something queer going on

My car hasn't been found, to exactly no one's surprise. I have managed to stop looking expectantly around the parking lot every day, as though it might find its own way home like a lost dog.

I've decided that I want to wait a bit to buy a replacement. Once I turn 55 in September, I'll be able to use money from my retirement account without a big tax penalty. Then I can pay more of the cost up front.

Public transportation in Santa Fe is, as I said in an earlier post, absolutely pathetic. But I can get to and from work (by which I mean, a 15-20 minute walk from my work) most days--the only times I'd have to Uber would be Saturday and Sunday mornings, when the buses don't start running early enough. The walking part is annoying, but I'm supposed to be walking at least half an hour a day for my health anyway. And I can rent a car every couple of weeks for things that are inconvenient by bus and Uber, like the laundromat and big shopping trips. The cost will still be cheaper than buying a car.

I haven't yet actually talked to my insurance company. Of course I filed a claim online immediately, then got a call from the assigned adjustor on Friday (when I was at work--I missed the call, tried to call back and only got voicemail), then again on Monday (while at work--managed to call back, but then she said there were other claims in the queue ahead of me and she'd call me back today). So far, although she asked me what time would be convenient for me and I said about 10:30 am, and it's now past noon, she has not called. Ah, well, I wasn't expecting them to be speedy. And she has the voice of someone who is deeply tired of dealing with people, so even though I've done nothing wrong, I don't think the conversation is going to be delightful.

I felt pretty awful for a few days due to the stress and emotional reaction, but better now. I do feel a weird level of grief for the car, though. I never anthropomorphized it all that much--my old roommate, years ago, was surprised that I'd never given it a name--but still, I'd had it since 2001 and grown attached. It kept going through cross-country moves, Minnesota winters, New Mexico summers, several years of on-street parking in Washington DC, and driving through what was described afterwards as a "thousand-year flood." (I had to get home; there was no other choice.) Even though since 2008 I've never had the money to maintain it properly, it kept going. I'm sad that it ended up either trashed somewhere or in a chop shop. I'm sad that I won't drive it again, though that's more about me liking familiarity and disliking change than about it being some kind of high performer. It was a Honda Civic, the definition of serviceable. It was, however, red, and had a moon roof, and because it was a 2-door coupe it had a very vaguely sporty silhouette. It was, before time and weather got to it, a reasonable attractive little car.

However, if it had to get stolen, I'm glad it was stolen before I spent $$$ getting the air conditioning fixed, which I would have needed to do before summer.


ETA: Have now communicated with the insurance company. It was a different person than the adjuster--someone who's helping her with her case load. There was a whole lot of faff, with the whole interview being recorded. And I've had to request a copy of the police report so that I can send it to them (they can request it themselves but it takes longer.) Anyway, I'm sure this is a lot less faff than it would be if my car was new/ish and valuable.