Last Minute Things

Shoo-wee, what a morning. Took my car in for a service this morning (that's a whole nother story itself). So rather, let me start at the beginning.

Abotu 2 weeks ago I noticed that the little "how long till your next service" indicator was saying my service was due in a few hundred kilometers. I was told when I bought the car that my car would need servicing at 20 000km and I was only approaching 15 000km. I was a little confused and concerned. So I called Citroen Northcliff and tried to speak to their Service department. I tried about 8 times over 2 days. Eventually they must've gotten tired of me and thought I should speak to someone, anyone. I ended up speaking to the woman I think arranges car-financing. She tells me she's never heard of a car only needing to be serviced at 20 000kms but I should check my service book. I did. It was more confusing than I was expecting. It said C2's need to be serviced at 30000km / 20000miles or 2 years under normal circumstances or 12000miles or 1 year under severe circumstances. Well no problem I think, clearly I don't drive excessively so I must follow the normal indications. But still I'm worried about the indicator with the incorrect details. So I continue trying to get hold of someone in the servicing department. I finally speak to someone and he assures me that C2's get serviced at 20 000kms and my indicator has probably just been set incorrectly. I should continue driving till the 20 000km mark and then bring it in for it's service and they'll reset the indicator then.

So I feel marginally better. But for some reason I'm still unsettled so on Monday after work I pop into the Citroen Northcliff's Servicing Department to make absolutely sure. The nice lady there checks my service book and says no, I urgently need to get my 1 year service (the car had last been serviced at 1500km on 18th October so was due). But I drive under normal circumstances, I don't understand. No no, apparnetly just driving in South Africa constitutes "severe" conditions - don't ask me! Now why didn't the freaking people I spoke to on the phone mention this awful annual or-clause?! But, I was informed it was okay because I have a month leeway to get this service done. Aak, you don't understand, I explain, I'm about to go away for 3 weeks, by the time I get back the month will have expired and my warranty will be affected! So I luckily managed to get it booked in today.

The Servicing Department opens at a relaxed 7:30am (they clearly don't seem to be aware that I work too!). Their driver only starts at 8am. Their driver had 2 passengers this morning. He decided to drop the other guy off first ... at UJ. And then bring me to work ... in Rivonia!?! He was also the most relaxed driver around. Needless to say I got into work far later than I was expecting!

Today is going to be a mad rush day, I can tell. I have to hand over work to people here and then collect my car and rush off to buy the plug adaptor I was going to do without - damn, forgot the camera charger has an Australian plug (that's where Varen bought it!) and requires a converter to work here ... a converter that turns into a damn 3-pronged SA plug. Hence the need for a SA > Euro plug converter because apparently you don't need one for our square 2-pronged plugs. Damn, damn. And then after all that possibly take Bell back to the vet ... all before I start packing. Aaargh. Anyhoo, gotta be at the airport by 8pm so finger's crossed.

Yesterday Varen & I had a quiet evening at home. I'd picked up Bell at the vet in the afternoon and we were keeping a watchful and loving eye on her. She seemed pretty doped and dozy and we kept her in the cat box over night. I caleld the vet this morning tho cause she doesn't seem to have started eating again yet (when I left this morn) and apparently she should've so we'll check again when we get home and if she still isn't eating she'll have to go back for a few shots. Sigh. Traumatic. I had a look at her damage this morning and I can't believe how huge her wound is. I mean I suppose it's cause she's so tiny but still. I was left feeling like a horrid mommy putting her thru this. Henna's also handled it quite strangely. She thumped for the first time ever yesterday. I don't think she liked the anti-septic smell of Bell or the cat-box and she was petrified to go near it. It was kinda cute actually ... she'd sorta sneak up to it and then get scared and turn tail and run at top speed away again. Sigh. I hate to be leaving them!