1 post tagged “ymmv”

Fend-Bend

My car is nearing it's 30,000 mile maintenance check up.  There is a dealership nearby in Tustin which is very convenient, that I take it to for routine oil changes, tire rotation, and the like.  The mechanics are decent, the prices are reasonable and it's close to Costco which I ritually swing by after appointments.  I totally believe in taking care of my vehicle.  When I got into a little fender bender a couple of years ago, it pained me to see my car so....dented.  Fortunately, it was repaired in no time, and all is good as new.

My car isn't exactly the cleanest in the lot.  Most of the time, I'm too lazy to take it to the car wash.  No matter what time of year it is, taking my car to the car wash is akin to a Native American rain dance.  My car remains clean on the average of a day before rain/bird poop/leaves/tree sap/mud/sprinklers/various other crap appears on it.    As much of a neat-freak I am, I just cannot seem to keep up the same standards for my car. To my OCD bretheren, I am a failure in that respect.

The interior isn't so bad.  I do try to keep strewn trash to a minimum, which is not easy with my son, who is the Oscar to my Felix, casually tossing straw wrappers and various other confetti-type trash around.  The only thing I have in the back seat area is an outdated Thomas Guide and a random, half-empty water bottle.  In the trunk, I have a 12-pack of Diet Cherry Coke that still hasn't made it to my office, a pair of jeans I need to return to The Limited, half a dozen Marie Callendar pie tins that I meant to return (in exchange for some more yummy pie!), various other half-empty water bottles and a car duster.  Could be worse, but because I don't exactly have a lot of room in the trunk, it does appear to be just a bit crowded.

So why do I dread taking my car to the dealership, or the car wash, or anywhere anyone can see the inside of it?!  There is a stain in it.  Stay with me here.  The inside of my car is navy blue (to contrast the steel-metal blue on the outside).  The dark color typically hides stains quite well.  I rarely eat in my car, and certainly don't try especially if I have to drive at the same time!  My son eats in my car, but he knows better than to spill anything anywhere.  However, I have a penchant for Coldstone Ice Cream.

People who are familiar with Coldstone will know that THAT is ice cream!  I typically get the "gotta have it" size (translation:huge).  For awhile, my favorite was cake batter ice cream with toasted almond pieces mixed in.  (I've since been addicted to the Banana Split Decision creation!)  And I wonder why I find it hard to lose weight - BAH!!

I will drive to Coldstone, get my "gotta have it" - sized ginormous ice cream creation and carefully try to balance it on my lap as I attempt to drive home while eating/balancing/trying not to get it all over myself.  On one particularly hot day in the inland area, I was cradling my much-coveted Coldstone ice cream in its chocolate-tipped waffle bowl between my legs as I was driving.  Much, much to my chagrin, a lot of it had spilled onto my pants...and onto my car seat.  I was sad that my precious ice cream went to waste on my clothing, but what I didn't realize until much later, was how embarrassed I would be at the white stain the ice cream would leave on my car seat!

I tried water, soap and water, Oxy Clean and Resolve all to no avail.  Though not as noticable as it was at first, there is no mistake that there is a big. white-ish. stain on the SEAT of my car.    (sigh!)   If anyone has any suggestions as to what will get rid of it without discoloring the seat or drenching it entirely (I still have to drive it everywhere I go), it would  be greatly appreciated.

In the meantime, out of sheer embarrassment, I will continue to avoid direct eye contact with mechanics and car wash employees.