Well, I've just returned home from being at the car dealership. It was time to get the snow tires taken off (so be prepared for some snow sometime soon!) and for the regular servicing.
It's a half hour drive from my rural home into the city and ten minutes to go through town to get to the dealership. For much of that drive, I had company but we'll get to that later.
And WHAT, you might ask, does any of this have to do with peppermint patties? Good question but I'm sure you'll see the connection when it comes up.
I bought this car in 2009. I really wanted an SUV or cool like that but went for the sedan so that my mom could get into it easily. She would find it difficult climbing up into a vehicle. Unfortunately, just three months after I took possession of the car, mom broke her hip and had never walked again. Where we used to go out for lunch every week, we now just wheel down from the activity room back to her room. I love this car, don't get me wrong. It runs well and has power. Heck, I even moved four bush cord of firewood in it. It's been a great car but still.......
I've been keeping up with the regular maintenance on this car. My previous Corolla had lasted well into its 11th year so I'm hoping this one will make the grade as well. One time, as I was occupying myself with a Sudoku puzzle in the dealership waiting room, out comes the service manager, air filter in hand. "It seems," he says, "someone has been living in your car." On top of the air filter was a dead mouse. The air filter was replaced and I thought nothing more of it.
Then this past fall, I had the snow tires put on during the fall servicing. Everything went well but about two weeks later, the Check Engine light came on. Called the dealership and they could take me in right away so off I go into the city again. "Did you just fill up the gas tank?" An improperly closed gas cap is the most common cause for a Check Engine light to come on. Unfortunately, that was not the case this time.
Finally, the service manager enters the waiting room - there's that air filter again but this time there was a pile of shredded paper about six inches high sitting on the filter. I burst out laughing but the service manager is scowling. When he tells me that, if the mouse has chewed any wires, they are going to have to remove the dashboard to fix the problem, the dollar signs dancing in my head quickly stop the laughter. Fortunately, the engine light goes out and does not come on again so it looks as though the wires are safe......this time.
I'm told to start using peppermint extract - just pour some on the engine block and in the trunk. The dealership keeps some on hand just for situations like this so they apply the first dose. I leave the dealership with a car that smells like........a peppermint patty!
All winter, I am religiously putting peppermint extract on my car. Yet I never get the same impact of pepperminty-ness. Even so, the mice seem to be staying out of the car.
When the warmer weather comes, I forget to continue with the peppermint extract. The Check Engine light does not come on but there is a distinct mousy smell that fills the car whenever I turn the heater fan on. At first I think it is my new rubber boots but no, the smells develops even when I'm not wearing them.
And so we come to today.
I am already on my way into town for the servicing and tire change. About halfway there, I hear........what is that? Oh great, it's scurrying toes in the ceiling of my car. Apparently, someone has managed to make their way in between the metal roof and the fabric ceiling. There is an awful lot of activity going on up there.
I'm a little bit grumpy when I arrive at the dealership, particularly when I mention my passenger and the service guys grimace. Removal of the ceiling is probably four hours work at nearly $100 per hour.
I ask them to just go ahead with the tire change and servicing and, oh by the way, could you check the air filter again. The cabin air filter turns out to be badly contaminated and is replaced. And once again my car smells like a peppermint patty.
I ask about the extract that they are using since I can't find one that gives the same impact. They show me the bottle and it's not extract at all. An extract is alcohol based; this is an essential oil. They tell me where they get theirs and on the way home, I make a little side trip to get some for myself. I also buy a bottle of wintergreen which is said to work just as well.
I'm pretty sure I'm going to like the wintergreen more than the peppermint but what will I then call my car if she's not going to be a Peppermint Patty any more?
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