It looks like I may not start back to work until Tuesday. Gregg's radiation treatments (the two he's had so far) have been easy and he's able to drive himself home after, but he's got an appointment on Monday morning and we're sharing a car until late Monday afternoon. The oil light came on in Gregg's van on New Year's Eve and he took it to the shop yesterday. After diagnosing the problem(s) they told us it would take that long for them to get the work done.
I'm supposed to spend part of the morning at a bookkeeper meeting across town (all staff have professional development on Monday) before returning to the school around 10:00, which is Gregg's appointment time. It just won't work out with one car, so I guess I'll have to use a personal day. I didn't come back immediately after last winter break, either, because my dad had died on New Year's Day. (I'm not liking this trend).
So, this is how the year is starting for us. The van repair is a real blow after a tough holiday season, because it's expensive. We knew when we bought a very late model van with a lot of miles that there would be repairs to deal with...but this first repair job is more than we spent on the car itself! The one consolation is that we'll get to write off the initial purchase as a business expense (Gregg uses the van for his aquarium gigs) on this year's taxes. And we're still better off repairing an old van than with a car payment! It is, after all, just used for hauling aquarium gear and as a second (backup) car.
I'm hoping next week we can tie up all these last bits of unfinished business from 2024 and then move forward. The van should be done on Monday afternoon, and next Friday will be Gregg's fifth and (hopefully) final radiation treatment. I'm hoping for at least a short period of smooth sailing after that!
Few things I loathe more than car troubles! I feel your pain and hope this is the last of it for your car!
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't take long after the Magic of the Holidays for the Real World to rear its ugly head again, unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteMay all be well with Greg and the van.
ReplyDeleteCold here too. This is the second morning we've had frost on cars, and I see it's -2 C this morning. Thermal vests are being worn! I hope your car trouble isn't too bad. I detest machines that don't work properly!
ReplyDeleteFrosty nights (and days) here, too, but a lot of up and down temperature-wise is forecast here for the next week.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear of the car repair costing more than what you paid for the van! Cars can be quite absurd like that, can‘t they.
But I am glad to read Gregg‘s first radiation sessions have gone as well as I expected, and that you are able to take Monday off without it creating problems with work.
When it rains, it pours... er snows? Glad the radiation is going easily so far and that Gregg is nearly halfway there!
ReplyDeleteNot the best start to the year for you, but things can only get better, and you'll have a reliable van again, or at least, Gregg will I hope his remaining radiation sessions go well
ReplyDeleteIt has been really cold here in Virginia as well, and they are calling for a potential for snow on Monday, but I won't believe it until I see it. Best wishes for Gregg's radiation treatment to be over soon. When I had radiation, it was everyday over five weeks (except the weekends) and I did well until the end, when an intense fatigue hit me. Hopefully Gregg can avoid that. I hope 2025 will be a banner year for you!
ReplyDeleteWell damn. Not how you wanted your year to start, is it? Not how anyone would want their year to start. This is quite the speed bump. I am so sorry.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear that Gregg is doing well with the radiation treatment. That's good news. Glad the van can be fixed. Hopefully, the rest of 2025 will sail along smoothly for you two.
ReplyDeleteCars! What a nightmare! Sorry you have to deal with that. I also hope you get a patch of "smooth sailing" soon!
ReplyDeleteIt always seems the case that just when you need some slack in life there is something to bite you on the arse lass. Hopefully the road ahead will become a tad smoother for you both and that life gets that little bit better.
ReplyDelete