We have two cars a little Volvo Station Wagon and a Chevy Truck, both white, both 2005’s. We bought them both the same week in July of 2005 and traded in our old cars. My husband traded in the old Durango, I traded in my dream car, the car I searched for for 3 years my 2000 Celica GT Convertible that I only drove in the summers, I did not want to get rid of my car but an infant car seat did not fit in that car without the passenger seat all the way leaned forward. I also realized that it would be a long time before I could drive down the road with the top down since I would have a baby in my car. I did not want to be that person driving with wind pelting their toddler who is strapped in a carseat. I have seen those people and feel bad for the kids, hoping that they are not getting pelted with rocks from passing vehicles. Converts are great for adults, not so functional with kids. Then I got my Volvo. It was rated the top compact car in 2005 for safety, so ready or not that is what I got.

Well 4 1/2 years goes by now those new cars that we just got done paying for, are not so new anymore. My Volvo has 37,000 miles on it. The Chevy truck has 55,000 miles, they both need new tires, they both need brakes, and stuff just seems to start going wrong at the point that a car is paid off.

Today, I was driving down the highway in 8 degree weather on my way to bring the kids to the Mall of America for the afternoon when the heater that was set at 90 degrees and on full blast, cuts out completely. I look down at the gauges, no warning lights, no temperature problems, I look and the lights are still on the heater, when just as sudden as the heater stopped it started back up again. It cut out for another second then came back on full force. I said out loud to myself, “Oh that was weird.” I kept driving, I had to make one stop at Goodwill to drop off some baby gear that I wont need any longer, pulled into the donation bay, shut off the truck, took the keys out of the ignition, opened the door and noticed that the heater was still running and blowing. I said out loud, “Oh that is not good!

I started the truck, pulled out of the bay and stopped in a parking lot, turned the car on and off, tried to manually shut off the heater by the controls but it was stuck on. I started driving towards the highway, called my husband to warn him about the problem, and tried to create a plan. I ended up calling the car repair garage my brother works at across town and they were able to fit the truck in. I drove down there with my kids in the car, and my brother agreed to switch cars with me, he pulled out his babies car seat base, and I pulled out my two car seats and latched them in to his truck.

At this point I don’t know if the car will be able to be repaired tonight, I hope so, otherwise I will be picking up my brother from work. All of this would be easier if I did not have kids with me, naptimes and lunchtimes to work around. Cars are nothing but trouble.