The Colt is back up and running, more or less.  The official diagnosis was that it needed a new distributor cap and spark plugs (which makes sense, considering the car wasn't running in wet weather, and that they hadn't been replaced for about 4 years).  This should have been a simple fix, until my mechanic called saying, "We tried to change the distributor cap, but a bolt was frozen and we couldn't get it off.  So you need a new distributor."  The conversation I then had with the mechanic was similar to conversations we've had for the past couple years, every time something goes wrong with the car.  'How much is this going to cost?'  'Is this 'fix' worth it?' 'What else could possibly go wrong with my car?'  (To this the mechanic paused, then replied, "Well, there are a lot of parts to a car.")  I decided to get the new distributor and all the parts and labor that went along with it, and once again promised that this would be the last repair.  

That was early last week.  This week, I found that my car has been stalling in the mornings when I try to start it up.  If I let the car run for about five minutes to warm up, it drives just fine.  This isn't so bad; I have an old car, and winter mornings can get pretty cold.  Besides, this is the last winter for the Colt, and it's already nearing the end of February. Plus, at least I can now drive in the rain and snow!  And on another positive note, there was another 91' Dodge Colt at my mechanic's garage when I had my car in last week.  He mentioned the coincidence, then said that he couldn't get the 'other' Colt started, and didn't know what was wrong with it.  This made me feel better: I might have an old, troublesome car, but at least it's running.

More trouble with the Colt.  Last Tuesday I hopped in the car to go visit a friend, but didn't make it more than three blocks.  It had been raining for several days, and my car never seems to run as well in the rain as in dry weather.  This time, as I was beginning to accelerate up a small hill, the Colt started to brake lightly when I pressed the gas pedal. (I still haven't figured this out).   After a few seconds I felt the car stall out, and I coasted slowly to a stop in front of someone's driveway.  David came to my rescue and we jumped the car, and I got it back to my apartment.  I didn't try to drive it again until the weather had dried out, and things were fine on Thursday and Friday.  But then, on Saturday morning, the car wouldn't start at all (I needed to get to a testing center to take the Praxis, a reading-writing-math test that I need to pass in order to get my Counseling Certification.  This was bad timing.  Come to think of it, the Colt has always seemed to let me down at big moments. I think I need to compile a Top Ten list of places the Colt has left me stranded).   

Anyway, the car is still in my driveway.  I'm waiting for dry weather (and for the weekend to be over) so I can get it to my mechanic and have it fixed.  My fingers are crossed for an easy and cheap solution to the Colt's latest issue.

Over 195,000 miles!  People occasionally ask about the Colt's mileage, and when I tell them, they respond with- "Oh, you're so close!  You'll easily make 200,000 miles!"  And less than 5,000 miles doesn't seem like much, but I'm still pretty skeptical about the Colt's chances.  I hit 195,000 about two weeks ago, and I probably won't get to 196,000 for another couple months.  But at this point, I need to drive a little over 700 miles every month to reach 200,000 by the end of August. As things currently stand, I'm not driving nearly enough.  

I've always wanted to drive cross-country, and a few years ago I thought that such a trip would be a great send-off for the Colt.  I could drive as far as the Colt would take me before breaking down.  Plus, my sister just moved to California, and I'm planning to visit her in the summer anyway.  So what better excuse to take the Colt on a little road trip?  That's Plan A.  It's a good idea in theory, but a little ambitious.  Plan B, as suggested by my brother, is to drive the car in circles around my town for days on end.  This way, if something goes wrong, I'm not too far from home or from my trusted mechanic.  Possibly more realistic, but also a big waste.  Plan C is to take smaller, more manageable trips with the Colt.  While this is probably the best way to go, I still can't quite give up the idea of a cross-country trip.