What comes around....

…goes around.

Last year I had some work done on my Chevy – my baby. I do love that car – the first one I ever bought brand new all by myself. He’s 9 years old and needs some love but running pretty well and a still very shiny Metallic Cayenne.

So last year I had some work done on my Chevy at a great shop in the Vienna area – Schmidt’s Exxon. They’ve taken care of me and my baby for going on 7 years now.

So when I had the work done last year on my Chevy, one of the mechanics was a huge help - Jeremy – he squeezed my car into a busy work queue and Baby was back on the road in a couple of hours – this was much faster than I expected and Jeremy even cut me a little break on the price. I can’t remember exactly what we talked about (outside the car talk) but as a thank you, I gave him a gift card to Circuit City (right next door). He said he couldn’t take a tip but I remember telling him it was a thank you gift for him, not a tip.

And time goes on…

La la la….

In the last few months I’ve dealt with some financial set backs – not huge ones, just stuff you don’t really plan for (water heater, blown out tire, medical bill from the Gall bladder drama that insurance is deciding not to cover) so I’ve been very thrifty. Just this morning, I was tickled to find $347 in my mad money account (previously cleaned out for Christmas and bills). – funds saved from not going to Starbucks, or McD’s or using the vending machine or not ordering Chinese food or buying Ben and Jerry’s. This is stash has many purposes – currently it’s for some mad money to spend in Chicago next month and to finance my charity bike ride in California (plane tickets, hotel, shipping of the bike). $347 in 2 months is not bad at all.

Today Baby had to go in for his inspection and for a few minor upkeep things (his blinker was not blinking).

1:14 PM today - Baby is leaking brake fluid badly. POOR Baby! what a minute... poor mad money account...

“Uh oh, ok, how much, Jeremy?”

“ About $280 parts and labor, plus 16 for inspection and about $24 for 3 bulbs”

“Grand total of…”

“…$320”

UGH I said to myself

“ok, Baby needs it, thanks J!”

3:37 PM today - Jeremy called

“He's all done and the grand total is $238”

“WOW, Jeremy, that is so nice, you didn’t have to do that”

“I wanted to, I remember how nice you were and the gift card, so, this is a thank you gift for you”

[tear in my eye b/c I'm squishy and emotional like that]

=)

And no, mom, he’s not single