Car Update. Ouch.

Took the car to the local brake shop. Brake shop didn't even bother getting it onto the rack before saying I'd need new brake drums to the tune of $400. I (mentally) have them the finger and called Midas. Midas said they could do it for at least $30 cheaper and perhaps more if the problem was just with one brake pad. I winced and went to the bank draw some emergency money from our home equity account, thanking God we had one for emergencies, padding it to $500 because there's always something else turning up when I take it into the shop.

That "something else" worked out to $840 worth of repairs after the shop guy showed me why one brake was worn down and the other fine. It seems the hydraulic gaskets on the right front and left rear wheels were leaking fluid, as in I drove about 600 miles last weekend picking up my mom using basically unagumented muscle power to stop my car.

This is, barely, not a disaster for us. But it means we're going to have to pay more on the interest rather than the principal, and frankly if one more expensive thing happens, we're screwed.

So, if you've been thinking about buying one of my ebooks (smashwords link for non-Kindle formats), now would be a very good time. Or just hit the Donate button on my profile page if you're so inclined.

Thank you.