Day 26 morning started with a little surprise – we found a snake skin in the greenhouse! I guess my greenhouse is cozy enough that even a snake decided to hang around. I actually love the look of the skin, so I’m drying it and will keep it in a jar as a little keepsake. 🙂
But the real trouble of the day was the car. We drove it to service, they “fixed” it – they brought it back on the trailer, cause it was dead. Since it’s a hybrid, no one in Gulbene really knows what to do with it. Hybrids are not popular here. We have our Toyota Prius, and I know of just one other Prius owner, one lady with an electric Toyota, and one family with a Tesla. That’s about it! Maybe a few city EVs, but I bet those are serviced in Riga or somewhere far away, not here.
Jānis is convinced it’s the big hybrid battery in the back. The car keeps throwing an error that definitely doesn’t look good. He pulled the battery out (which pretty much means tearing half the car apart), cleaned it, opened it up, tried charging it…
So now the big question is: will we even have a car? Jānis has been working late into the night – sometimes until 3am – and then starting again in the morning around 10am. And all of this on top of everything else we already have to do.
It’s exhausting, but I believe we can get through this as well.
Ilze
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a day in the life of a latvian mom 
Oh my days. The car! what a bummer! and you’re so calm about a snakeskin
. . . I’d have had a major hissy-fit and nightmares for weeks. Hugs.
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Awww, thank you! Did you know that seeing a snake is actually a good sign? They’re said to protect you from upcoming bad things. Since I learned that, I actually like seeing snakes—I pause, enjoy the moment, and give them respect. 🙂 Also, only seeing harmless ones 🙂 cute ones 🙂
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A gift from a snakw – how lovely! Fingers crossed for your car – nostalgia for the good ol’ days, when Dad could fix everything and improvise with whatever came to hand.
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Oh, I love that about Jānis! He is interested in electronics… so it’s like “project” for him 🙂
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I’m sorry about the car trouble, Ilze, do yourselves a big favor – stay away from electric cars. I say this because I have a very strong dislike for them. No petrol, no pistons, no sale is my motto. I new battery will set you back big time, it costs $10,000 dollars to replace the batteries in a Tesla…
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It’s around 4K for the old Prius! We won’t do that… I think Jānis will tinker 🙂 will see! NO car.. that’s hard! Since school starts on the 1st of September!
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That’s still a big chunk of money, Ilze, I hope you get your wheels back soon!
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Sugar – I do hope you find a solution for your wheels. Looked up the map – you are quite a hike from Riga + the money + the time! I am big on hybrid cars -kudos for you > battery !!! Sorry for being ignorant but are the snakes in Latvia harmless or are there some dangerous ones? A fair few get killed over here every year!
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Oh dear, hope you can get the car going.
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Oh, still problems with the car… ;(
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I also have a hybrid car and understand that the big battery is expensive. Sorry for your troubles, Ilze.
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Yes, the big battery is the main problem. Also, it does not open the flap, which brings air to the motor. Anyway, see my last post; we now have a rally car.
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