shabbat shalom 14.01.10

Hi everyone, Uff, this has been a hard week and it isn't over yet.  I've been coping with a cold, so skipped the congregation on Sunday night and went home.  Of course, Murphy was on duty, and the engine light on my car lit again on the way home.  After four trips to the garage with engine problems in this past month, and a couple thousand dollars not fixing it, this sent me through the roof.  The car didn't die on me this time, but I was nervous as a cat.  So my neighbors kindly helped me shepherd the car to the garage again on Monday morning. I've been in this garage so often since last November that I know everyone by first name and I know where they keep the toilet paper.  It's truly ridiculous.  At least after four times, they are not charging me for further parts and work.  So far they changed the air intake manifold (once), the ignition cables (twice), the catalytic converter (once) and the alternator.  I could have replaced the engine for what all that cost me, although the second set of ignition cables was on their money.  The diagnosis this time was the catalytic converter (again) and now the garage is waiting for another Mazda to die so they can get a used part.  This is on their money also.  At least since it is now costing them rather than me, I trust they are working as hard as they can to fix the problem.  Meanwhile I'm tooling around with an engine light on the dash which makes me nervous, but so far so good.  Makes me wish for the past when all I worried about was my driving!!  It's not the car's fault; the manager admitted the garage screwed up.  Which is what I knew all along.... A head cold pretty much finished any other activities than visiting my friends at the garage.  I wasn't working effectively but by Wednesday was burnt out.  I stayed home and watched Star Trek movies, after sorting some things at the bank (related to the car repairs).  A trip to the vet with another cat going blind (hopefully caught this one in time) pretty much topped off the wonderful week.  There are times we all have when we want to crawl into a hole and stay there; this has been one for me.  Which means it gets better, I hope. Hearing my tale of woe, a comedian in my AA meeting observed that the difference between alcoholics and normal people is that when normal people have a car break down, they call a towing service.  An AA calls Suicide Prevention.  We all laughed ruefully.  We do have a hard time dealing with "stuff".  It's that tendency to obsess, I guess - it just spirals.  Even after many years sober, it still happens, which is why we all recognized ourselves in that quip. Hopefully I can put all this past me soon, although the bills will haunt me for a while.  I had to use up my savings account and take out a loan to make sure my bank account is on the high size of zero at the end of the month.  It will, but the budget will be tight for some months to come.  I was quite surprised, actually, how much I can cut my expenses if I am careful.  No luxuries, just essentials.  That's probably too spartan for the long haul but will be okay for some months.  Good thing I have a stockpile of DVD's to watch because I sure am not going out for entertainment for a long time to come! And yet, I'm lucky.  I so far have managed to keep my budget balanced.  A lot of other people haven't and are deeply in debt, which is a horrible place to be.  Let's hope things are better this year. shabbat shalom, Linda