I got the plastic undercarriage thing on my car ripped off. I tried to go to the dealership after work, explained "I have no money and I can't get this off can you help?" And I was told no. That it was 5:30 and even if it were I didn't have a warranty and they couldn't do anything for free. I should find another solution. When asked for something the woman became really upset, I told her "all I want is a suggestion, this is dragging on the ground and it's not safe." She finally hinted that a tire place might be able to help me.

I totally should have gone to Tire Kingdom first. I had to wait for an hour and I missed belly dancing class, but they put my car up and took the undercarriage thing off and didn't charge me a cent.

Tomorrow I'm going to call and see how much it will cost to fix and how vital it is.

here I am bursting in on the car stuff only, but... NOT that I live in a big sccity, but car troubles is really where I miss small town living. Taking the car down to the guy at the Keystone station who comes in to the Shurfine where I work and just saying-- what can you do for me, I have no money-- and them actually helping because you get them their lotto tickets or get them change for their business when they run out when the bank is closed. That is the bomb. And I miss it LOTS.

I am suddenly liking the nice folks at Tire King very much.

They are nice. And there's another place I go to get other repairs done and they are nice. In fact I may call them and see if they can help me out with getting the under carriage thing replaced. It's probably a part I can only get at the dealership but maybe they'd charge me less labor or something. Never hurts to ask.

The only Target really close to me has exactly four racks of Liz Lange, one of which is bathing suits and one of which is t-shirts on clearance. I do pilfer the remaining two racks whenever I get a chance, but it's slim pickings indeed.

What about Target.com?

Also, because you asked....I *wish* I had a man and some root!

Also also, all should bow before my wisdom! I was getting really annoyed that my car floor mats would get all smooshed up under my (and my passengers') feet, and though it's really the feet's fault, it just made me angry at the car mats. Poor car mats. The solution? Velcro. Awww yeah. Those mats aren't moving an INCH, baby.

Also also, all should bow before my wisdom!

I think you mean your "wisdom."

No, but they will explode if you test in 100% oxygen.

t pushes glasses higher up the bridge of her nose

Also also, all should bow before my wisdom!

I think you mean your "wisdom."

Actually, I meant "bow."

And thus provide some "services"?

They're not *blood* family, though...

Oh, dear. I think that makes it double-worse. Is any end in sight, eventually, or will it take either a violent death or a mysterious disappearance?

Not until *next* June, probably. If we're not out of here by then, well...I don't want to think about that.

I know this is way more than anyone probably wants to know, but I'ma post it anyway because I need to rant a little. And kind of apologize, too.

My FiL is a good man. But he's also a) the founding member and president of the Pessimists and Conspiracy Theorists Union, and b) 80, which has combined to make him incredibly set in his ways, and suffering some of the old-age related things that happen to everyone after a while, like poor hearing and sight, and some chronic ouchiness. I love him, and he loves us (hey, he took us in, and he adores his granddaughter especially), but I *liked* him a lot more when I wasn't living with him (and didn't have to hear him grumbling about how every shopkeeper in America is out to rip you off, and have FoxNews blaring all day).

The Crazy!BiL is...difficult. Well-meaning, and very patient with the kids (especially Sara, who adores "Unca") but he is also (imo) an undiagnosed schizophrenic who has never been medicated and hasn't worked or attended school or truly interacted with the world for more than 25 years. Paranoid, ingrained behaviors and personality tics doesn't even begin to cover it.

So...that's that. I really am grateful that we weren't out on the street last year, but this house is falling down, eighty percent of everything is broken, and nothing gets fixed because it costs too much, or it's too much trouble, or it's "change". Which is, you know, bad. It's not easy, but some days are just really worse than others.

TMI over.

And, um, let's make out.