Worst. Weekend. Ever.

I don't want to use this space to write out bitching sessions, but the events that came to pass this weekend have to be recorded so that I can look back on them later and laugh. Probably after I get this month's credit card bill paid at the earliest. Last weekend started off well enough with a happy hour Friday night with some coworkers and hanging out with some people I haven't seen in quite some time.

I went to an event Saturday night north of downtown St. Paul to take pictures for campaign literature. I asked to borrow my moms car as my Saturn was not running so well and I knew wouldn't make it. Drive to the event, do my thing and head out to leave. I stick the key in the ignition and it wouldn't turn. I realised I had stuck the key to my Saturn into the Mazda ignition. An hour later and the key still hadn't come out. It was well stuck in there.

So... WTF?! I get picked up and head to dinner to think about what we can do and to make arrangements to get this situation sorted (wrong key stuck in ignition, gear shift locked in park, steering column locked) so my mom has a car to drive come Monday morning. I google and find a board with someone asking about what to do when his wife stuck her Saturn car key into his Mazda tribute (ding ding ding!!!). Of course, there was no reply and the Internets didn't turn up much else.

My mom and I went back Sunday morning with tools and a few ideas (and a AAA card) to try getting this key out. I used some pliers, a screwdriver, pulled some fuses, disconnected the battery. Nothing worked. A couple hours later we were heading home in a borrowed car while the Mazda was being towed to a dealer in White Bear Lake. Forgot to mention - the AAA tow truck driver snapped my only key off in the ignition, so now my car sits locked on the street at my mom's house with snow in the forecast. Dealers of course aren't open Sunday. I continue borrowing this car while the car's owner carpools. I stay at my moms, get up early to drive her to work, then drive myself to work (for the first time I have worked at HGA this go-round!). Work, pick my mom up, drive to WBL, where the Mazda remains in disrepair, acquire a loaner, drive back to Bloominghood, get clothes, supplies and bicycle and go to lovely girlfriend's apartment in mpls so we can both get to work in the morning.

Today, the correct parts arrive at the dealer and hundreds of dollars later it's fixed. Well goody, the Saturn is still immobile. I get a lift in the newly repaired car to the Saturn dealer, title in hand, and have keys cut from the VIN. $15. That is about the only good thing that has come out of this weekend! I think (pray, hope) this chapter has closed.

But let's go back to before the beginning. Saturday afternoon. The Saturn was still sitting at the train station from the previous day. I had a flat front tire on my bike so walked to the bike store, bought a few spare tubes for my bikes and fixed my flat. I ride to the station to get my bike when I notice I have another flat tire. Shove bike in the car, drive home, inspect wheel, discover piece of glass on the inside of bike tire. Damnit! No time to re-do the flat as I have to go render two cars useless by sticking the wrong key in the ignition!

Fast forward through the bullshit to Sunday where I have to take care of the domestics and have a bit of time to kill (waiting for laundry, etc.) so I work on the flat front tire. Swapped tubes, started pumping, pump, pump.... BOOM! goes the tube. Sigh. 3 flats and 2 useless cars in a matter of days.

Everything I touched I destroyed. Had I known this about myself I could have had a key position in the Bush administration.