There's Halloween in my living room!
I feel restored after "touching base" today, and getting some needed things accomplished.
The problem with Ian's car was indeed the battery. Yes, the lights and whatnot went on, but when he tried to turn the engine over, it made that tell-tale click-click-click noise, so I felt better once I witnessed it myself. The tow truck only took 30 minutes to arrive once we called. He jumped and it started immediately, no problems. Once at the Saturn dealership, our salesman spotted us immediately when we got out of the cars and came over to greet us. Although neither the warranty nor the extended service protection policy we bought cover the battery, the salesman made the decision to cover the new battery and replacement for us! We were excessively pleased. We didn't ask for it, and we'd have paid for it without argument or grudge since we knew it wasn't covered. This is just another in a line of reasons why we'll buy our next car from this dealership if at all possible.
In the midst of this, Ian knew instinctively to be Mr. Awesome today and help me out with everything in the world without me asking for it. He ran hobbit errands with me all day, including grocery and Sam's Club shopping which he normally doesn't do. He even helped me bag all the chicken we bought at Sam's, an annoying and time consuming process. I'd sent him the spreadsheet with out household budget, and we went over that on his laptop at the school while waiting for the tow truck. It made me feel better just to talk it over with Ian. There are no new revelations, no changes (other than not a penny spent on the car today), but we both agree we're not in dire straits although it is time to return to a more conservative pattern of spending, and we're in agreement there. (So, for example, we'll take advantage of the $5 before noon movies at AMC tomorrow to go see "Resident Evil" rather than going at full price tonight.) Common understanding of our situation and agreement help in themselves tremendously.
Meanwhile we also talked a little about the Guildhall exhibition last night. I was able to tell him without bitterness that I feel like there's no way I could've known what it would be, and how bad I feel for missing it. I asked him to please make sure to go out of his way to get details like this for me in the future, and of course I'll enthusiastically attend every future exhibition while he's a student there. He seemed to understand, and that was resolved (such as there was anything to resolve).
We finished all this crazy running around about 5:30 or so, and I finally settled in for my ritual of welcoming Autumn! I popped in "Sleepy Hollow" and I have most of the Halloween decorations up in the living room and kitchen. There are candles burning, and spooky shadows on the walls, and happy little glass pumpkins and little guys dancing around in the reflections. I have red and orange and yellow silk leaf garlands festooning things, and paper sunflowers tucked around the bottom ledge of the giant TV. It's downright jolly! I'm sipping some wine, thinking a little nostalgically of the northeast, and relaxing.
T.
The problem with Ian's car was indeed the battery. Yes, the lights and whatnot went on, but when he tried to turn the engine over, it made that tell-tale click-click-click noise, so I felt better once I witnessed it myself. The tow truck only took 30 minutes to arrive once we called. He jumped and it started immediately, no problems. Once at the Saturn dealership, our salesman spotted us immediately when we got out of the cars and came over to greet us. Although neither the warranty nor the extended service protection policy we bought cover the battery, the salesman made the decision to cover the new battery and replacement for us! We were excessively pleased. We didn't ask for it, and we'd have paid for it without argument or grudge since we knew it wasn't covered. This is just another in a line of reasons why we'll buy our next car from this dealership if at all possible.
In the midst of this, Ian knew instinctively to be Mr. Awesome today and help me out with everything in the world without me asking for it. He ran hobbit errands with me all day, including grocery and Sam's Club shopping which he normally doesn't do. He even helped me bag all the chicken we bought at Sam's, an annoying and time consuming process. I'd sent him the spreadsheet with out household budget, and we went over that on his laptop at the school while waiting for the tow truck. It made me feel better just to talk it over with Ian. There are no new revelations, no changes (other than not a penny spent on the car today), but we both agree we're not in dire straits although it is time to return to a more conservative pattern of spending, and we're in agreement there. (So, for example, we'll take advantage of the $5 before noon movies at AMC tomorrow to go see "Resident Evil" rather than going at full price tonight.) Common understanding of our situation and agreement help in themselves tremendously.
Meanwhile we also talked a little about the Guildhall exhibition last night. I was able to tell him without bitterness that I feel like there's no way I could've known what it would be, and how bad I feel for missing it. I asked him to please make sure to go out of his way to get details like this for me in the future, and of course I'll enthusiastically attend every future exhibition while he's a student there. He seemed to understand, and that was resolved (such as there was anything to resolve).
We finished all this crazy running around about 5:30 or so, and I finally settled in for my ritual of welcoming Autumn! I popped in "Sleepy Hollow" and I have most of the Halloween decorations up in the living room and kitchen. There are candles burning, and spooky shadows on the walls, and happy little glass pumpkins and little guys dancing around in the reflections. I have red and orange and yellow silk leaf garlands festooning things, and paper sunflowers tucked around the bottom ledge of the giant TV. It's downright jolly! I'm sipping some wine, thinking a little nostalgically of the northeast, and relaxing.
T.