Riviera Maya Panel de la Quarter

Hey, I've figured out a way to spend my refunded-Mexican-Vacation funds: fix the damage to my car. Yum.

It's not new damage; you regular blog readers might remember that I side-swiped a snow bank while pulling into the parking lot at work last winter. I was on the phone with the wife while making a right turn into the lot, unfortunately cutting it too closely and rrrrrrr----iiiiii-ppppppp! Paint removed, scrapes added, problem created. Another reason not to talk on the cell phone while driving, I suppose. (This was back when the wife was recuperating from her surgery and I was distracted by my entire life and her lost uterus.) The wife immediately asked, "What WAS that?" I muttered something about a snowbank and left it at that.

Anyways, I did quite the number to the passenger side quarter panel. If my car weren't so new, I really wouldn't care; but, it's new enough that I am motivated to fix it. Besides, it's staring to rust--never a good thing when your car is newer than not and you plan on driving it into the ground.

I took the car to the body shop yesterday. I went to the one that fixed a scratch for free when I was only one week into owning my car. Incredibly, the lady who took my information owns the exact same car as I do--right down to the color. More incredibly, the guy who completed the estimate also owned that same make and color as my car, but he had the souped up model. I took this as a very good sign. I knew I had chosen the right place when the receptionist asked me if I like Spongebob (I have a Spongebob seat cover) and this led to a 10 minute discussion about Ol' Squarepants. We became best of friends when I announced I have a Spongebob and Mr. Crabs tattoos.

My moments of glowing well-being came to a screeching halt when Mr. Honda-Fixer handed me the estimate. Ouch! That'll teach me to talk on the phone and side-swipe a snowbank. One canceled Mexico vacation just about equals the cost of car repairs.

The Universe is so mean that way--money goes out as fast as it comes back in.

I can't take the car in until the end of the month, so I'll have time to save a few pennies to pay for the repairs. I am hoping this will spare me some of the vacation money so we can still have some fun during our week off when we are eating at local Mexican Restaurants every day.

The good news? There are no snowbanks in May.

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