This is a dumb thing I do. I get preemptively upset about some potential problem and get into all kinds of mental arguments and conflicts with imaginary people, and then the real thing is not a problem at all. I suppose it's better than the other way around...
Hung out in their waiting room for a couple hours reading Rainbows End by Vernor Vinge, which I am quite enjoying, while they figured out what part needed to be special-ordered. They'll call me when it's in, probably next week.
Driving through Golden back on 6 is when I encountered the actual problem of my day: a chuckhole several inches deep that flattened my right front tire and bent the rim when I drove through it. The road was narrowed because they're fixing the left shoulder, and I missed seeing the hole on the right edge of the road. The impact knocked both hubcaps off that side of the car, and I had to walk back about a quarter mile to pick them up; some ladies out for a walk helpfully yoo-hooed and pointed out where they'd gone flying.
The really funny thing is, it didn't bother me at all. Anticipating trouble, total stress and angst, actual trouble, meh whatever, no big deal. I couldn't even get annoyed that the road was in lousy condition, because they were right in the middle of fixing it!
So I recovered my hubcaps, got the tire changed, was pleased to discover that the spare is full-sized, and drove back to Boulder. I was going to go back to work since the repair stuff didn't take all day like I expected, but instead went to the VW dealer, verified that the bent rim was nonrepairable and that it was okay to leave the spare on, ordered a new rim (they'll also be calling me next week), decided that that was about enough for me today and came home to do laundry and take a long nap.
And despite the tire mishap and the fact that everything is delayed? I'm totally content and sooo much happier than I was yesterday...
