My Tuscany life

I admit,  I'm a hopeless romantic--especially when it comes to sappy chic flicks (Under the Tuscan Sun).  And flowers.  And surprise dates (hint hint).  My dream world is that movie --girl bikes to grocery, warm breeze blows her hair, comes home to her Italian fixer-upper complete with tall, dark & handsome boyfriend. I don't even remember what the movie is really about --but for the past 5 weeks and 6 more to come,  I've been living that Tuscany life.  I don't have the boyfriend or the Italian house; and I'm not living in Tuscany....  BUT, I do have my bike and a breeze blowing through my (helmet) hair! 

My Tuscany story requires a little background:  Over the course of 15 months, we managed to pour over $14K into repairing our beater cars.  By the time summer started, my Audi was no longer highway-safe, so we plunged into the new car world, which in Germany, means, "wait a few months while we build it for you."  Mike's car arrived 8 weeks after we ordered it; we parked my beater and I was to drive his just repaired (to the tune of another€1200) Audi A4 until the November arrival of my new car.

Perhaps the blog title my Tuscany life is misleading:  It should be titled "a dismal day with Audi" or "delayed gratification = more car repairs" or even better, "how to help your mechanic make a killing repairing old, beater cars again."

My day started out innocently enough.  Mike headed out on tour for a week, leaving his new BMW at work for me to pick up later.  The boys headed off to day #2 of school.  And I, in my "back-to-school-freedom-mode" scheduled a massage at a location about 35 minutes from home.  My day looked so perfect:  massage, PTSO meeting, make a snack for the boys, head to golf, ballet and then home for the night.  

It's funny how a perfectly good day can be ruined in a matter of moments!  As I entered the construction zone on the Autobahn, that old, bless-ed A4 decided to lose power.  All of its power.  I came to a grinding halt about 10 construction cones into the zone.  With no real shoulder. And lots of construction and traffic.                                                                                                                                                        What commenced next was a plethora of cursing, tears and fear: I was blocking part of the lane and couldn't get out of the car since the traffic entering the construction zone was speeding by a gazillion kilometers an hour!!! My tearful, panicked call to Mike (who was happily and quietly riding the bus to Slovakia) turned into much more drama than you need to read.  

Next step, call ADAC: however, when German roadside assistance answers, they spew out a host of information in German! (well, duh, what was I thinking??!!)  Normally, I could listen and follow the German directions.  However, in my turmoil, I was not processing ANYTHING they said. After several attempts, I finally reached an English speaking person:

                            1.  Get out of the car

                            2.  Put out the appropriate safety cones

                            3.  Walk about 500m to the next blue sign (road marker) so I can locate you.

Ok, Mr. ADAC, I'm in a construction zone in the infamous K-town area, there is NO shoulder, and what is left of it is weeds up to my eyeballs.  There are no blue signs anywhere.  The traffic is crazy. And I have to pee. Really bad.

"Well, ma'am.  We have no idea where you are."  "Really?  Are you kidding?  Everyone knows this spot.  I'm the reason everyone is calling the radio station to report the traffic!"  And then it dawned on me.  This guy is at a call center somewhere in the middle of India.  Crap.  I have to find the blue sign. Upon turning around to walk the other way, I spy a blue sign across the autobahn.  Bingo!  Mr. ADAC is pleased to have located me!  Someone will be there to help in about an hour.

So, I made a little place to sit using the grocery bags from my car; grabbed my phone; some wet wipes and waited.  (And I found a somewhat secluded place to pee, although I suggest not using cold wet wipes in those places.)

Soon enough Mr ADAC came to my rescue:  he got in and started the car.  No kidding!  It started right up.  Gah!  He said he'd follow me to the mechanic and good thing because I went about 20 feet and the car died again.   Mr. ADAC, in his little Ford Fiesta-like car, got out his trusty little bungee cable and gave me towing instructions:                                                            1) brake only when his lights go on, 2) the steering will be much harder. 

Great. So now I'm being "rope towed" by this little car down the autobahn with cars whizzing past me and we're going downhill and I'm not supposed to brake?!  I thought I'd never be so scared.  

Upon arriving at the mechanic (a grueling 30 minute rope tow, btw) I burst into tears, clearly making all the German men around me incredibly uncomfortable --they offered me chocolate and beer!  

                Marcus's diagnostic:  the ONLY piece of engine not replaced to date was finally broken:  €2300 Engine fuel pump.  I begged him to please take the car to the junk yard.  Instead, he made a phone call and sold both of our Audi's to another mechanic for €500.

And, so, now I ride my bicycle!  It's only 30 minutes to the bakery/grocery.  I've picked berries and apples on the bike path; smelled the coming of autumn; spit out a few bugs, enjoyed the wind in my (helmet) hair and although it's not Tuscany, it's my life and I think I'll just enjoy it!

(6 weeks and counting to the new car...but I think I'll still love my bike-life...until the snow comes.) 

Mike's BMW happy face