I am finding the idea of a Mary Poppins sequel very strange. Maybe good, but strange.

Go Suzi!

Jesse, the Chicago cast won't tour.

I'm full of information management rage today. Our files are a hot mess and it seems to bother nobody but me.

Congrats, Suzi!

Congrats, Suzi!

Jesse, the Chicago cast won't tour.

Really I just mean the Chicago cast.

Timelies all!

Have had a headache on and off all day. Advil works a little. Doesn't help that I've got tension in my jaw/neck.

Retirement party for my sorta boss-mentor today. I didn't cry. Tomorrow is her last day. Then I'll cry.

Went to start the Jeep this morning. Click click click. Swear swear. The garage said a couple of weeks ago that the batterly was flirting with disaster. Instead of trying to cadge a jump from somebody, I call Roadside Assistance (for the record, Firestone's roadside assistance people are terrific).

RA guy comes out, with a device he brags "This can jumpstart a semi." But it can't start my Jeep. RA guy is offended. "It's not the battery, your cabin lights come on, and the alarm goes off when the key's in."

So I call a tow truck (again, these folks are terrific, prompt, professional, clean). Clean is important, because I ride up to the garage with the Jeep. The garage folks say, "But you were just in for the inspection two weeks ago." I smile thinly: "Yes, I know."

So I wander off to Wendy's for comfortable seating and munchies. Meanwhile, garage tests the battery again. Not dead, but sickly. Starter: not dead. Alternator (one year old): dead. They fiddle with the alternator, adjust some bolts. Alternator: not dead. Battery: still not dead. Starter: rung down the curtain and joined the choir invisible.

Tech decides to go Old School and whacked the bottom of the starter with a hammer. Starter shows signs of life. Apparently, whacking a starter with a hammer and having it work is proof that the thing is really dead. Clearly we are in the realm of mystic arts, here, and why I take the thing to professionals to be worked on.

So, in summary: Alternator: not dead. Starter: brand new. Battery: is now showing as a good, strong battery as opposed to being at death's door. IE: cars are weird.

I hate car issues because I am just without adequate knowledge and have to depend on others. Most uncomfortable. We have a trustworthy mechanic, but still. Uncomfortable.

I trust my garage because Faux-Son used to work there, and they haven't steered me wrong yet. But I know I'm lucky in that. Plus I know the theory of automotives well enough to know if a diagnosis makes sense.

I think I did the starter/alternator/battery dance three times over the life of one particular car. They always seemed to go in pairs for me.