@#$@#$XD#@$ Focus

Busy weekend again, but at least some things were accomplished. Friday, we closed on house #5. Everything went fairly smoothly with that. Saturday we spent most of the day working on the house. Wading through the mountains of laundry, whacking down the neck high weeds in the yard and celebrated my grandfather's 83rd birthday that evening. Sunday, we finished most of the detail work in rent house #4. Hubby and I were starting to feel in control of life again. That didn't last long.

Last evening, we go to move the 2000 Ford Focus, the car so well made it's had 12 recalls, and the key won't turn. Won't move at all. Flip through the owner's manual. Nothing. Check the internet. Oh boy. Thousands of irate Focus owners complaining of this same problem and it repeatedly happening. And the dealer charges around $400 to fix and Ford won't recall the part. Great. Luckily, I also found a link to how to replace the cylinder yourself for $50 in parts.