Nuts & Bolts

Background
Just had the timing belt replaced on car last Friday.  I learned to drive a stick shift in the last month or so.  I haven't actually been practicing for the last month though, because hubby was driving the Bug, so I'm still nervous/not comfortable yet driving the Bug.

So I'm driving to work on Monday, and I'm the first person stopped at the stop light.  The light turns green & I attempt to go (I still have issues with first gear)- I mess up the clutch/gas timing, and the car jerks, sputters, and dies.  I start it again  & start to let off the clutch.  The car makes this awful grinding clunky noise, and I am completely freaked out- I am now in the middle of the darn intersection, people behind me are impatient, the car won't move (I tried all the gears-nothing) & now the light for cross traffic is green.

After sitting in the middle of the intersection for a few minutes, a lady approaches & offers to help me push the car into a nearby parking lot.  That goes smoothly as other drivers are gracious & let us switch lanes without hassle- and truly, people were pretty nice throughout the whole incident; I don't even think I got honked at.

I call hubby, who's in dm, to ask him to call brother-N while I find the number for work to let them know I'll be late.  I'm supposed to be taking three tests at 8:30am, and it's 8:00 & I have no clue when I'll be there.  I then talk to brother-N & he thinks he knows what the problem.  We either have to get the car on a trailer or have it towed.  I decide on the trailer option as it is less expensive.  Only issue is the trailer is further away & brother-N needs to get his pickup to pull it, so it will take a while for him to get things together. I then enlist dad to help get the bug on the trailer.  He shows up soon, then brother-N, & we commence loading.

It seems like it should be fairly simple.  The bug is little & not too heavy for a couple people to push.  It looks like it will go on without a hitch.  Oh no, that's just not how this day was going.  We checked clearance to ensure we wouldn't break anything (rolled car slowly up to trailer), then backed up & got a running start.  Turns out it didn't clear- we were looking at the driver's side when we checked; the plastic piece that holds the running lights broke on the passenger side.  It's always something.

So we get everything loaded & it's now ten o'clock, ten thirty before I get to work, and I still have three tests to take!  What an exciting morning :)