A Really Bad Day

So. I have had a pretty bad cold for a week - lots of coughing, phlegm, chills and the like and decided I should probably get myself to the doctor. I planned to drive my car over to Edmonds and see when I could get into the Shoreline Clinic (UW), working until my appointment, then taking my viral little self home. Not a problem - I was able to get a 1:30 appointment - not bad for a Monday during cold and flu season! I drove over to the clinic, was examined and prescribed. I decided to go to Trader Joe's and pick up some tasties we can't get over here in the wilds of Kitsap County.

As I start my car, it sounds rough - like it's not hitting all the cylinders (and I only have 4 - one missing is a big deal!) - it was fine when I drove there. I turn it off, then back on and it seems to be ok, so I head off north on Aurora. It starts chugging whenever I have to stop at a light - and there are a lot of lights between Shoreline and 196th St. I pulled into a random parking lot, decided it was running smoothly again and kept going to Trader Joe's. As I am turning left from Aurora onto 196th, I stall - right where all the angry drivers seem to congregate. I quickly got it into neutral, restarted, popped it back into drive and chugged into the Trader Joe lot. After letting Don know something was going on with my car, I got out of the car and there is was: a burn mark about 8 inches across on the hood. I don't know much about cars, but I'm pretty sure that is not a real good sign. I called Don back and opened it while I had him on the line and saw a lot of melted wires and plastic - no flames, than goodness! But again - pretty sure this was a bad sign.

Now what?!? I called several people and was able to get some phone numbers (Thanks Shaun!) of tow companies and the Edmonds Auto Shop. The auto shop gave me a number of a tow company that they contracted with so I went ahead and called them. Then the wait. Luckily, as a consummate ferry commuter, I had a paper back book ("6th Target" by James Patterson - meh, not the best thing I've read lately), a water bottle and some snacks! They came and loaded my smoked vehicle onto the flatbed (cool to watch, btw!) and the tow guys offered to give me a lift down to the auto shop - what girl can pass that up?

So I caught the ferry I would have caught had I stayed all day at work anyway! As I'm boarding the aforementioned ferry, I get a call from the shop telling me it was caused by a mouse nest on the manifold which caught fire and melted a variety of things which will cost thousands of dollars. His suggestion was to contact our homeowner's insurance company and argue for that policy paying for some of the repairs as it wasn't mechanics which caused the damage, but being outside our home did.

Then I got home and discovered one of the cats had thrown up on the couch. Yay.