How long have you been hearing that squeaking noise?

    Last time out, I had to get an oil change early because my car leaks a lot, the oil light was coming on briefly now an again and when I took it in to be checked, the fellow told me I had no oil in my crank case. We're going to Charleston tomorrow and it would be best if it were in my car for various reasons. So I went to get the oil changed early to be on the safe side. (Oil light coming on indicating no oil would be bad news in say, Pinopolis.) I told them we were headed to Charleston.
    After oil was changed, technician called me back to the garage to ask how long I had been hearing that squeaking noise. I told him truthfully that I hadn't been. He was ready to sell me new front brakes but I told him that I was most likely trading in the car in the next few weeks and was willing to risk it. I asked him to note it on the receipt. Now on the receipt, there were a number of suggested maintenance tasks, presumably due to the car's advanced mileage. One of them was not anything to do with the brakes. No doubt it was an oversight, but it smacks of a(n attempted) hustle. Anyway, I feel pretty confident I can do 200-odd miles tomorrow without worry.
    Meanwhile, state taxes were also no problem. Or they didn't seem to be. Maybe it will turn out that I did everything wrong and I'll get the Al Capone Suite at the Greybar Hilton. But everything seemed straightforward, within the context of being pretty complicated. I'm afraid that I'm suddenly starting to enjoy challenges instead of cringing from them. I think I have Tamara to thank and you know what? I think I'm going to thank her!