Batteries Not Included

After the long and exhausting day yesterday I didn't make my 11 o'clock lecture this morning but never mind, I can catch up with it later and apart from the lecture I missed after my brain turned to mush last week - which was entirely accidental - this is the only lecture I have missed this semester. When you compare this with the track record from the last couple of years I think that's pretty good.

I had planned to go and give blood today but never quite got round to it, I wasn't feeling brilliant anyway so it probably wasn't such a good idea regardless. I did however, manage to get my car sorted which was the primary aim and concern for today as I am going home tomorrow and without a working car, I won't be getting very far at all. After phoning Halfords to confirm that they could fit me in to fit the battery, the woman assured me that they would be able to do so but only after 5pm because they were short staffed. I can imagine that for most people, after 5pm is more convenient than in the middle of the day and it didn't really matter to me when they came.

The repair truck came out to jump start the car so that I could drive it down to Halfords and tried to convince me to buy a battery from him instead although when I told him how much Halfords were charging, his reaction gave the impression that he would be charging a little bit more than that for a lesser product - assuming the Halfords calcium batteries are indeed better than their lead acid based counterparts. If they aren't then I've been conned but with a bit of luck they will be able to withstand the long periods between use a bit better than the old battery did. When I got there however, the guys told me that they don't fit Corsa batteries because they are a pain to fit without removing the annoying plastic trim and the wipers. This is indeed very true and the last time I changed the battery, it took me and my mum about six hours although that included snapping a chunk of plastic and losing the screws in the bottom of the car on several occasions.

I was preparing to give them an earful because I was fairly sure that the car wouldn't start again to get me home and I had been told that it could be done and the other garages would have likely closed by now. I managed to convince the guy to just have a look at it after explaining that I managed to change it myself last time and he did so and proceeded to attempt to remove the old battery. I think he was sort of looking forward to the challenge although he was understandably nervous about snapping the plastic trim as it would be him who had to pay for it. Not wanting him to give up, I offered to hold the plastic up myself so that any damage would then be my fault. I knew it was stronger and more flexible than it looked after my experience with it last time and after one of the grill holes snapped it moved just far enough to get the battery out. It isn't anything important and I am am really desperate I expect some super glue will fix it with very little fuss. Fifteen minutes later and the new battery was fitted along with a warning from the guy not to come back here if it breaks within the warranty period.

A bit of a strange comment, but I didn't mind because hopefully it won't have to go back again *touch wood*.