Chronicles: I Drive a Miata and Get a Jump Start at the Grocery Store

Today's plan was simple: Stop by RFam's house north of town and do laundry while Greg works on the van. Today's actual activity - not so simple!

10:00am - Test and discover that the mifi (our internet device) is still dead. (It died last night and required 2 hrs on the phone with tech support.)

10:05 - Decide to setup appt at local Sprint store so I don't have to wait forever when I drop off the mifi for diagnosis.

10:06 - Realize I can't look up their phone number without the internet. Oops.

10:07 - Call Sprint's main line from my phone's memory. Impress the Sprint agent that I know the device ID number, store zip code, and other vital information from memory. Get agent to schedule appt for me.

10:30 - Get van loaded up with laundry and van maintenance supplies.

11:00 - Load up with Greg and head to Sprint shop.

11:15 - Drop off mifi. Explain that it's dead. Again. Please fix.

11:30 - Stop by WalMart to pick up 5 gallons of distilled water for van work. Add 1 gallon of milk for us. And 4 Totino's pizzas. For lunch.

12:05 - Arrive at RFam's house. Realize that we've had pizza for meals 3 times in the previous 2 days.

12:10 - Start laundry and visit with Mrs. RFam! Greg starts on van work.

12:20 - Convince Mrs. RFam that I can pick up groceries for her in the afternoon while she's swamped with other projects.

12:23 - Get grocery list from Mrs. RFam and keys to their white Miata convertible! ooohhh!!!! :)

12:28 - Mrs. RFam mentions on her way out the door that the Miata hasn't been driven in the last year. Hmm...

12:30 - Call Sprint store to check mifi status. Dead. They're ordering a new one for us. This will be device #4 in 60 days.

[Insert hour of laundry and Sprint phone calls.]

1:30 - Decide to get lunch with Carl's fast food coupons. Realize Greg is working on the van (duh!).

1:35 - Decide to take RFam's bike. Move moving boxes to get to bike.

1:37 - Discover bike's flat tire. oops - tires!

1:38 - Dig through stuff in van and retrieve bike pump. Air up tires.

1:45 - Ride to Carl's - wow! riding a bike is fun!

1:55 - With food, ride back. Wait - this is all uphill! Why did I ever think riding a bike was fun?!?!

[insert laundry time]

3:15 - Decide to take Miata to get groceries. Realize battery is dead.

3:20 - Greg removes van battery and carries it over to the Miata. Jump start successful!

3:25 - Realize back left tire of Miata is flat.

3:26 - Find bike pump again. Pump up car tire.

3:40 - Arrive at grocery store. Park. Turn off car. Attempt to restart it. Nada.

3:42 - Get groceries anyway.

4:15 - Put groceries in car. Try to start car again. Nada.

4:16 - Random stranger offers me their cart. I tell them I need a jump, not a cart.

4:17 - Said random stranger pulls out their jumper cables and donor vehicle maneuvers into position.

4:18 - I find the hood release and then realize: the battery is not under the hood.

4:20 - Battery found in trunk. Donor SUV repositioned. Car jumped successfully.

So... I return to the RFam's house with the groceries, pack up the laundry, pile in the van (maintenance done!) to head home. Drop off RFam babysitter. Attend apartment picnic. Go to Sprint store and get dead mifi device. Find out we'll have internet again on Tuesday. Return home and fold laundry.

So why am I blogging? 'Cause we decided to go to McDonald's internet cafe and catch up on email. And blog. :)

Sorry this is so long. When my brain is working, I'll clean it up. In the meantime, laugh! :)