UHG!

I feel like Charlie Brown when Lucy pulls the football away, just as he's about to kick.

I am on my school spring break.

I've not gone to volleyball nights in nearly two months due to work and school.

Tonight, I make an effort to go to my Tuesday night gym and also try to get to an Environmental Science field trip extra credit, only to find out they weren't consecutive, but at the same time. Heck with that, I am going to volleyball. I need to get some exercise; I need to play.

Driving to volleyball was nice, 'cept my washer fluid was on E and the windscreen was blurry as, causing the lights from the cars, street lamps and signs to show as stripes of light - thoroughly distracting me as I drove. Once arriving at the school, all at once I found it difficult to turn into the driveway. Proceeding around the parameter to the parking area, it got increasingly harder to turn the wheel, to the point of even making it difficult to park.

I was bummed. I mean, heck, I just had heaps of steering work done about a year ago, and just a couple of months ago had a full tune-up, so what could be wrong now?

I could just drive back home, or stay and play.

Stay and play won out as I figured I have towing on my insurance, and I've not been to play in weeks, and truly deserved to be there, regardless.

So, upon suiting up and getting ready, I spoke to a few people who had asked where I've been. When I told my friend Sarah of my dilemma, she mentioned she had some power steering fluid in her car and would help me after the night's play. We ended up on the same team and had a win-some, lose-some kinda night, but all fun.

Afterwards, I went out to my car and about 10 of the players joined me - all offering help, or a light or advice. Nice. We sorted out the power steering reservoir, finding the depth to be nil, and added the fluid Sarah had brought to help out. Everyone was to be off to the pub to celebrate Val's birthday, and they wanted to follow me there. I thought better of taking the chance, drinking beer, then driving back home as my brake lights within my tail lights are not working either; only the cyclops eye on the back dash works - and my luck, I'd be pulled over or stall out. No thanks.

The steering loosened up, but still seemed to grind some, then as the fluid worked through the system it became heaps easier to steer. I rang one of my teammates and let him know that while it was driving good, I was just going to cut my losses and go straight home.

Driving home proved much easier as the fluid had worked throughout the system.

UNTIL

I got within the last mile of my house, turning from Kenwood Ave to College St. - then it became a chore again - all tight. I maneuvered the car down College St to 19th Ave E and even taking that slight bit of an angle (not really a full turn) proved to be a chore. Grrrr. What was wrong? Do I have some major leak? Was the new fluid all pumped out? Was the pump gone? Sheesh.

I got home and called my mechanic's mobile. (Incidentally - How many of you can ring up your mechanic at 9:40p and have him answer and give you good advice?) I got the number of the towing company from him and voiced my concerns about what had happened. He said to have it towed in and leave instructions, symptoms, phone number etc with the driver and then he'd ring me back tomorrow.

I rang the towing company to find out if there was any difference in payment to having it towed tonight or tomorrow morning (which I'd have to get up for on my 12:30p late start day) . Since there was no difference, I opted to sort the tow tonight so I could sleep in tomorrow. Go Me!

So I called the Duke's Towing and within about 30-40 min the driver showed up - we sorted my car, the note and the payment, and off went the beast to Jimmy's.

Then I made some tilapia and asparagus for dinner, and ate it as a good friend played some of his original tunes on acoustic guitar over Skype online. Nice.

Tomorrow I'll have to send the tow receipt to insurance for reimbursement and sort work. *sigh*

It could have been worse; this could have happened two or three weeks ago when I was on the road to Grand Rapids or Floodwood. (Thankfully, it didn't.)

Thank you Karma. I think.