Things fell apart from there.

On my drive home to San Francisco, I noticed an indicator light all lit up on my dashboard. I'd never seen the light before and, since the car is from Germany, everything's in German and I didn't know what the hell "L" meant. My car seemed to be running okay, so I took it to mean that it might be a short circuit. So I ignored it.

Closer to San Francisco, I noticed I was losing power going up hills. At that point, I was only 20 miles or so from San Francisco and the weather was pretty fierce, so I bit the bullet and continued home.

Just as I was approaching the Golden Gate Bridge, I noticed my dashboard lights dimming at an alarming speed. That's when it occured to me that the culprit was most likely a dead alternator. Soon after, the stereo gave out and the windshield wipers slowed to a near halt (good thing I had Rain-X'd my windows the day before and didn't need them).

I could barely roll down my window at the toll booth (I actually had to yank it down with my hands). I continued on, knowing that at any moment I may be stranded.

My car finally died at the most dangerous location possible in San Francisco: on a busy multi-lane street going around a bend in Golden Gate Park, with no shoulders or street lights. I panicked, called M, and got out of the car to wave cars around my dead, dark car. It was so scary that I was shaking and crying by the time M arrived.

He helped me push my car up onto the curb, then jumped it. We were only 10 blocks or so from home, so he followed me on back streets in case it died again. It did. So he jumped it again and I barely made it home and into the garage.

M took it into Kragen yesterday to be tested and, sure enough, it's the alternator.

We ordered the part but part of me wonders if I should simply forego being the owner of a vintage collector car and purchase a newer model cute and sporty Jetta or Passat. I'm so torn, though. I love my car with a passion.

On the other hand, I'm tired of dealing with one part failure or another, especially when I'm not a mechanic.

So I'm deliberating the possibility of a new car and, in the meantime, have been looking up Jetta and Passat prices on Craigslist.

Then yesterday, the icing on the cake, I was bedridden with sinus troubles: severely congested sinuses and a throbbing headache.

The Christmas season drives me mad. I have a ton of things to do and not enough time to do them. Case in point:

1) Write and mail thank you cards

2) Return several wedding gifts

3) Write and mail Christmas cards

4) Finish Christmas shopping

5) Design a scrapbook page entry for my grandpa, who recently turned 80. It's due Christmas.

But I'm tired! I just want to relax... and sleep. Sleep sounds divine.