Bye Bye Battery

Taken by a local Subotica, Serbia photographer

For two weeks, we've been living in a "Winter Wonderland" of sorts. Subotica's City Hall looks like a giant gingerbread house slathered in white frosting, excited children are creating igloo masterpieces in piles of snow that street sweepers have left behind, every hill has turned into an amusement park, and the people look like eskimos in their puffy jackets and fur-lined hoods.

I don't remember a time when I've seen this much snow at "home." Of course you expect several feet when you visit Mr. Hood, Aspen, or the Alps, but not when you step outside your door and try to make your way to work - or to the trash dumpster. This amount of snow just makes living a little more complicated. 

The romance of the Serbian snow quickly wore off for me as 

soon as Chris left on a business trip. 

I waved goodbye to Chris and his driver - relieved (because of the snow) that I was not the one driving him to the airport. Since I was left at home with the car, I started planning my many adventures. A trip to Belgrade, or perhaps a wine tasting at a near by vineyard, and of course I could drive to my job rather than trudge through the snow. My possibilities were endless. 

The only problem was that the snow was ENDLESS as well. 

It just kept coming . . . and coming . . . 

and coming. 

Then the worst thing happened to my "endless possibilities" - the car just stopped starting. Yup, dead battery. Awesome! It was early in the morning and I sat in the car for a few minutes trying to figure out what to do. Chris was gone, I was alone, I didn't have jumper cables, and I had forgotten if red was positive or negative . . . and of course I had to get to my job. Could I approach a stranger and ask for a jump? Would they understand my broken Serbian? Would they think I was asking them to jump ME?! Hmmmm, Chris would not like the thought of me letting a total stranger mess with the car. 

So, once again, I walked to my job in the snow. At least the snow had stopped falling and the sun was out, but it was still cold! No more snow romance for me! I was ready for the snow to go away.

By the end of the week, I had a good friend volunteer her husband's services. He jumped my car two times; once in the evening, and then again the next day when the car wouldn't start and I needed to get to the dealership. He was a pro (or rather just a man) and he knew exactly where that pesky red cable went. I didn't have to do anything other than say THANK YOU a million times. Oh course I told Chris about the car woes, and he made sure that there was a battery and an English speaking mechanic waiting for me at the Toyota dealership. Once the car was jumped a second time, I quickly drove it to the dealership, and in 10 minutes, they had replaced the battery. 

Easy-peasy. . . . 

At least that's what Chris thinks! He did not have to deal with any car drama; his little housewife took care of everything for him. Now I can add "mechanic" to my list of housewife duties and accomplishments. 

I didn't get to take advantage of my week alone with the car, but perhaps Chris will go on another trip soon, and let's just hope that the snow melts by that point!