....and Spark plugs

Report january 2002

Don we now are gay apparel…..falalalalaaaalalalaaalaaaaaaa

But apart from ‘all’s well’ Christmas spirit,

My own personal demon came to hunt me again: Car trouble!

You see I used to have this crazy small Italian car. And not only small…but most importantly: cheap! But I guess that can only lead to one conclusion, right? …..But in all honesty compared to what it cost.. it wasn’t bad. But I did have to take it into the shop a couple of times to have things repaired. And after 5 years of service, my little Fiat had told me he was ready for retirement. This time, I thought it be best to buy myself a nice decent car: a Volkswagen.

Of course this car was about (exactly) 3x as expensive as my old Fiat, but I was sure I was going to win this money back in maintenance and repairs. Alas life always turns out different from your original plans.

A little over a year I started looking for a new car. And being a single female didn’t make looking for a car any easier. I spend most my time on the internet trying to find out all about not only prices but also engine size and other mechanical stuff. So after being well equipped I entered the first dealer. And I wont bother you with all the details but some dealers won’t let me take a look under the hood ‘because it was a good engine’ and the ones that did, started to explain what part was what in a very degrading manor. And of course I am still no expert in cars, but my dad has told me one or two things of all the parts ‘under the hood’. So being frustrated by the whole situation I started pointing and naming the parts he left out to mention.

But knowing your way around the car, knowing the engine size and the right price wont help a woman get a good deal on a car. So I had already given up hope of finding a good car for a reasonable price when a friend kept insisting on looking at just ONE more car (all the way on the other side of Holland mind you). And I reaaaly didn’t want to bother. But being a good persuader and taking away all my ‘I don’t want to go’ arguments I saw the Volkswagen, fell in love and bought it.

Still three times the Fiat in price, but a good price none the less. Anyway: where is this ever so boring story leading…???…. Well…. You see…. As much as I love my little ‘Golf’ and even being bought from a ‘friend’…..this still could not prevent my personal demon to haunt me. Even with this, always well taken care of car!…

Again I won’t bore you with too much detail but I spend my days around Christmas in and out of the repair shop and  in all had to spend 750 usd on the car, which brings the total this year to an almost even 1000 usd!!!!!!… 

And please don’t think that this money has gotten me a new transmition or a new engine…Noooooo… this money was only spent on a small ‘break’ problem. Unfortunately what ultimately turned out to be wrong with the car was the so-called break power limiter?? Never heard of it? Don’t worry…as far as the official Volkswagen dealer can remember.. he has never sold this part and cannot remember it even breaking down… But then again he had never met me, had he??? HA!

Now the ‘problem’ to my car bother me.. but not as much as the whole reason why it had to go in for repairs. You see about 10 years ago, some genius in Holland decided that bad cars should no longer be allowed on the roads. And to prevent them from making the streets and expressways unsafe they instated a law obligating us to have every car, which is over 5 years of ages, annually checked. And the annual check itself costs about 40 usd but THE THINGS THEY CHECK!!!!!… GOD!…they don’t check if the brake cylinders are leaking or the exhaust is fallen in two… noooooo they check for silly little things to make a couple of extra bucks. They have a list as long as this e-mail is long of check up items. Which ultimately made the check up a thing for garage’s to get more customers in, and have us pay more money to them.

Relentless to say: the roads have not become safer after instating this law, but our wallets did have a problem.

But there is some good news too. It is almost New Years Eve. And New Years Eve above all is a time to celebrate the new year and take new years resolutions like: never buy a used Volkswagen ;-). In Holland apart from this, we have a tradition. You have the falling apple (it December…c’mon!!!!!!) and we have our personal fire-works display… eeehmm… over the whole country that is…!!

On New Years Eve everybody is allowed to light fire-works. You can order them (to get the good stuff) months in advance or buy it on December 30th or 31st. You see, there is a catch. You can only buy fire-works on the last day of the year and the day before. Lighting the fuses is only allowed on the evening itself.

It is a wonderful tradition because after the clock strikes twelve some find this the best way to get out of having to kiss everyone (another Dutch tradition) happy new year. But most will be forced to stay in…have some champagne and eventually within a minute of the clock striking twelve the (mainly) male part of Holland to go light their very expensive fire beauties!!.. Me man…make fire….!! (Oogah Boogah)…  Anyway. The women watch and go aaaaaahhhhh… (blink blink  and sigh) and so do I. 

You see I have always enjoyed watching fire-works…from a distance of course. But on New Years Eve It is almost impossible for cars to get around the first our after twelve. Because of the fire-works you could even call it dangerous. Everywhere you walk some one is lighting their fire-works. But from my apartment two story’s high, you can look a bit over the city (yes it doesn’t take much in this ‘flat’ country) and see the whole sky lit up in all different colors and shapes. Right after twelve talking on the phone and/or to others is made impossible because of the roaring noise of gunpowder made pretty.

Now I said before that going out the first hour after twelve is a risky business and about this I am not kidding. Apart from the fact there is a huge street fire on every corner .(illegal but accepted)  on which we burn our Christmas trees or the occasional car if things turn for the worse… It is not that, that causes the problems.

Every year it starts right before we start the new year all happy and gay… : Emergency rooms are packed. Thousands of kids, fathers, dogs and innocent bystanders are injured or sometimes even killed on this night. If no one gets killed (like last year) it is so special that it gets announced on the national news. But if you are really lucky then you only loose a couple of fingers, instead of one or both hands. It usually happens because the ones lighting the fireworks are as afraid of it as the ones watching. Or they have no fear at all..which also makes them brainless and they put all the firework powder together to make a ‘fire-work’ bomb and did not understand why standing a little too close could do so much damage.

Strange way to start the New Year right??? Why do it?? Why spent hundreds of dollars to run the risk of losing a hand or life? Why go out in the sometimes freezing cold to see a light hit the sky and go…iiiiiiiiiiiiiiii… 

I don’t know… maybe because: man make fire and woman go: aaaaaaaah…

Have a great new year and talk to you soon!!!!

P.s. if by any chance you really don’t get around to reading these notes…. No problem, just let me know and my first resolution will be to stop writing you…. Do not fear… it might be a while before I write again….;-).. but be assured of this: I will be back!!!!!!