How's this for a Monday: I dragged my weary body out of bed on time to get some work done, but when I went to start the car to take off on my morning errands, I was at the same place as last night. Something was keeping the perfectly fine battery from making the engine go. The fuse David replaced last night is apparently more a symptom than the actual problem itself.

As a total mechanical retard, all I can tell you is that the little yellow fuse has now been replaced twice in two days. Before the first time yesterday, I had no lights or radio, but afterward all was well. Today, the car wouldn't start again, but the lights and radio worked, as did the power windows and (I guess) all other electrical accoutrements.

So I got Suzanne to take me on a couple of necessary errands after she got off work, and then David came by after he got off and tried to get me started so I could leave the car at the mechanic's. When that didn't work, we decided that the next best course of action would be to call the auto club again in the morning and have them either start the car or tow it.

The mechanic already knows I'm coming, and from my description he thinks he knows what the problem is. He promised to try to get to it as soon as he could, but that doesn't mean I won't be without wheels for at least another day. This is so frustrating, especially now. I have places to go, you know. If nothing else, this delays the start of my Christmas shopping.

The ironic part is that other than the transportation fiasco, this was going to be an unusually sane Monday. Even with all the disruptions and delays, I got most of my work done, and three loads of laundry besides. (Being housebound has its advantages, I guess.)