Update: After hooking up the diagnostic computer, it turns out that it was a code fault (I think that's what he said, I am not a car person), and our mechanic reset the computer, so the transmission issue is solved. There is still the wobble, but now that the transmission thing is cleared up, he thinks we might be able to solve it with something as simple as switching our front and rear tires. If not, we can replace an axle for about $60. He is working on the leak now and Rich found the extra windshield wiper, so he'll be able to replace that this week. We need to get an oil change, but the car should last us for more than the minimum month we'll need to find our new car. Thank you Lord!

I tried to post this yesterday, but we ended up dealing with some trouble with our car. We are saving up money to get a new (to us) car for our family, and actually within a few weeks or a month ought to have enough to put a significant amount down and either buy outright or pay down quite a bit of a loan. Well, our car has some quirks. There are some things we just need to take care of like replacing the back windshield wiper, but there is a leak somewhere in the front that lets water and air in, and we don't know what is going on with that, the driver's side window doesn't go up or down without some serious help, and our mechanic jury rigged our windshield wiper controls so we have a separate switch below the steering column rather than try to deal with the PITA internals of our American car, and now that is behaving spotty. The big problem, though, was that the wheels were starting to shake when we were driving between 40-50 mph. It used to only happen on acceleration, but now it's happening all the time. Our mechaning took a look at it yesterday, and he thinks it's a transmission problem.

Ugh. We aren't really there yet for buying a car this week. It would put a decent dent in our budget for the new car to have to replace the transmission on this car, and we don't even really want to to it anyway, since we have pretty much driven it into the ground, it is well over 250 K miles, and we were planning on selling it for parts if we sold it at all. However, our mechanic says he doesn't like the idea of our driving it the way it is, and if we have to drive it to make sure we stay on city streets and away from the freeway. Lovely.

He has also sent us to a transmission fellow who is good and fair, and he said it might be a different problem in the car, and that our car is responding by going to a default position in the transmission that can't be overridden to avoid getting itself into trouble. So, we're doing a diagnostic deal this morning and driving slowly through city streets to the transmission place.

So, please pray that this whole car thing will be resolved. We haven't even really found the right car for us yet, and we aren't in a position to buy for at least a few weeks. We don't have a ton of driving to do during the week, but there is church and home group, swimming, ballet, not to mention grocery shopping and things like that.

• Monday: Rich cooks


• Tuesday: French Onion Soup (our priest's wife said she'd pick the cheese up for me, since she had to go to the store anyway)


• Wednesday: Creamy Garlic and Vegetable Pasta, Salad


• Thursday: Shepherd's Pie (made with lamb, folks, thus the shepherd part of the name), Salad


• Friday: Savory Egg Custards, Tomato Pie and Salad


• Saturday: Fish Tacos


• Sunday: Tuscan Chicken and Beans, Salad, Olive Oil Rolls

What is on your menu this week?

Labels: Homemaking, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Tales from the Kitchen