Wednesday, September 24th, 2014
We drove up to Walnut Creek and for the life of me I have no clue what we did. You see if I don't write everything down, it's lost. I know we went to Home Depot.
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Painted the Master bed room. Unfortunately, it wasn't like the sewing room, the new paint didn't match the old, so we had to do all the cut in work. It was close enough that we didn't have to paint the closets.
Did some more patching of dents. I painted the white trim work in the sewing room. It's the only room with painted woodwork. Good think because there were a lot of dents and gauges that needed to be filled and could be covered with paint.
We had dinner at El Faro with our friend Karen Nagel. Jim missed out since he was back on their farm in Iowa.
Friday, September 26, 2014
Bruce worked on cleaning a section of hard wood floors in the living room. He then stained the section. Looks better, but you can still see the worn areas. The deep gauges look worse in my opinion...they are too dark. Maybe when I'm not "looking" for them they won't be so noticeable.
Had lunch with an old work friend, Glenda, from the CPA firm I used to work at. It's amazing that with some people you can just pick up where you last saw them.
That night we had dinner at Fuddruckers with Marianne and Paul. It was so nice to finally have a chance to catch up.
Saturday, September 27, 2014
Again I have no clue where or how the day went. I know Bruce put a coat of polish on the section of floor he stained. I did some cut in work on the closets in the master bed room and used up what paint I had to start the cut in on the back bed room which is the same color. I also touched up missed spots in the sewing room.
It's amazing how the fresh paint on the walls and woodwork in the sewing room just makes it look so much better. Every time I paint out there it lessens the smell. Wish I knew how to get rid of it. It's such a sickening sweet flowery smells. Like she dropped a whole bottle of Frabreez out there. It's not on the drapes in the rest of the house. Mostly in the sewing room.
Sunday, September 28, 2014
We decided to drive home today rather than wait. The front right tire is very worn on the car and Bruce was worried about it. We took 101 rather than Interstate 5 so we could drive slower and have more places to stop if needed. And needed it was.
The engine light had come on on Thursday and Bruce had read that it could be as minor as a loose gas cap. After filling the tank on Thursday night, the light went out.
After we left San Luis Obispo, where we stopped for lunch, the engine light came on again. Around Pismo Beach the car was shaking. We weren't sure if it was the tire or the road. But when we reach smooth pavement we knew it was the car. The next exit was in Santa Maria so we pulled off to check the tire; as we slowed down at the turn, it felt like the car was going to die. It's that feeling you get in a standard shift when you come to a stop and forget to put the clutch in. We made the turn and right there was the Toyota dealership. The gods were smiling down on us! Pulled in to the service parking area knowing that they wouldn't be open on a Sunday.
The people inside were as nice as can be. We were feeling so overwhelmed at this point that there kindness was really appreciated. They didn't have any available rental cars, but let us use a phone to call Enterprise. Then one of their salesman took us to the airport rental car office.
This was actually pretty funny. He wanted to show us where some motels were around the airport and took the long way which ended up being a dead end. Then he took us on a "short cut" through a Waller Park. He said he spent his childhood playing in this park. It was huge and we went in several loops unable to find our way out. I've never been car sick before, but it was hot and there were so many speed bumps, sitting in the back seat I thought I was going to loose it. Finally found our way out and he used his phone to find our way to the airport.
Bruce and I disagree on this, I say the trip took us close to 50 minutes, he says 30. Which ever, once we got the rental car, it only took us 5 minutes to get back to the Toyota dealership! So much for short cuts!
We unloaded our car into the rental car. Thank heavens it was the truck with lawn equipment in the back! Found a nice Travelodge to stay in not far away. Had dinner at a hole-in-the-wall BBQ place. And tried to get a good nights sleep.
Monday, September 29, 2014
We were at the dealership right at 7:30. Again, everyone we talked with was extremely nice and wanted to help us anyway they could. It was decided we'd drive home (1 hour 45 minutes) and wait for their call about what was wrong with the car.
Stopped at Enterprise and found out that renting the car for more days was cheaper than turning it in down in Ventura. Which was good; that way we didn't have to bring the truck up to get the car and both drive home.
I would love to tell you what was wrong but I don't know cars that well. Something about faulty coils that trigger the spark plugs. Once starts going it triggers the others and the work and don't work, that was all the shaking that was happening. The camber kit on the front tire was worn down to nothing and that's why the tire was going bald. It also made the alignment go way out.
The short of it, we had it all repaired plus 2 new tires, oil change and new camber kit to the tune of well over $1,000.
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
First of all Happy Birthday (and anniversary) Selma!
We left at 10 this morning and drove up to Santa Maria. Had lunch at a roadside joint called Pappy's. Great tri-tip sandwich. When we were finished lunch the car was ready. Bruce dropped me off at Toyota and he took the rental car back. Enterprise gave him a ride back to Toyota. We were on the road again at 1:45.
Now we're home for the next 2 1/2 weeks. Well, except that Thursday is when we go to Primm Nevada to see The Band Perry and have a little R & R by the pool.
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