The Car Service

Yesterday Pam and I had our cars booked in at Kmart Tyre & Auto at Carousel Shopping Centre. We dropped the cars off at about 7.50am and headed to McDonalds for brekkie. Karen was with us as she is visiting Perth from Melbourne and had spent the night at Pam's place.
When I dropped the car off I mentioned the battery probably needed replacing as I had noticed the cars ability to turn over was lagging. This isn't helped that I tend to drive the car on weekends as I catch the bus to work.
I got the call from the garage pretty early and the news was not good. I needed the following done including the major service:
2 new front tyres (the ones on it were so bad the guy said I couldn't leave without replacing them. Apparently down to a metal part????)
Serpentine belt (this drives everything including power steering, air con)
Rear brakes
Battery
3 lights (park and brake lights)

Total cost $850!!!! Holy smoke, I had not prepared for this or even saved that much for it. I had about $600 put away thinking that would be plenty. I felt like crying in the middle of Target, but kept it together. I told the guy to go ahead and do it all and I would work out the money part ....... somehow? Pam came to my rescue and I now owe her.
The shopping continued but I had lost a lot of gusto. Got my leggings and 2 bras as planned. Saved a heap in Myers (the bras cost me $68 instead of $100 - BARGAIN!) and even bought a birthday pressie for mum even tho her birthday is in mid June. Pam did some mean shopping too, including a fantastic Jamie Oliver saucepan.
Pam got the car phone call later and it was not good news either, but better than mine. Hers was $500 and included rear brakes like me.
We stopped for a cuppa and a recharge. Unbelievably Vanessa Mansford sat at the table next to us. I haven't seen her for about 4 years, but Karen and Pam hadn't seen her since high school. That is 19 years ago!!!!!!! We had a lovely chat and catch up about who we were still in touch with and what people were up to.
We shopped more and eventually picked up the cars at 2.00pm. I was told that I needed about another $500 worth of work and Pam was told about $1800 (this includes air con for $1,000), so that was depressing.
We dropped Karen off at her dads place and then Pam and I stopped in at the Vic Park shops to check out some tops in Jeans West. Amusingly we purchased the 2 exact same tops, heading to Coles for bread and Liquorland for a 6 pack of wine each. Finally got home at about 4.00pm and I was knacked and broke.