I went on Saturday to service my car as it was due. Also I had a long day of driving on Sunday with family in the car. I blew 500 bucks changing bits and pieces that were totally out of lifespan. And drove home after an exhausting Saturday.
On Sunday morning as I started on my journey at 6:45am, as I put my Charles into reverse, I said a little prayer to the Good Lord asking that He keep me and my passengers safe in the long drive ahead. Although freshly serviced, I still felt Charles was not at optimum performance and I couldn't place what it was. So asking God to keep watch over us, I put my faith in Charles to get us where we were heading to first and all through the journey.
On the way up, I discovered that everytime I braked, I heard a long whistling like sound ... soft at first but grew persistent over day. I'd just spent 150 on new brake pads, so I was a little perturbed. I looked at my sister beside me - she was asleep. Mom and Ping were also asleep ... so I keep at a constant speed, minimising braking as much as I could given Malaysian roads and drivers.
I noted if I hit anything about 120km/h, Charles started to shake like crazy. I also noted that the front part of the car seemed to pull left and the back part of the car despite best efforts kept pulling to the right - it seemed like my alignment was still a problem despite having looked into that as well on Saturday.
Radio was on, I tried to keep from thinking of terrible things happening to us on the road. We got where we were heading to parked attended to what was required. Walking back to the car ironically the straps on both strappy heels that I wore snapped in exactly the same place - I just took it calmly - luckily I had spare shoes in the car for another function later.
We start back driving. By this time everyone made aware that Charles is not well. He has some problem either with the tyres or the brake. I can't tell. And it starts to rain on the highway. Some 280kms of driving ahead in rain and wet roads with Charles under the weather. I silently said "God, get us home safe Lord. I trust in your hands".
I did have to make one stop, when the sound was so loud and the rattling so bad I thought I'd gotten a flat - walking around checking the car showed no flat and nothing looked out of place. So we start driving again.
We got to an uncle's place where we were going to change for the wedding of a childhood friend. I went into shower, turned on the faucet and next thing I knew faucet was in my hand and water was spraying like crazy everywhere - needless to say a body wash became drenched me. **SIGH**
Managed to get that sorted out. Showered, rushed about dressing, drying my hair and getting everyone to church on time. The wedding was beautiful. And then the heavens opened up and it rained so hard on everyone - I got drenched again in Showers of Blessing *grin* ... I just looked up heavenward and shook my head - God does have an odd sense of humour.
Mom, sis and me got home alright. But we decided that for Monday I would take mom's car to work and she would take mine into the mechanics in the afternoon.
I've had about 4 calls from the mechanic in the course of the afternoon. He's changed the brake pads again FOC. Checked the alignment. Checked the funny squeaky sounds when I turn feels like my steering wheel might come out into my hand. Checked why when I brake there's a whistling sound and why the car pulls to the right and left ...
And then he tells me, that my brake pump for the rear left is busted. And he's going to have to change that as well. Aha!! No wonder when I braked, the tyres seemed to be doing their own thing and when I accelerate the rear left tyre seems to not be moving like the rest ... I guess if you spend as much time in Charles as I do, you begin to sense even the tiniest of performance differences.
The mechanic tells me I am lucky nothing happened to us on the road yesterday. I say indeed so. He is feeling guilty that he didn't do a perfect job for me and is going over the car with a fine tooth comb. Charles is left in the workshop tonight. Mom's car is going to be with me again tomorrow. Kids might have to skip school due to no transportation to pick them up. Hope Charles is all better when he comes out.
Mechanic even drives mom home since she has not car to get home now. I put the phone down. I look outside my window after the rain has stopped. The sun is out again awaiting sunset ... and I think to myself, the hand of God invisible to the naked human eye was most certainly guiding Charles home to safety.
Even when I tempted faith an pushed down on the accelerator up to 160km/h, God kept me and my loved ones safe as we hurtled home in a cold rainy evening. God is Good and Great. He reminds me that even in my lowest of times, He remains my strength and my courage.
Things and times might be bad, but I am glad I am alive. Painting my canvas the best I can.
How about you??
On Sunday morning as I started on my journey at 6:45am, as I put my Charles into reverse, I said a little prayer to the Good Lord asking that He keep me and my passengers safe in the long drive ahead. Although freshly serviced, I still felt Charles was not at optimum performance and I couldn't place what it was. So asking God to keep watch over us, I put my faith in Charles to get us where we were heading to first and all through the journey.
On the way up, I discovered that everytime I braked, I heard a long whistling like sound ... soft at first but grew persistent over day. I'd just spent 150 on new brake pads, so I was a little perturbed. I looked at my sister beside me - she was asleep. Mom and Ping were also asleep ... so I keep at a constant speed, minimising braking as much as I could given Malaysian roads and drivers.
I noted if I hit anything about 120km/h, Charles started to shake like crazy. I also noted that the front part of the car seemed to pull left and the back part of the car despite best efforts kept pulling to the right - it seemed like my alignment was still a problem despite having looked into that as well on Saturday.
Radio was on, I tried to keep from thinking of terrible things happening to us on the road. We got where we were heading to parked attended to what was required. Walking back to the car ironically the straps on both strappy heels that I wore snapped in exactly the same place - I just took it calmly - luckily I had spare shoes in the car for another function later.
We start back driving. By this time everyone made aware that Charles is not well. He has some problem either with the tyres or the brake. I can't tell. And it starts to rain on the highway. Some 280kms of driving ahead in rain and wet roads with Charles under the weather. I silently said "God, get us home safe Lord. I trust in your hands".
I did have to make one stop, when the sound was so loud and the rattling so bad I thought I'd gotten a flat - walking around checking the car showed no flat and nothing looked out of place. So we start driving again.
We got to an uncle's place where we were going to change for the wedding of a childhood friend. I went into shower, turned on the faucet and next thing I knew faucet was in my hand and water was spraying like crazy everywhere - needless to say a body wash became drenched me. **SIGH**
Managed to get that sorted out. Showered, rushed about dressing, drying my hair and getting everyone to church on time. The wedding was beautiful. And then the heavens opened up and it rained so hard on everyone - I got drenched again in Showers of Blessing *grin* ... I just looked up heavenward and shook my head - God does have an odd sense of humour.
Mom, sis and me got home alright. But we decided that for Monday I would take mom's car to work and she would take mine into the mechanics in the afternoon.
I've had about 4 calls from the mechanic in the course of the afternoon. He's changed the brake pads again FOC. Checked the alignment. Checked the funny squeaky sounds when I turn feels like my steering wheel might come out into my hand. Checked why when I brake there's a whistling sound and why the car pulls to the right and left ...
And then he tells me, that my brake pump for the rear left is busted. And he's going to have to change that as well. Aha!! No wonder when I braked, the tyres seemed to be doing their own thing and when I accelerate the rear left tyre seems to not be moving like the rest ... I guess if you spend as much time in Charles as I do, you begin to sense even the tiniest of performance differences.
The mechanic tells me I am lucky nothing happened to us on the road yesterday. I say indeed so. He is feeling guilty that he didn't do a perfect job for me and is going over the car with a fine tooth comb. Charles is left in the workshop tonight. Mom's car is going to be with me again tomorrow. Kids might have to skip school due to no transportation to pick them up. Hope Charles is all better when he comes out.
Mechanic even drives mom home since she has not car to get home now. I put the phone down. I look outside my window after the rain has stopped. The sun is out again awaiting sunset ... and I think to myself, the hand of God invisible to the naked human eye was most certainly guiding Charles home to safety.
Even when I tempted faith an pushed down on the accelerator up to 160km/h, God kept me and my loved ones safe as we hurtled home in a cold rainy evening. God is Good and Great. He reminds me that even in my lowest of times, He remains my strength and my courage.
Things and times might be bad, but I am glad I am alive. Painting my canvas the best I can.
How about you??
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