During the night, I changed the plan that Shivani and I had hatched. Our original plan was for me to drive the Prius to Toyota for the 10 am appointment and Shivani to drive the Ford Escort to pick me up. I decided that I was nervous about driving the Prius. What if it failed while I was driving to Bikram? I definitely didn't want to miss yoga or be stuck at the side of the highway for God knows how long.
I called Toyota to tell them to expect my car before I arrived. I described it. It has pretty white flowers on it, an auto lei. The service attendant said he knows my car. He was two cars behind me on Makala when I had the accident. I asked him if he saw us hug. He said yes.
I left a note for Shivani to call Progressive, my insurer, to get road service to haul the car down to Big Island Toyota. I figured if she called around 8 am, then it would arrive around 9:30 in time for its 10 am appointment, and I could stop off after yoga to sign the paperwork. I sent Shivani a voicemail and a text telling her about the note. I walked out of the class around 8 am to check if she had gotten the message. She had. When I got out of class, I found a text from her saying it would be three hours before someone could pick up my car. I stopped off at Toyota to ask if there would be a problem with the delay. They said no. I signed the paperwork.
I went to the vacuum store next, hoping there would be someone there who could figure out the model number on my Rainbow. I couldn't find that information. Then I drove to JAWS to see if Edwin could look at the Ford Escort brakes. He was shut up tight as a drum. Adam had recommended Kwik Lube, saying that I could get fast service.
He told me that the Kwik Lube was on the same street as the yoga studio, but I had no memory of having ever seen it. I drove up to NAPA and asked for directions. The guy called them to see if they were open today. Then he walked out into the parking lot and gave me instructions for finding it, pointing to where the driveway entrance was. He told me it was difficult to find. There had been a sign, but it blew down in a storm and wasn't replaced. It was on the same street but tucked back off the road and difficult to see. I followed the guy's directions and wound up in a peculiar spot. I got out of my car and went into the waiting room. A middle-aged white woman who looked like a kindergarten teacher told me she would ask the mechanic if he had time to check my brakes. Then she went off.
While she was gone, one of the customers came up to the desk. He told me how honest the mechanic was. I wasn't to worry about him doing unnecessary work. He also explained that the owner had died, and his wife had taken over running the business. Then the mechanic came out to talk to me. He was pissed about where I parked because he couldn't move a car he was working on. The setup is a bit awkward. He was annoyed that I didn't do it the right way. I don't know if he is always grouchy or suffering from that leaden feeling, which often occurs right after a feast day. He also told me that he had no time to do anything extra and to make an appointment with that lady. She had disappeared; the mechanic said she was at the 'entrance.' He told me I had come in the exit and had to get my car all around the other side of the building.
As I drove around, I realized this is a massive operation. There must have been five bays that opened on both sides. I found it peculiar that there was only one mechanic for all those work stations. Oh, well. I took Adam's word for it that the shop gives excellent service at reasonable rates. I made an appointment for Wednesday at 1:30. I don't know if I have made an appointment for just a look-see or to have my brakes repaired. I'll find out on Wednesday. I'm not sure what's wrong with the brakes, but they seem responsive enough for short, slow drives to town and back.
I returned to Shivani and Sidney. Shivani wanted to do some work, so it was Sidney and me. We have one game. He says, "Peggy, or is it Packy," addressing me, and I say, "Sidney." I copy his intonation, pitch, and volume. He loves this game. Then I had him help me load all the silverware from last night into the dishwasher. He did a good job of that too. Then he had to help me strip the leaves off the branches from the greens Judy and Paulette had brought to decorate the serving counter so they could go into the composting bin. If I include the branches, there is no chance of them breaking down in my lifetime.
I was considering joining Shivani and Sidney at the beach, but I was violently dizzy when I stood up. I had trouble standing. I think the plates in my head are shifting because of the changes in my alignment. We'll see. I do hope this is not a permanent condition.
Shivani had decided to order a rental car. She got a deal for $15 a day. Couldn't beat that. And their vehicle would have brakes that were guaranteed to work. We realized that I couldn't leave because I was waiting for road service. Judy came over to pick up the ice cream she had left. I asked her if she could drive Shivani down to the rental place. It's about 10 minutes from our house. She was good with that. I went back to bed.
I heard a truck drive by, but it didn't pull into the driveway. Elsa barked but not a lot. I got up anyway. Good for me. Because I was so dizzy, it took me a few minutes to have enough balance to walk outside. Yep, the tow truck had arrived. I had to move my car, so it was facing the street with the wheels straight. I went back to bed. I could hear that it took a while before he had the car hitched and left. Yvette had come up in the meantime and was stuck in the driveway until he left.
I felt well enough to get up and sit in a chair. Also, I was sick and tired of lying in bed. I moved myself to the stuffed chair on the lanai. I read and played FreeCell. Shivani came home, packed up, and she and Sidney went to the beach.
The kids staying with me, who had left last night to go to a Thanksgiving celebration with friends, came home briefly to clean up, change, and go out again. They brought home some dirty dishes, which they washed before they left.
When Shivani came home from the beach. She made a delicious dinner of salmon with mushrooms and steamed broccoli with butter and salt. Yum. She inspired me to make broccoli for myself.
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