Crud-Bucket Car

Well, well. Finally I can say that a lot has happened! Happy fourth of July!

Nidhal had a birthday, and we went out to Real Seafood Company. A lot of restaurants in Ann Arbor give the birthday-person a free meal, and so we picked this one to try. Nidhal loved his fish and I enjoyed my steak. But the best part was that after the fish, steak, cheesecake, and coconut cream pie, we only had to pay $35 instead of $75.

This weekend, we were up in Au Gres with big plans including seeing people, going kayaking, going swimming, going putt-putting, walking around East Tawas, and maybe going to the state park. Our car is a piece of junk now, and before we could do anything, we had to take it in to the shop to get another thing fixed on Friday. On Saturday, I had to hitch a ride to Leslie's bridal shower (which was nice!) and then the plan was to go kayaking and swimming. Well, we got to Tawas, pulled into a restaurant for lunch, got out of the car, and saw that there was a trial of fluids behind the car. Lovely. After consulting the father, it seemed like the radiator fluid had just overflown, and so we ate lunch with few worries. Before we left the restaurant, we topped off the radiator fluid and then we went on our merry way. ...For about a quarter of a mile. Our car was rapidly overheating and we had to pull into the nearest parking lot. Once again my father was consulted, and this ended in us getting a ride from my uncle while the car was towed back to the shop. Our plans were shot to pieces. But then my uncle and cousin mentioned they were planning to go to the races and invited us along. It was a fun time and an interesting experience! Then on Sunday, we wanted to do the things that we hadn't done the day before (we had borrowed a car), but it was cloudy and threatening rain when we woke up. Nidhal chose to scrap the kayaking for the weekend, but we were able to go swimming and then go putt-putting (there were 4 holes-in-one between us!). While buying delicious chocolates and getting pizza in East Tawas, we were caught in a crazy downpour, and then we went home and enjoyed a couple movies and some ice cream. On Monday, we got our car back and it worked as good as could be expected, and of course, half of the journey home was in a downpour and lit-up by the sky-to-ground lightning. But we're home now, safe and sound, and I can finally use the internet again!