Ma'am, your ignition cylinder failed

Don't even get me started about the fact that he called me ma'am :0) 

Car was still under warranty, fixed in less than a day and the dealership provided me a car while it was in the shop.  Sounds good, Right? 

Now let’s look at it from my perspective.  Thursday night, I get off work around 1830 (late patient) and go to pick up the dogs.  Tired dogs into the car without trouble.  I decide to stop and get dinner on the way home.  It’s about 1845 now.  I pull into the Qdoba parking lot and….  The key will not turn.  Damn car will not turn off.  Can’t get key out of the ignition.  NOW WHAT?  This car has not given me a bit of trouble since I bought it.  Even does pretty well on the snow.  Maybe it won’t let me turn it off because I’m trying to get junk food for dinner?  I drive over to the Natural Grocers….  No Dice.  Tired dogs are getting a little miffed, they want to get home & fed as well.  Please note, I do not play the helpless woman very well.  If the thing had stalled, wouldn’t start, or even blown up, I’d know what to do.   But it won’t turn off.  The key is stuck solid.  I run through the gears, jiggle away, no dice.  I can’t just park it in the garage and deal in the morning, I’ll gas us out of house and home.  Minor detail, the thing has those automatic headlights, If I leave it running until it runs out of gas, I’ll kill my battery.  I am absolutely baffled.  Out of options, I decide to take the car back to the dealer where I bought it.  Luckily,  it’s kind of near where I am and it’s still open.  I pry my fingers off the stearing wheel.  Every cell of my body does not want to leave a car running in the parking lot with the keys in it.  I'm looking particularly baffled and helpless.  Used car salesmen get a bad rap.  My salesman was there, he came out to see what was up.  He didn't have to, he didn't know it was still under warranty (neither did I for that matter).  They already had my money and this car was truly no longer their problem.  He found someone to come pull a fuse so the car would stop, and fiddle with it a little.  That key was not coming out, no matter what they did.  Within 1.5 hours....  I had a car to drive and was assurred they would handle it in the morning.  They made sure I had my other keys, the garage door opener, and even moved my snow brush into the new car.  I won't forget to mention that they decided to ask forgiveness, instead of permission in regards to putting the sleepy dogs into the car I was "test-driving" overnight. 

Conclusion:  If anyone needs a new or used car come see Dan Nelson at Ed Bozarth Chevrolet in Aurora, CO.

Hope all is well out in blogland.  I'm learning to enjoy my new job and live on a lot less money.  Take care. 

What's more Fun than A Steelers/Packers Superbowl?

Animal Planet's Puppy Bowl VII.  :0)  LOL  My usual plan is to flip back & forth between the two but the puppy bowl is the BEST this year.  Put a bunch of adoptable puppies (17-20 weeks) on a mini football field with a few football dog toys,  and put a waterbowl cam at one end of the field.  Give them all names, and add a silly commentator with a referee.  Make sure you have your chapstick.  You will laugh/smile so much that your face will hurt and your lips will crack  :0)  Let's not forget the pilot hamsters observing the whole thing from a blimp above the field LOL

More Indications, I may be getting older...

I had heard of the Apple Store.  On T.V. there are passing references.  We all know I'm a big T.V. fan.  I had occasionally heard of how awesome the customer service was.  I've always been in the Microsoft camp.  I drank the Bill Gates kool-aid long ago and I don't tend to look elsewhere if it's working for me.  I continued using my Walkman until I realized cassettes wore out when I played them over & over (I listen to the same books on tape again & again).  I never used a portable cd player.  When the 'big' Ipod came out (20GB), and the price became reasonable, I jumped on the bandwagon.  My Ipod is filled with all my favorite books on tape.  I listen to it every night.  I keep waiting for Mr. Gates to come out with something as good, but they can't do it (I've got the Zune.... it's a poor substitute).   My iPod has a metal case, it has been dropped, scratched, thumped and used nightly for years.  2 years ago, my iPod quit holding a charge.  So, I got another used one and decided to get the battery replaced in my original.  Not an easy thing to do.  So it sat & sat.  Sat on the shelf where things sit that need to be fixed.  Recently, my 'new' iPod has been keeping less of a charge.   Apple will replace the battery if I mail it to them.  I never got around to mailing it to them.  Batteries Plus will replace it but I would have to leave it at the store for a few days.  I had a day off and decided to check out the Apple store.  The Apple store staff are very attentive and there are PLENTY of them.  They were very patient, and very tech savy.  I brought out my iPog 20 GB photo and the boy held it with awe.  "Wow! You've got one of these? I've only seen pictures"  The kind young man ordered my part and said he would call me when it came in.  Then I could bring in my old iPod and trade it for a refurbished one.  They sent me an e-mail and called my 2 days later, to say my part was in.    Yesterday, I went to pick it up.  There was a group of 3 employees that gathered around to see my metal iPod.  As if they were looking at a rare relic.  They each hefted it, and looked at it.  "I didn't know we had any of these anymore".  One girl reminisced, "I had one of these once, it was my first, but it was stolen".  I finally said, "oh come one, It's not THAT old".  The boy looked at me and gently said.  "They haven't sold them since 2005?"

I am now the owner of a bright, shiny, refurbished iPod, for the price of the battery only.  I would say I agree that the Apple Store had great customer service.  But....  BOY HOWDY are the employees YOUNG!!!

Make no mistake.  Indications I am getting older, are not a bad thing.  I spent many of my young years wanting to be nothing more then older.  To be GROWN, with my own house & money was my goal.  I guess I made it.  LOL

Things are good here.  I even caught myself singing yesterday morning.  I find myself smiling more.  Thinking of cigarettes less.   Hope the world is treating you all fair.  Be gentle with each other.