Oh ... Well, Carry On

When things don't work properly, need updating, or just bother me, I tend to ignore them.

In an OCD, complain but don't do anything to fix the problem, sort of way. 

If a fly is buzzing around my head I swat it away with my hand, over and over again.  Standing up, finding the fly swatter, then chasing the little bugger around the house is just too much work.

When my computer tells me to update an application, I ignore it.  Until I can no longer open PDF files and I'm grumbling at Hubby.

Several years ago my car was having trouble starting.  Not trouble starting, but the key was being difficult in the ignition, like it was resisting to turn.  I ignored it; until I jumped in my car, after dropping off a kid at preschool, and the key refused to turn in the ignition.  Not a problem, I opened my car manual, read how to bypass this interesting new development, and went on my merry way.

I should note that this was a Friday.  The very weekend our church's Ladies Tea was being held, the one I was organizing.  Non-starting cars would not deter me this weekend.  Thankfully, I did take a minute to call our garage and ask if this was something I should worry about.  It occurred to me that I needed my van all weekend, and it breaking down on the way to our church, with a van load of decorations and food, would cause me to emotionally break down.  Our friendly mechanic informed me that this was a fail safe in the car, and it usually happens when the back break light bulbs blow out.

"Oh, so nothing will break down on me.  The car is still drivable, right?"  No, I did not say that to the mechanic, but I did think it.  Thankfully, common sense prevailed before it tumbled out into the mechanic's ears.  The garage was able to get the part by the afternoon, and I went in for the quick fix.

Last year, around April, the break light on my dashboard began to flicker, the one that turns on when the emergency break is engaged.  It began to flicker while I was driving, but the break was not engaged.  The flickering was so sporadic that I just ignored it, and made a mental note to check the hand book.

Well, it was a mental note, which means it wasn't until July that I checked the hand book.  We were driving to my parent's house, on a major highway, during a holiday weekend.  Hubby was driving, and had noticed the flickering light.  Up to this point I also forgot to mention it to him.  Did I mention that it was sporadic flickering; however, the flickering had become more noticeable. Since I was sitting in the passenger seat, not a normal occurrence in  my car, I pulled out the handbook and looked up "Emergency Break Light".  

This is what it said:

If the indicator remains lit after you have fully released the parking break while the engine is running or if it comes on while driving, it can indicate a problem in the brake system.  

OK, I was fairly certain that, due to the sporadic nature of its flickering, it was most likely a sensor issue, not a breaking issue.  However, when you are hurtling down a heavily traveled highway at 70 miles an hour the last thing you may want to read about is the possibility of failing breaks. 

The issue is now fixed, no more light, and it was a sensor issue.  However, after my father reads this he will most likely shrug his shoulders and thank the good Lord above that I am now my husband's problem, no longer his.