2014 Christmas Decorations

I don't typically go all out with Christmas decorations.  I put up a tree and few little things here and there, but that's about it.  I used to put a wreath on the door, but it reminds me of when our house was broken into several years ago, so I no longer put up the wreath.

 

Justin and I bought our Christmas tree from Wal-Mart in 2003 for less than $16.00.  It's six feet tall and isn't pre-lit.  Literally, one strand of lights costs more than the entire tree.  We upgraded to LED lights last year.  I also got some ornaments from my sister last year.  For years we used inexpensive ornaments from Wal-Mart, but the ones we used last year and this year are nicer and little more polished.

For the most part, I don't include any ornaments other than the balls.  There are a few ornaments that are exceptions.

This one is one Justin bought me in December 2003.  We were in Atlanta and visited Neiman Marcus.  We wanted an ornament to commemorate our first Christmas as a married couple.

This ornament has always been in a prominent place on the tree.

The next ornament was given to us by a former coworker of Justin's.  There is a story behind this one, but I'll save it for another time.

The next one was another gift from Justin.  I'm not sure where he bought it, but it's special to me because it's from him.  The lettering is in green glitter, but it doesn't make a mess.

I also make sure to hang stockings each year.  We got our stockings in 2003, the year we were married.  Of course Pete and Annabelle have stockings, too.  I used to work at a gift shop where we monogrammed items and all of these were monogrammed by yours truly.  We don't have a mantle over our fireplace, so I usually stick the Command hooks to the brick around the fireplace.  Last year, I decided to hang them beside the refrigerator.  It's not traditional, but it's different.

The next tree was a sale item I got at Target several years ago the day after Christmas.  It's different and I like it.

I bought the little gold tree below from a coworker who was selling items as a fundraiser for her daughter's school.  It's simple and doesn't require any assembly.  I like that.

The candle and hurricane on the dining room table are also from Target.  The candle will probably be used throughout the year.  It's a flameless candle that smells a little like vanilla.  I wish it was scentless, but the fragrance is so light that I don't really notice it.  It also has a timer so it turns on and off at night.

I got these two little guys and the tree in the background from Target.  The foxes remind me of Pete and Annabelle.  They're so cute.

The Merry Christmas sign thingy came from Target (do you see a pattern here?).  I got it in the dollar section several years ago.  I don't really know what you're supposed to do with it, but I hang it on the coat closet door knob.  It works for me.

This little wreath used to hang in my cubicle at work.  The cubicle wasn't large enough for a tree, so I hung this instead.  It now adorns the door knob on a hallway closet at my home.

I really like this pillow.  I have another one just like it on the love seat.  They make me smile.  The candle holder on the garden stool is another Christmas item I look forward to seeing each year.  I think it's supposed to be outside, but I use it inside with a candle.  The candle holder and the pillows are after Christmas Target finds.  Shocked?

 

I couldn't leave the bathroom unadorned.  This linen hand towel was an item from the gift shop.  It was a sample we used in the store that I got to take home after Christmas was over.  It's green and gold, so it's actually pretty neutral.



These hand towels were monogrammed by me.  I found the plain towels in Wal-Mart one night and grabbed them.  I added the tree and name at work the next day.  Several customers saw me working on them and had to have some of their own.  The store monogrammed probably twenty or thirty of these because of my two towels.

I bet you can't guess where this snowman came from.  It's a cookie jar but it's really too small for cookies.  I could use it as a dog treat holder.  Maybe next year.  This little guy came from the dollar section in Target.  It cost a whopping $2.50.

I'm sitting here thinking about how much I don't want to take down the decorations.  I like Christmas and hate to see it go each year.  I do enjoy spring, though, so that's something special to look forward to.

Nutrisystem - Weeks 5, 6, and 7

This coming Sunday, I'll finish my seventh week on Nutrisystem.  I lost three and a half pounds during week five, a pound and a half during week six, and two and a half pounds during week 7.  That's a total of seven and a half pounds.  So far, I'm down twenty-three and a half pounds!

I've got about sixty-six pounds left to go.  I'm just over a quarter of the way there.  If I continue at this rate, I'll be at my goal weight by the second week of December.

I've cheated a few times over the last few weeks.  I feel bad afterward, but I know it's ok.  I don't go terribly overboard and I make sure I behave afterward.  I'm noticing fatty foods make me nauseous.  That's encouragement enough to not cheat.

I know the weight loss will likely slow down in a few weeks.  I'm still currently obese, so the weight is probably coming off more quickly because I have so much extra.  I've continued going to the gym, but I'm not going as frequently as I'd like.  This is our busy time at work, so I don't foresee that getting any better in the coming months.

Overall, I'm pleased with the results.  It hasn't been easy, but I'm sticking with it.  The hard work is worth it when I put on clothes and they fit.  Prior to starting Nutrisystem, my clothes were too snug.  I couldn't even button some of my jeans.  I figure I'll need some new pants after I lose about ten more pounds.  Maybe I can make my current ones work until I drop two pants sizes.  I don't want to have to buy clothes I'll wear a month or two before getting rid of them.

Nutrisystem - Weeks 3 and 4

Last Sunday, I finished my fourth week of Nutrisystem.  I lost eleven pounds those first two weeks combined, so I hoped that would continue through weeks three and four.  It didn't.  I dropped four pounds over the last two weeks.  The program says you should expect to lose one to two pounds each week after your first week, so my four pounds over two weeks is expected.  I cheated several times over the last two weeks.  When I say I cheated, I mean I really cheated.

My sister's birthday party was August 2 (Happy Birthday, Carrie!) and Justin and I went to the party at her house in South Georgia.  I had one Skinny Girl cocktail, so alcohol didn't really cause me a lot of problems.  It was the food.  I love party food and there was a plethora of party food.  I restrained myself, but I strayed from the program.  Later that night, Justin and I went out to eat with our parents, and I cheated again.  I had another cocktail (full calorie) and some additional high-calorie food.  Shame, shame.

I got back on track the next week, but cheated again on Saturday, August 9.  A friend had a birthday and we went to Loco's for dinner and drinks.  I had more than my share of cocktails.  I also had a cheeseburger with fries and some chicken wings.  That was in addition to the nachos and fried pickles on the table that I munched on.  Overall, I consumed around 2,500 calories in that one meal.  That was 2,500 calories!

I got back on track on Monday and am trying to behave this week.  I cheated a little on Tuesday (two cocktails, three chicken wings, part of a soft pretzel, and a few fried green beans).  I was invited to happy hour again tonight, but I declined and kept my appointment at the gym.

Regarding the gym, I really need to commit to going more frequently.  I went on Monday and tonight this week, which is a lot different than the zero times I went last week.  I'm noticing my recovery time is getting quicker.  That's a good thing.  The goal at OTF is to spend about thirty-five minutes in the green zone and no more than ten to twelve minutes in the orange and red zones combined.  The remainder of the time should be in the blue zone.  I always spend too much time in the orange and red zones (usually thirty-five or more minutes in those zones).  The image below is my report from tonight's workout.  I spent more time in the green zone than I usually do, so that means my body is getting more fit.  I don't normally run at the gym (I'm considered a power walker and use incline on the treadmill to push myself), but I did tonight.  I didn't feel completely exhausted when class ended tonight. 

I'm excited to see these changes.  I recorded my measurements the day before I started the program.  I measured my upper arm, chest, waist, hips, and thigh.  With the exception of my arm measurement, everything dropped by one to two inches.  We've done a lot of upper body strength training at the gym, so the arm measurement doesn't shock me.

Overall, I've lost sixteen and a half pounds, which includes a couple of pounds from this current week.  That's an average of about four pounds per week.  I'll take it!

Nutrisystem - Weeks 1 and 2

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned I was beginning the Nutrisystem program.  At that time, I had completed day 1.  I continued with the program that week and this past week.  The first week was rough.  It was rough.  I kicked-off my weight loss with Nutrisystem's Fast 5 program.  That program is designed to help you lose at least five pounds that week.  Monday through Friday, I followed the program pretty much as designed.  I was hungry for the first few days.  I was not a pleasant person for the first few days.

The Fast 5 program gives you meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  You also get two shakes - an energy shake and a craving eliminating shake.  The energy shake doesn't taste all that great.  The craving shake was actually pretty tasty.  I was also allowed to include non-starchy vegetables during that first week.

The breakfast muffins are good.  I had the banana nut muffin on day 1 and it was very good.  The cinnamon streusel muffin on day two was also very good.  They're not very large, but I think that's the point.  =)

The shakes are pretty easy to prepare.  I bought a shaker bottle since I think I may include the shakes in some capacity ongoing.  This is the energy shake.  It has a funky aftertaste that's a little odd.  They're definitely drinkable, but not something I really looked forward to.

The loaded baked potato lunch was tasty.  Again, I could have eaten four of these.  I had this entrée again yesterday and it wasn't as good.  I don't think I added enough water the second time.

This is the craving eliminating shake.  It's actually pretty good.  I enjoy this shake.

Dinner that second night was a chicken pot pie.  Something I find interesting about the dinner entrees is that they're not frozen.  They look exactly like frozen food in the package, but they're stored at room temperature.  This makes heating take no time!  Some of the entrees require you to build them.  The chicken pot pie included the veggies in the tray and the topping/pie in a separate packet.  You heat the veggies and then top with the pie piece.  As you can see, the pie was very flaky.

Justin is being supportive by eating a bagel with cream cheese in front of me.

He's so proud.  =)  He has actually been supportive.  He had a moment of weakness here.

Here is the blueberry muffin.  It is good.  I had one again this morning.  Yum.

I had chili with beans and beef one night.  It was very tasty.  I could have eaten twice this much!

More support from my hubby.  =)

The kung pao noodles lunch entrée was good.  I love pasta so the noodles were plentiful and made me happy.

The Italian flatbread pizza was tasty.  It was one I had to build.  The crust was in one package, the sauce was in a pouch, and the cheese was in another pouch.  You assemble and heat for about a minute.  The crust was a little chewy, which I like.

The lasagna didn't look terribly appetizing, but it was good.  I don't really remember if it had cheese, though.  It was very good.

I love spaghetti, so I was hoping the spaghetti with meat sauce would be delightful.  It wasn't.  It had an odd flavor.  I think it was a spice, but I'm not sure.  I could eat this again, but I likely won't order it.

Last night's dinner was macaroni and cheese with beef.  This was a lot like Hamburger Helper's Cheeseburger Macaroni.  It was yummy.  You add boiling water and let it sit for about ten minutes.  That was hard because I was hungry.  This is one I'll eat again and look forward to.

I don't know why, but I got into the habit of transferring the food from the Nutrisystem container to actual plates and bowls.  I think maybe it makes the food seem more like home cooked food that way.

Overall, I'm satisfied with the program.  I've cheated a little, but have stuck with the program for the most part.  I did cheat badly Thursday night.  I've avoided alcohol since beginning a couple of weeks ago.  I gave in on Thursday night.  I went to happy hour with some coworkers.  I did drink vodka sodas instead of my usual cosmopolitans.  The cosmos have a lot of sugar/fruit juice.  The soda water has a lot less calories.  I also ate some questionable food.  I got a chicken BLT without the bread.  That was a massive piece of chicken.  It was grilled, but still too much meat.  I ate the gouda cheese and bacon, too.  Bad, bad, bad.  I should also mention I blew off the gym to do this, too.

The first week, I went to the gym (Orange Theory Fitness) twice.  The first visit was rough.  The second one was easier.  I went once this week and was supposed to go a second time.  I'm signed up for a class on Sunday morning and another one on Monday evening.  My goal is to go at least three times per week.  More is better, but three is good.  Each class is an hour long and my heart monitor shows I burn about 600 calories each class.  I don't know how accurate that is, but I work hard, so it might be correct.

What are the results?  The Fast 5 program guarantees you'll drop five pounds.  Even with a little cheating, I dropped nine pounds that first week.  When I last weighed on Thursday morning, I am down twelve pounds total.  I've avoided weighing since then due to my cheating on Thursday.  I stuck to the program on Friday and so far today.  I'm hoping that will help make up for Thursday.

I've got seventy-eight pounds to go.  Let's do this!

Nutrisystem

I've posted in the past that I struggle with my weight.  That hasn't changed.  My current weight and BMI have me in the obese category.  There's no sugarcoating it.  I'm obese.  That statement reminds me of a Dr. Phil photo I saw a few years ago:

It's certainly not funny, but I would rather laugh about it instead of crying about it.

On the Fourth of July, I was watching television and it hit me that I have to do something about my weight.  It's out of control!  I've tried dieting before and knew that just doesn't work for me because I won't stick with it.  I knew I needed something that tells me what to eat.

A coworker had a lot of success with Medifast.  I almost signed up for it but decided I wanted to try Nutrisystem instead.  I ordered the starter kit on July 4 and eagerly waited for it arrive.  The starter kit included food for twenty-eight days plus the Fast 5 kit.  The Fast 5 kit is your first week's food and it's designed to help you drop five pounds that first week to get you motivated.

Forty pounds of food arrived in a big box on July 10:

I unpacked the box that evening and decided to begin the program on July 14.  I knew I had an event to go to on July 12 and decided starting before that date would not be wise.  I'm not going to lie - I enjoyed as much food as possible before starting on July 14.  I hit some of my favorite restaurants and enjoyed some of my favorite food.  That was probably not the best decision I've ever made, but I did it.

I've been dreading July 14, but it arrived and proceeded with my plan.  The day before, Justin and I hit the grocery store so I could grab some items to supplement the Nutrisystem meals.  Yes, that is allowed.  The night before July 14, I grabbed my meals and put them with my work bag so I could remember to take the food with me.

Breakfast was a banana nut muffin:

It was good.  I could have eaten two or three, but that wasn't an option.

Mid-morning, I had a hunger quencher shake:

It's part of the Fast 5 kit.  It was pretty good.  It had a funky aftertaste after the first few sips, but it wasn't terrible.

Lunch was a small cup of cheese tortellini with tomato sauce.  I forgot to take a photo, but it was pretty good.  Again, I could have eaten three servings.  I supplemented lunch with a salad from the cafeteria downstairs from my office.  It was basically a pile of lettuce with a few cucumber slices and tomato slices.  I topped it with a tiny cup of salsa.  I'm supposed to supplement the Fast 5 week with vegetables, so a salad seemed pretty easy.  I'm not allowed to have dressing right now but salsa is ok.  It wasn't terrible, but actual dressing is much better.

I had an energizing shake around 4:00 p.m.  It looked and tasted a lot like the shake from the morning.  Not super tasty, but not inedible either.

I was starving when I left work at 6:30 p.m.  Dinner was chicken alfredo.  I needed to incorporate more veggies, so I heated some frozen broccoli and tossed it into the entree contents.

The entree was pretty good.  The broccoli was a nice addition.  When I eat this entree in the future, I'll likely add broccoli again.  Justin even tasted a small bite and said it was good.

I ate about two hours ago and am hungry.  I've consumed less than 1,000 calories today, which is probably why I'm hungry.  I'm used to eating close to 2,000 each day.  I tried to sign up for a class at the gym this evening, but it was full.  That was a blessing in disguise.  I probably would have dropped had I tried to workout today.  I did schedule a class for Tuesday and Thursday so hopefully I'll feel up to it both days.

My goal is to lose eighty-two pounds.  That will get my BMI and weight at healthy levels.  Hopefully I can stick with this.  I've struggled today, but know I can do this.

Katherine Gets LASIK

I mentioned in this post Justin had LASIK surgery in March 2014.  I watched his surgery, which was a big deal for me.  I'm a needle phobic and really have a hard time dealing with anything medical related.

After watching Justin's surgery, I mentioned to the doctor that I may be back for my own surgery.  He said people don't typically return after watching someone else's procedure, so he would be surprised if he saw me.  Watching Justin's surgery calmed me down since it wasn't at all like what I expected.  After getting Justin to explain exactly what happened during the procedure, I scheduled an appointment for my own consultation.  I made sure this appointment coincided with Justin's two week follow-up so he could be there with me.

They took me back to do a complete eye exam.  This included staring into several machines so they could get a good look at my eyes, especially the cornea.  They also numbed my eye and checked the pressure in my eye and the thickness of my cornea.  The machine tests didn't hurt and weren't uncomfortable.  They numbed my eyes for the pressure and cornea tests, so those didn't hurt either.  Before I left, they dilated my eyes and got a really good look at the inside of each eye.

They determined I was a candidate for LASIK, so we scheduled surgery for the next week.  After checking my calendar at work, I determined I needed to reschedule for another week.  This became a little complicated due to us going on vacation, the fact that the doctor only operates one day each week, and working around Justin's and my work schedules.  We decided on April 23 as the day!

One week out, I removed my contacts for the final time.  I was kind of sad, but only because I hate wearing my glasses.  I had to stop wearing contacts for a week before the surgery, so I was rocking my glasses during that time.  I have to say, I was quite miserable during this time.  My vision was fairly bad, so my peripheral vision was non-existent in glasses.

We got up the morning of surgery and got ready to head to the doctor's office.  I had to refrain from using anything with fragrance the morning of surgery since fragrance particles can interfere with the lasers.  I was prepared because we bought fragrance-free shampoo, soap, and deodorant before Justin's surgery.  I also got fragrance-free conditioner and lotion.  I also couldn't use any lotion or make-up on my face.

This is us on the way to the appointment:

We headed to Johns Creek for my 9:30 a.m. appointment.  We arrived right at 9:30 a.m. and got checked-in.  I was still happy at this point.  Nervous, but happy.

Fast forward an hour.  I was still waiting and was getting impatient.  I just wanted it to be over.  Justin scheduled a six week follow-up appointment for the same day as my surgery.  They took him back, checked him, and sent him back out to wait with me.  It was at this time that I finally heard what was going on.  There was a problem with one of the machines.  This fancy machine is very expensive, as you would expect.  The manufacturer requires the doctor to pay a per use fee.  This is monitored by the doctor having to put a card in the machine each time it is used.  They were expecting cards to be delivered on the 22nd.  They didn't arrive.  They were to be delivered at 8:30 a.m. on the 23rd.  They didn't arrive.  They called the service technician who could override the card requirement.  He didn't arrive.  They said they didn't know when they would be able to start surgeries that day.  They asked us to head home and wait for a call from them.  As you can expect, I was disappointed.  I lashed out at Justin and the doctor's staff.  I was not happy because they didn't tell me what was going on.

We headed home and I got settled on the sofa.  About the time I got to sleep, we got the call.  We loaded up and headed back to Johns Creek.  This time, I was taken back as soon as I got there.  I signed the required forms and they put the initial drops in my eyes before sending me back for a final eye exam.  They performed all the tests again with the exception of the pressure check, the cornea thickness test, and the dilation exam.  I headed to an exam room and waited for the doctor.  During this time, I was given a Valium to help calm me.

The doctor checked me one final time before the surgery.  He explained what would happen and to just relax and let him and his staff do everything.  All I had to do was just lie on the table.  He left me in the exam room to chill while he performed a surgery.  Justin joined me while I waited, which was nice.

At the time, I couldn't really tell the Valium was having any effect on me.  I was singing and being a little obnoxious in the exam room, so I'm pretty sure something was happening.  I also kept taking photos of the equipment in the exam room.

Much to Justin's delight, they came to get me after twenty minutes.  They gave me a cap for my hair and put several numbing drops into my eyes.  I removed my glasses and walked across the hallway to the surgery suite.

I got settled on the table and they began prepping me by covering my right eye.  Before the doctor joined us, I asked the two ladies in the room to remind me of the miserable week I had in my glasses if I began panicking.  They assured me they would and one of them handed me a squeeze ball to help channel my anxiety.

The doctor joined us and the procedure began.  He put this suction ring on my left eye so the machine could make the flap.  This was the most uncomfortable and scary part of the procedure to me.  The ring holds your eye open, but it also puts pressure on your eye.  This pressure flattens your cornea so the machine can make a nice, clean cut.  Once they got the ring on my eye, they positioned me under the laser.  I remember trying really hard to blink, but the ring prevented me from blinking.  Justin said he could see on the screen that it was obvious I wanted to blink.  Once Dr. Ashraf was satisfied with everything, he pressed the button to start the laser.  The machine quickly crossed my eye and made a semi-circular cut in my cornea.  I couldn't feel a thing other than the pressure from the suction ring and the ring being pressed up against the machine.  During the cutting, the doctor counted down for me, which I liked.  This helped me know how much longer I would have that suction ring on my eye.  The ring was on my eye for about twenty or so seconds total.  The cutting took about twelve to fourteen seconds.  Once the left flap was made, they took off the ring and did the same procedure on my right eye.  After the first flap was created, I panicked a little and they had to calm me.  I kept moving my legs, so the doctor and two ladies in the room gently encouraged me to remain calm.  The ladies reminded me of the week I had to wear my glasses.  That really helped!

Once the flaps were made, they rotated the table to the correction machine.  Dr. Ashraf put a metal device in my left eye to hold it open.  He gently lifted the flap and moved it aside before positioning me under the machine.  I've heard people say they panicked when the flap was moved because they couldn't see.  I had so many drops in my eyes that my vision was blurred before that point.  The flap moving was the part I was dreading the most only because of the pin-like device he used to move the flap.  This scared me for some reason.  Oddly enough, the flap moving didn't really bother me.  Once he got me positioned under the machine, he started the correction part of the procedure.  The correction laser is a cool laser, so there is no heat involved.  What's odd about this is that the laser is removing tissue to reshape the inside of the eye, but there is a funky odor.  It smells like singed hair.  I would expect this with heat, but not a cold laser.  I was expecting the odor, so it didn't surprise me.  I made a comment to the doctor about the smell being stronger than I was expecting.  Dr. Ashraf counted down for me during this part of the procedure, too.  I really needed that.

The correction part of the surgery took about ten seconds per eye.  Once the laser finished, Dr. Ashraf put some drops in my eye and moved the flap back into place and used a little squeegee device to smooth everything.  He removed the metal device holding my eye open and I could blink again!  He repeated this process with my right eye.

After everything was back in place, I sat up and walked back to the exam room where Justin joined me.  Dr. Ashraf came in and did a quick check of my eyes to make sure everything was in place.  He liked what he saw and told me I could head home as soon as I was ready.  I grabbed my purse and Justin and I headed to the car.  Look at the relief on my face:

 

Before we left, I dropped off my glasses in a vase.

Dr. Ashraf donates these glasses to a group who is able to reuse them for people who cannot afford glasses.  I brought two pairs for him!

After getting settled on the couch, I asked Justin to play Bridesmaids for me while I kept my eyes closed.  Dr. Ashraf told me to go home and sleep for two to three hours.  He said to keep my eyes closed if I wasn't able to sleep.  I slept and woke up as Bridesmaids was going off.

I started my drop regimen which is two drops three times per day.  I do this for a week minimum, but continue until I run out of drops.  It's two weeks after the procedure and I still have drops.

We have a monthly dinner club with four friends that was scheduled for the day of my surgery.  I went there without any problems that night.  Everyone asked me if I was tired because my eyes looked exhausted and tired.  I told them about the LASIK procedure and all were surprised I was out and about.  My recovery period was much smoother than Justin's.  I think they put more numbing drops in my eyes than they did Justin's.  They didn't wear off as quickly as Justin's did, so I had very little discomfort.

That night, I put on the protective glasses provided by Dr. Ashraf.  I was to wear them to sleep and when I showered.

So pretty.  I couldn't stand them, so I took them off as I was trying to fall asleep.  I told Justin to stay on his side so he didn't accidentally touch my face while sleeping.  This worked.  I don't move much when I'm sleeping, so I wasn't concerned about touching my eyes while sleeping.  I wore the glasses in the shower the next morning, but it was hard to wash my face and hair.  When I went for my follow-up appointment that morning, I asked Dr. Ashraf about not wearing the glasses.  He said it was ok as long as I didn't touch my eyes while sleeping and didn't rub my eyes if I got shampoo in them.  I promised him I wouldn't.

Overall, I'm very satisfied with the results.  My vision has fluctuated over the last two weeks.  It got better, but I have bad days sometimes.  I have a little dryness but it's managed with over the counter drops.  I started wearing make-up again a few days ago, but not eye make-up.  I have to wait for Dr. Ashraf to tell me eye make-up is ok.  I'm also ready to head back to the gym.  I was told to avoid strenuous activity, including exercise.  I sweat a lot at the gym and I was told to not get sweat in my eyes.  That meant no gym for a while.

I go for my two week follow-up tomorrow and hope to be released to return to normal activity.  I won't be able to sky dive or scuba dive for a while, not that I was all that into those activities anyway.

Justin recorded the videos below.  He stopped recording for a second which is why there are two videos.

 

 

Audrey Gets Sick

At the end of January, my car notified me that the engine coolant was low.  I shared that with Justin and he and I looked at it once I got home.  The coolant level was very low, so we added some coolant and I contacted the dealership.

I requested a loaner, but one wasn't available, so I used their shuttle service.  The service specialist at the dealership said the shuttle doesn't run in the afternoon, so I was hoping my car would be repaired before noon so the shuttle could pick me up from my office.  At 11:20 a.m., they called and said my car was ready.  They had to order a part, but I could pick it up and drive it until the part was installed.  I asked if the shuttle could pick me up, but they said it stops at 10:00 a.m.  Well, 10:00 a.m. is different than after noon.  I was not happy.  I had to get a ride with Uber which cost me $14.00.  That's not a lot, but it's $14.00 I shouldn't have had to pay.  I got my car and told them to call me when the part arrived.

The next day, snow hit and paralyzed Atlanta for a few days.  The part managed to arrive and I made an appointment to drop off my car for the final repairs.  I got a loaner this time.  It was a white Audi Q5.  It was a slightly newer version of my car with a smaller engine.  No complaints from me!

I got my car back a day later and though all was well.  Wrong.

A few days later, my car tells me the engine coolant is low.  I am not pleased.  Justin and I were leaving the flip house, so we contacted the dealership to confirm they were open.  They quickly took my car and got me a loaner.  It was a white Audi Q5.  The woman checked and said this one was not the same one as I had a few days before.

The dealership called on Monday and said the part they replaced was defective, so they ordered a new one and installed it.  I got my car back on Tuesday and thought all was well.  Wrong ,again.

About a month later, my car told me the engine coolant level was low, again.  I was leaving the office one evening, so I stopped in the parking lot, opened my hood, and saw the coolant reservoir was nearly empty.  Katherine was not happy.  I called the dealership and let loose on the woman who answered the phone.  I felt bad afterward.  I wasn't mean, but it wasn't her fault and I feel like I took out my frustration with my vehicle on her.

The lady said they didn't have a loaner available until Friday.  It was Monday, so I would have to drive my car for three days with the engine coolant low.  I expressed my displeasure to the service representative on the phone, but said I understood she couldn't make a loaner appear.  She said she would call if they had a cancellation.  She called on Tuesday afternoon and said she could get me in on Wednesday morning.  I was happy!

I dropped off my car and the provided me with a loaner.  I figured I would get another Q5, but I was pleasantly surprised to get an Audi A6.  It had about 300 miles when I got it, so it was literally brand new.  It still smelled new, which I love!

The service representative said to be prepared to leave mine with them for several days.  I ended up keeping the loaner for a week.  The wanted to make sure they fixed the problem this time.  They replaced a part and test drove mine several times.  Once they were confident they had the problem fixed, they called and I headed to the dealership and retrieved my car.  The A6 was fun to drive and was incredibly nice, but I really missed mine.  It was nice driving a new car for a few days, but I really missed Audrey.

So far, mine has been good.  No leaks, yet.  Justin and I check the engine coolant level periodically and all seems good.