The Friday from Hell...

This is goinng to be a long post so if you don't have much time you might want to come back later or skip it altogether.

After posting yesterday morning I immediately got on the phone to the Hummer dealership and service manager where I bought the H3. He didn't give me any advice as to what I could do here to find out what the problem was and told me to call custommer service and see about getting it towed in. So off my little fingers went with the dialing. To my dismay I was told that they wouldn't tow it to the dealer where I bought it but to another one in the opposite direction. I was a bit upset and argued about the distance. It is longer mile wise to the one I bought it from but shorter time wise because of the interstates. Seems they don't look at the time but the mileage only. Then came the dilemma of having a vehicle to drive while mine is 4 hours away in a shop being cared for. The customer service people said they couldn't authorize a renter or loaner but the dealership had to do that. So I hung up and called the dealership. They said the customer service people had to authorize that. So I hung up and called customer service again. At this point I was getting really frustrated and broke down in tears with customer service. A renter was finally authorized (by the dealer) and I started trying to find a rental. Since I live at the end of the driveway from hell, I had to have a 4-wheel drive or at least All-wheel drive. Nobody in my area has one because of the rising gas costs. Again the tears started, just when I thought I had them under control. In the mean time customer service was calling a towing company to make arrangements to pick up my car.

I finally found a rental in Virginia (1 1/2 hours away) and called a friend (again in tears) to take me to it. And she did, but more on that later.

Customer service calls me back and says she can't find any one in my area to tow my car. Seems there's this shindig going on in my local town and no one wants to leave the area in case they are needed. I told her that Monday would be fine and she tried again. Then she was told that their tow trucks wouldn't make it that far to deliver my car where it needed to go. She tries some more and finally says that she found someone but they won't accept purchase orders and that I will have to pay for the tow and then send an application and hope that Hummer approves it to get reimbursed, but she can't promise anything. Tears start again. So I get out my phone book and start giving her numbers and names and after FOUR hours she has found someone to come get my sick baby. We finally set it up and then I find out that they are bringing a roll-back and there is no way it will make it up my driveway. So I have to meet him at the bottom of the mountain.

I called the friend and comfirmed where I'd be for the trip to Virginia to pick up a rental. I started the car and put it in neutral and coasted down the mountain. At least I was smart enough to take a book and lots of water with me and found some shade to park in and read until friend arrived and tow truck came.

Off we took for the rental. When we finally get there the man informs us that there is a problem. He doesn't have the keys to the rental. Someone accidently had them in their pocket and was on his way back to the other rental place an hour away. So we went to a little family restaurant and had a wonderful late lunch/early dinner of chicken livers. Back to the rental place where the car and keys awaited. After going through the walk around looking for dings and such the man informs me that it is a non-smoking vehicle. At this point the tears almost started again but I kept my cool and said nothing. No way after the day I'd had and the trip back home was I going to make it without a smoke. So I just puffed away all the way home with the window down and will carry a bottle of Febreeze with me when I return it. Oh, and the rental guy informs me that if I'm returning it in West Virginia there will be an additional drop fee and Hummer may not authorize it. They'd better!!!

On the drive home the adrenalin subsided and my body went limp and the eyes started drooping. Well, you can tell since I'm posting that I made it home safely but completely exhausted at 6:30. I came in and fed the dogs and colapsed on the couch with my book. I didn't make it outside again to get my walk in. I think that maybe the stress was enough exercise for one day. And besides exercise makes me tireder and I was afraid I'd collapse trying it.

You'd think that after getting everything taken care of yesterday that things would be better today but as I'm typing this the hands are shaking and the tears have started back. Think I will just rest today, and durn I was so looking forward to cleaning house, yea right.

Almost forgot the best part. OnStar sends me a diagnostic email every month on the H3. I haven't been near cell coverage in a couple of weeks so while it was being towed they must have gotten a signal and when I got home there was an email awaiting telling me that there were NO problems with my vehicle. Go figure.

Hope your Firday was better than mine and that your weekend will be wonderful.