The drive back to Milwaukee started like any other... it took me way too long to pack up and get going. I piddled around, worked both horses, and washed and waxed my car (and my mom's too). 

I got on the road around 4ish. I noticed my air bag light was on as I reached HWY 65 from my parents and thought, well don't get in an accident.  Then I went another 20-30 miles and noticed other dashboard monitors also misbehaving. The speedometer worked intermittently. The radio started turning on and off. The car started revving at higher rates (I was up to 4 and only going 40 MPH). I called my brother and he said, "Well there's nothing I can do about it." NICE.

Then reaching HWY 10 my check engine light came on. CRAP. Unlike my father who simply covers the CEL with a sticker from his morning apple so as not to concern himself with the matter, I knew this was different. I wanted to make it past St. Paul since I was in rush hour traffic and didn't want to be charged St. Paul fix-it and tow rates...  

I shut off anything taking energy, A/C, radio, fans, lights... I called my friend Kathryn when I began the trip and originally planned on watching her riding lesson in Hudson. I called her again and said, "Can I have Bob's (her husband) number?" I knew this wasn't good. I saw the Woodbury exit and thought it looked like a good place to be stalled. I was correct.

I tried merging three lanes of I-94 that was already in stop-and-go. This would have been fine but I only had intermittent go and semi-trucks were trying to merge the other way. I made it over safely but was going 20 mph at this time.  I rolled up to the top of the hill at the off-ramp and stopped.

At this same time Kat's husband Bob called me back and I must have been slightly freaked out ( more annoyed than anything) as I said, I'm sitting here and my car won't go, I have no energy and the flashers won't even turn on (the just made an eeeeerr sizzle sound). He could tell I was flustered and I told him I would call him after I talked to Geico.

Luckily a nice man in a business suit who drives an Audi stopped and pushed my car out of the turn lane onto the side of HWY 13. He made sure I was ok and had roadside assistance. I love Minnesotans. The last time I broke down near Quad Graphics in south eastern wisconsin the sheriff (who had already drove past me twice) stopped and said, "M'am we had complaints that you were on the side of the road." Not one person helped me that time.

This time I had several motorists stop to make sure I was ok and to see if I needed a ride. Two walkers stopped and offered me their cell phones. Awe - Minnesota Nice isn't so phony after all.

I called Geico and get this, they cover towing up to 15  miles. That's nice, I guess but I didn't even know the address to Bob's shop. The Geico lady took care of it for me. She phoned Bob and got his location and information. Lucky for me his shop was 14 miles away. Perfect.

Bobby the tow truck driver took about an hour longer than anticipated, but he hooked up the Kia and we were on our way.

Kat picked me up from the shop and Bob ran the diagnostics that night. He had an alternator and belt expressed in from Kia and tested and recharged my battery.  I was gulping hard as I had only budgeted enough for the summer to get buy with a little on the side. I looked up how much the job should've cost (between $750 and $1,100) and was a little sad. Instead Bob only charged me a fraction of that price. On top of it I got to hang out with my childhood friend. She's a beautician so I also got an eyebrow wax and color on top of it all. 

I must say this was one of the best break-downs I've ever had :)

I adopted a kitten last Tuesday (photos to come - I'm horrible at uploading things). We've already been through the gamut. She was pretty good driving all the way to Milwaukee from New Richmond, Wisc.

Julie Mewmar (named after Julie Newmar) was 8 1/2 weeks when I got her and is a busy, bossy kitten. My body is marked by mini-kitten claws from head to toe. She likes to lick and then BITE. She sleeps all day and Runs around all night. Well she did run around all night until last night.

I noticed on Friday that her left eye was red and puffy. I called the vet Saturday morning and they couldn't get her in until Monday morning... During this time I also noticed the growth of two scabs on her back that had originally looked like cigarette burns... She also had a scab on her left ear.  This can not be good.

I brought her to the vet on Monday morning and it was storming. She was not pleased. Her eye was infected (but not scratched - extra fee). And it turns out those little scabs are most likely RINGWORM. Ringworm isn't actually a worm, it's actually the fungus also known as jock itch.

Not only did I have to clean all surfaces she may have touched with bleach water (kitchen, living room dining room and bathroom, couches, chairs, rugs, blankets...) I had to wash all articles of clothing, towels, EVERYTHING she may have touched. You can not eat off my floor - really.

I was/am paranoid about getting ringworm (since the last cat, Lucky, caused me to have to get a shot on my arse because she clamped her teeth into me during a seizure and my "Luck" isn't always the best). So not only did I purchase Lotrimin jock itch spray, I bought funi cure soap. I am now bathing and then spraying my entire body from head-to-toe morning and night. I actually had a numb right arm for a couple hours this morning. I wasn't sure if it was from sleeping incorrectly, the self-medicated treatments or from spraying Lysol on everything after being cleaned by bleach...

This has also resulted in me having to quarantine Julie. This is not of her liking. AT ALL.

The next post will explain the trials and tribulations of constructing the Julie Mewmar fortress!  off-dah.