check it: this is my 700th post. I have been blahgging since 2004, but I have buh-leted some things that, in retrospect, were just too personal. Also, I deleted a lot of stuff from before I was divorced. A different Heather, you know.

So, Monday, my buddy and I were coming back from a beer run. We were pretty close to the house, when suddenly, there was a loud *pop*!

"Holy shit, did I run over something?", I asked my navigator.

"No, I don't see anything in the road."

"Then what the hell just happened?"

"I think you just had a blowout."

"Crap. What should I do? Should I turn around and head for a tire shop?"

"Just coast slowly & straight & park it in front of your house." (did I mention yet that we were mere blocks from the house when this all went down?)

So, I pull up, under the tree across the street, so the car will be in the shade. We decided to go inside, and deal with the problem later. So, we go in. Another friend of ours was here, at the house, waiting for us and the beers. My navigator is supersmart and our other friend is brawny. So, the two of them headed outside to take my flat off and replace it with the spare. They get all the lug nuts off. This is no easy task on a Vee Dub. The tire won't budge. Two hours they spent outside, fussing with this stupid tire. And nothing.

The tire that popped is one I had replaced (with a used tire) not a month ago. I figure that the tire shop is the best option. They put it on there, they should be able to get it off.

I decided to walk to the tire shop. It was a beautiful day. It's about a mile, so it's no great task. I figure I'll go, pay one of the dudes a little extra to come back with me, and bing bang boom, problem solved. So, I get to the tire shop. I go in and explain the issue. I ask if one of the dudes can come back with me, and handle the issue. Guy at the tire shop tells me that for insurance purposes, they're not allowed to do that. He then tells me that I should get a guy friend to get the tire off, bring it to him and he'll fix it. Uh, dude, I already tried that.

Today, I decided to try to put Fix-a-Flat in it, drive it up there and have it fixed. I get the can out of my friend's trunk. I put the whole can in. The can says that the rim should be all the way off the ground before you drive. I wait for the tire to inflate. It's then that I notice that all the Fix-a-Flat goop is not actually in my tire, but it pooling underneath it, in the street. There's a gash in my tire that is too big for this goop to handle, apparently.

So, now, I have no choice but to pay $80 to have it towed two blocks to have it fixed.

Boo. Hiss.