FML!

It's been a multiple-Cointreau-evening kind of Saturday.

So I overslept this morning because I was out last night, and didn't get to bed till excessively late.  I woke up at 7am, but then lay in until about 8:30.  Breakfast was the remains of a box of porridge with syrup and cinnamon, and then I headed out to Heatherton.  This took a long time: Melbourne had had a lot of rain overnight, and traffic was crawling until I made it to the Nepean Highway.  I got to the house at Heatherton, and loaded the dismantled swing I think I talked about the other weekend into the car.  Then it was off to the estate agent to hand back the keys once and for all.  That duty done, I then went to the storage unit and loaded the jogging stroller that sold on eBay, and then drove to Kalkallo to make the sale.  So far so good - I was there by just before 2pm.  Sale completed, I used the GPS to locate a scrap metal dealer in Coolaroo to whom I could (hopefully) sell the swing.

I got there, but no-one was about.  Still, I called the operator, who said to try a place in Campbellfield who will apparently buy anything made of metal,  I went back to the car and turned the key and ... nothing.  There was a faint clicking out of the starter motor, but nothing else.  A little googling later I'd learnt that this model of Mitsubishi was known to have a slightly iffy starter, that would sometimes malfunction if it got hot.  And I'd hit some big pools of water which might explain why the electrical system was acting erratically when I turned the key.  So, nothing to do except wait and read the book I'd brought while the engine cooled down and dried out.

For about four hours.

Four damn hours.

Tick...

Tock...

Tick...

By about 6:30 the rain had begun again in earnest, and the car showed no signs of starting, so I rang for a tow back to the sharehouse.  I wasn't keen to leave the car on a back street in Coolaroo for some extended period, mainly because at the moment the car represents more money than our bank accounts do.  This allowed me to rationalise then $190.00 expense.  Gripe.  The tow-operator was a terribly nice fellow who'd been towing wrecked cars all day.  Tomorrow I'll call the insurer and see if I'm covered for general repairs like this (It's been a while since I checked the policy).  I hope so.  The last thing I need at the moment is a mechanic's bill.

To add insult to injury, that damn swing is still in the back of the car, and I was home too late to go to the office to do the multiple jobs I planned to do today.

So here I am: showered after being thoroughly rained on, having consumed a reheated dinner from the other night and watched "Talladega Nights".  I have my third nip of Cointreau by the computer and some Cuban music playing.

Time to rest.  Tomorrow will be intense.  Another day like this and I'll break into the long-hoarded can of condensed milk in the cupboard!