Mirth and woe and wrath, oh my!

I 've just experienced yet another vehicular Tale of Mirth and Woe (TM Scaryduck).

Our tale takes us back to Sunday a week ago, when the engine light came on while driving home from weekly brunch with friends. I had choir practice in the afternoon and play rehearsal in the evening. Not a time to have the car break down. I managed to get around and got the car into a garage, where I was told the engine coolant was low (read: almost non-existent). Went to Canadian Tire (any Canucks reading this are now groaning in despair), was told what kind of engine coolant I needed, purchased it, poured it in, went on my way... and the engine light stayed on.

So, get appointment with dealer, as car is still under extended warranty (Mazda 626 - not a bad car, usually) this past Friday. $275 later - $75 of which covered flushing the WRONG kind of engine coolant from the car and replacing it with the right kind - grrrr and grrrr again! - get car back. Park in driveway.

Then comes the real woe... yesterday (Sunday morning), attempt to leave driveway. Car shudders and almost stalls. Make it to second stop sign from house, car stalls out completely in the middle of an intersection at the top of a blind hill. Manage to s-l-o-w-l-y coast to side of road before some loon comes racing over the hill. Try to re-star-ar-ar-ar-art it. No dice. Try again to re-star-ar-ar-ar-art it. Still no dice. (Some curse words.) Try again to re-star-ar-ar-ar-art it. It makes "chuggly-uggly" sounds like, "I'd start if you just gave me more gas," which I did and it started.

Continued merrily on my way, did what I'd set out to do, then on my way home, noticed SMOKE wafting out from under the hood. Looked at engine temp gauge. ON HIGH. Engine light comes on. Manage to get to service station by driving half a block and stopping the car and turning off the engine when the gauge hits high again then going another half block until I reach the nearest service station. Fluid levels all good, belts intact. Total mystery. Manage to creep home half block by half block without engine exploding.

Get car towed (this requires calling Ontario! Ontario? for a tow truck? Sigh. Insurance roadside assistance) this morning IN BLIZZARD. It was just a hose that had come loose. Will not cost more $$. Phew! And the mirth? I can pick it up once the blizzard dies down sufficiently and everything opens up again tomorrow.

Ha.

Ha ha.

Oh, the mirth.

Did I mention wrath?

Grrrrr....