Weekend of downs and ups...
The weekend was very busy, and involved a bit of mixed fortunes as well. It started on Friday evening with a birthday dinner for the bf's father at the Waxy O’Connor’s in Westville, one of my favourite pub hangouts. I was the designated driver though, responsible for taking the tipsy boyfriend home afterwards, so alas I couldn't drink at all.
Anyway, everything was going along swimmingly on the drive home until we approached an intersection quite close to the bf's house. The traffic light ahead of us turned red, and naturally I applied the brake. Instead of slowing down though, the car sped up - just as if I had put in the clutch and was now freewheeling. My first thought was that I had somehow hit the accelerator instead of the brake, but quickly checking with my feet I realised I had my foot on the correct pedal. So I applied the brake harder. Only when the pedal was touching the floor, and my leg was fully extended, did the car finally stop. Partially into the intersection.
Needless to say that the bf sobered up very quickly when I said "Uh, the brakes aren't working properly."
Fortunately there were no cars ahead of us. Fortunately we were now entering quiet suburbia. And fortunately the brakes hadn't failed while we were still on the freeway. Still, though, it was a very scary experience.
Taking the car into a brake specialist the next day, it turned out that the rear wheel brake had seized - probably as a result of parking that evening on an incline with my hand brake on hard. During the drive home, grease had heated up as a result of the friction (we had smelled burning but assumed it was from something outside), trickled out over the wheel bearings and caused damage there as well.
Cost of repairs: in the region of R3 000. For the second time in a row, my little quarter year bonus (if we get one) is going to be spent on my car. Bah. And I was being so disciplined with my spending and saving so far this year.
Anyway, this weekend the Autumn weather was gorgeous in Durban - hot, sunny and humidity-free. So I spent a good portion of both Saturday and Sunday outside, working on my tan, while finishing Neil Gaiman's outstanding, award winning youth novel The Graveyard Book (expect a review here soon), and completing the pencilling and inking of the next Girlz 'N' Games web comic.
Saturday night was a games evening, where we continued our weekly Dungeons & Dragons session - my paladin went toe-to-toe with a horrible demon undead thing and took all kinds of damage - and then we followed it up with a quick game of Carcassonne.
On Saturday afternoon I also finally got around to watching Slumdog Millionaire. The full review will be up here in the next few days, but frankly I did find it to be somewhat overrated. Parts of it were excellent, but other parts were yawn-inducing cliches and I seriously would not call it The Best Film of the Year. No sirree.
My only activities of any significance on Sunday were watching more of South Park Season 12 and joining a friend for a late lunch at the Wilson's Wharf Zack's. I have to say that I'm actually impressed with them at the moment. The atmosphere and view overlooking the harbour has always been great, but the restaurant has really jacked up its service and food quality in the past few years. Wilson's Wharf is definitely one of the best places to pass a lazy Sunday afternoon/evening in Durban.
Anyway, everything was going along swimmingly on the drive home until we approached an intersection quite close to the bf's house. The traffic light ahead of us turned red, and naturally I applied the brake. Instead of slowing down though, the car sped up - just as if I had put in the clutch and was now freewheeling. My first thought was that I had somehow hit the accelerator instead of the brake, but quickly checking with my feet I realised I had my foot on the correct pedal. So I applied the brake harder. Only when the pedal was touching the floor, and my leg was fully extended, did the car finally stop. Partially into the intersection.
Needless to say that the bf sobered up very quickly when I said "Uh, the brakes aren't working properly."
Fortunately there were no cars ahead of us. Fortunately we were now entering quiet suburbia. And fortunately the brakes hadn't failed while we were still on the freeway. Still, though, it was a very scary experience.
Taking the car into a brake specialist the next day, it turned out that the rear wheel brake had seized - probably as a result of parking that evening on an incline with my hand brake on hard. During the drive home, grease had heated up as a result of the friction (we had smelled burning but assumed it was from something outside), trickled out over the wheel bearings and caused damage there as well.
Cost of repairs: in the region of R3 000. For the second time in a row, my little quarter year bonus (if we get one) is going to be spent on my car. Bah. And I was being so disciplined with my spending and saving so far this year.
Anyway, this weekend the Autumn weather was gorgeous in Durban - hot, sunny and humidity-free. So I spent a good portion of both Saturday and Sunday outside, working on my tan, while finishing Neil Gaiman's outstanding, award winning youth novel The Graveyard Book (expect a review here soon), and completing the pencilling and inking of the next Girlz 'N' Games web comic.
Saturday night was a games evening, where we continued our weekly Dungeons & Dragons session - my paladin went toe-to-toe with a horrible demon undead thing and took all kinds of damage - and then we followed it up with a quick game of Carcassonne.
On Saturday afternoon I also finally got around to watching Slumdog Millionaire. The full review will be up here in the next few days, but frankly I did find it to be somewhat overrated. Parts of it were excellent, but other parts were yawn-inducing cliches and I seriously would not call it The Best Film of the Year. No sirree.
My only activities of any significance on Sunday were watching more of South Park Season 12 and joining a friend for a late lunch at the Wilson's Wharf Zack's. I have to say that I'm actually impressed with them at the moment. The atmosphere and view overlooking the harbour has always been great, but the restaurant has really jacked up its service and food quality in the past few years. Wilson's Wharf is definitely one of the best places to pass a lazy Sunday afternoon/evening in Durban.
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