. So, I called Michelle to tell her I was working out this morning and then I called 1-800-call-mom. I was hoping that Dennis would be able to tell me what to do. He had already left for work, so I called him there. He said it sounded like I wouldn't be able to fix it and that he would have to look at it more to see what the problem was. I should just call a tow truck. [Remember, I can't put my car in neutral to tow it.] This was not sounding promising. I sent Dad a text and asked him where I should have it towed to. He called back and said that he would come over as soon as he finished breakfast. It was now 6:25. I got into the shower, thinking that I would like to be dressed with clean clothes when the tow truck driver called. It was at this point that I realized I don't have towing insurance. I had had roadside assistance with my warranty package and had taken towing off the insurance to save money. When the warranty expired, I forgot to add it back on the insurance. Dad got here around 7:15 and we tried to move the gear shift. We read the manual some more and learned that this can happen when the fuse for the break lights are blown. [I would assume that. :~?] Well, I had break lights. So, it was decided that I would call the Ford dealership. However, they don't open til 8. So, I ate breakfast and waited. The service dealer said I needed to have it towed in and he could fix it. I called the towing company and they said they would be here in 30 min. I called my insurance company at 8:30 when they opened and told them the deal. The kind lady put towing insurance on my package and said they would probably cover today's cost. As I was talking to her, the tow truck showed up. The man asked what was wrong and I told him. He said, "Oh, the break light fuse must be blown." Really??!! I told him the brakes worked, but he didn't believe me. They did. He was able to push the override button and put the car into gear. I paid him for a jump start and he waited while I closed up my apartment and left the garage. I drove straight to the dealer. I got there around 9:15 and waited an hour for a courtesy drive back to my place. I worked on sorting old bills and stuff and sewed on the fleece blanket. Laurissa called around 1 and wanted to know what I was doing. I told her and she asked if I needed a distraction. I said yes, but I hadn't had lunch. She hadn't either, but I had a pizza in the freezer and lots of fruit. I put in the pizza and cut up the fruit by the time Laurissa and Zeralina got here. As we were eating lunch and watching "Zerie" play, the service guy from the dealer called. He told me they would have to replace the entire gear shaft in the middle consult. The good news was the parts were in stock. The bad news was the cost. I told him I didn't really have a choice and to go ahead. He also said one of the front lights was out. I said why not. The three of us girls decided to run errands. We went to Jo-Ann's so that I could buy batting for the t-shirt quilts. Then we went to Cost Plus and wandered around, walked to Barnes and Noble and browsed, went to Staples to get paper and pens, then went to Home Depot to look at stuff. We decided to go to Laurissa's house and wait for the call about the car being done and then she would take me up to the dealer. On the way to her house we stopped for ice cream at McDonald's. It was about 4:30, so I called the dealership to see if my car was close to being ready. I was told that the parts were in and it would be about 1/2 hr. Laurissa drove me up there and I walked in with a glass of water, batting in a bag, two reams of printer paper, two pairs of scissors, and four new pens. I probably looked like a dork, but hey, I got some shopping finished. I sat in the waiting room til 5:15, when I noticed that my car was waiting in the lot. I went and asked if my car was done and the gal said, "No-one came and told you that it's finished." Who knows how long it was sitting there. I paid the bill, [Grateful that I worked 11 days of summer school, cause that was what I needed.] and drove home.