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And I found out today that my car battery is dead. The block heater has been plugged in since last Friday, so I assume the block is warm. I suspect that the cold killed the battery, in spite of the block heater. I was planning to go to the supermarket to get everything I need for over Christmas, but without a car, that's not going to happen. Thankfully, I could walk to the corner store three blocks away, and while it doesn't have everything I wanted from the supermarket, I could get the basics--bread, coffee, cream, and some sweets just because. But holy hannah! Was that walk cold!
I'll call a mechanic friend tomorrow, and see what he has to say. If he recommends a new battery (this one is original equipment, meaning it is about ten years old, as my car is a 2012), then I'll ask him for a jump and head off to get a new one.
Update: it looks like my car battery is really and truly dead. I spoke with my mechanic friend on the phone, and he listened when I told him the signs and symptoms of when I turned the key in the ignition. He asked the age of the battery, and when I told him, "ten years," he said, "You got a lot of use out of it; it may be time for a new one." He's going to stop by tomorrow, and have a look himself. But he's pretty sure I need a new battery. Given our recent cold snap, he's unsure if my current one can hold a charge any more--that is, we could probably get the car started with a jump, but no guarantees that it would start when I tried to start it again in, say, the supermarket parking lot. I said "Thanks," and told him that after he has a look, I plan to have him drive me to a pub where I can buy him a beer for his trouble. He happily agreed.
Thankfully, the AMA (Alberta Motor Association, basically the CAA to everybody else in Canada) has a mobile battery replacement service, meaning they can replace the battery in my driveway. Price is reasonable. Problem is, they're off until Tuesday the 27th. Well, like I said, I'll buy him a beer tomorrow, and I'll choose a pub which is in a strip mall so I can get yet more basics from the strip mall's convenience store, and booze from the liquor store. I'll want a drink after all this.
Christmas dinner may just be a frozen dinner, since I can't get to the supermarket to get anything fresher. I guess I'm putting off tucking into a nice ham, with potatoes, and peas and a garden salad, because I have been unable to get to the supermarket to get any of the above. (Anybody know what wine pairs well with Stouffer's Frozen Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes? ) That, however, will come, perhaps for New Year's instead. But this won't be the worst Christmas I've experienced, and I'll still be thankful for friends, such as my mechanic buddy, the boys at "Beer 'n' BS" that meet weekly, the neighbour who shovels my snow, the gang at the race book, and so many more; and naturally, all of you here in the Canada forum of C-D.
"Welcome, Christmas, while we stand/Heart to heart and hand in hand," as the song in the Grinch TV show said. "Christmas Day will always be/Just so long as we have we."
A very Merry Christmas to all my C-D friends! May the New Year bring you much joy, prosperity, and happiness! And eventually, a nice dinner of ham, potatoes, and peas and salad to me!
Update: it looks like my car battery is really and truly dead. I spoke with my mechanic friend on the phone, and he listened when I told him the signs and symptoms of when I turned the key in the ignition. He asked the age of the battery, and when I told him, "ten years," he said, "You got a lot of use out of it; it may be time for a new one." He's going to stop by tomorrow, and have a look himself. But he's pretty sure I need a new battery. Given our recent cold snap, he's unsure if my current one can hold a charge any more--that is, we could probably get the car started with a jump, but no guarantees that it would start when I tried to start it again in, say, the supermarket parking lot. I said "Thanks," and told him that after he has a look, I plan to have him drive me to a pub where I can buy him a beer for his trouble. He happily agreed.
Thankfully, the AMA (Alberta Motor Association, basically the CAA to everybody else in Canada) has a mobile battery replacement service, meaning they can replace the battery in my driveway. Price is reasonable. Problem is, they're off until Tuesday the 27th. Well, like I said, I'll buy him a beer tomorrow, and I'll choose a pub which is in a strip mall so I can get yet more basics from the strip mall's convenience store, and booze from the liquor store. I'll want a drink after all this.
Christmas dinner may just be a frozen dinner, since I can't get to the supermarket to get anything fresher. I guess I'm putting off tucking into a nice ham, with potatoes, and peas and a garden salad, because I have been unable to get to the supermarket to get any of the above. (Anybody know what wine pairs well with Stouffer's Frozen Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes? ) That, however, will come, perhaps for New Year's instead. But this won't be the worst Christmas I've experienced, and I'll still be thankful for friends, such as my mechanic buddy, the boys at "Beer 'n' BS" that meet weekly, the neighbour who shovels my snow, the gang at the race book, and so many more; and naturally, all of you here in the Canada forum of C-D.
"Welcome, Christmas, while we stand/Heart to heart and hand in hand," as the song in the Grinch TV show said. "Christmas Day will always be/Just so long as we have we."
A very Merry Christmas to all my C-D friends! May the New Year bring you much joy, prosperity, and happiness! And eventually, a nice dinner of ham, potatoes, and peas and salad to me!
Man if you have an old battery, its super cold and you haven't been driving it for awhile are a recipe for battery problems. 10 years though is a long time for a battery Chevy - def sounds like a new one is in order. Good for you to be able to keep it going that long!
You know its the people that count over the holidays Chevy, so as long as you have those than really the food comes secondary and sounds like you're making the best of a pretty crappy situation out there.
This storm impacting big swaths of the country comes at the worst time. A lot of people wanted to visit family and friends over the holidays have their plans scrapped. In some cases, this was the first time travelling since the pandemic so yeah, I feel for them a lot!
So if you do go with that stouffers dinner sounds like a red wine definitely. My recommendation - go with the best red ya got in lieu of not having the optimal Christmas dinner, it'll balance it out
Chevy - Merry Christmas Buddy and all the best to you in the New Year!!!
Merry Christmas, everyone… and a special hug for Netwit.
Chevy, CAA only charged me $214 (including tax) to buy and replace my car battery a couple of years ago. The service call itself was free. If the problem was not the battery, there would have been no charge to tow my car to the garage to be fixed. That happened to me once several years ago when the problem turned out to be the starter(?). It makes sense to call CAA, particularly when your car is parked at home and you can wait in comfort if CAA is backed up with calls.
Does anybody happen to know what became of Magnatomicflux? I always assumed he got lost in Detroit one day and is still trying to find his way back to Canada even today . I do miss the discussions we always had about Detroit.
Every year at Christmas now I think about Christmas 8 years ago when I nearly died with my wife, child and in-laws. I share this every year over on the Bird Site and will share it here now.
Oh yeah? Did not notice. I wonder when that happened.
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) That, however, will come, perhaps for New Year's instead. But this won't be the worst Christmas I've experienced, and I'll still be thankful for friends, such as my mechanic buddy, the boys at "Beer 'n' BS" that meet weekly, the neighbour who shovels my snow, the gang at the race book, and so many more; and naturally, all of you here in the Canada forum of C-D.
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