Photographic evidence

This is what an engine mount bolt looks like when it shears off.

And what happens when the bolt is sheared off? Why, the engine drops!

Luckily, there are (I hope) two other bolts still holding my engine in place so when it dropped it didn't hit the ground. Needless to say, this needs immediate attention. Unfortunately, my emergency fund is pretty wiped out from other recent events. With any luck A. can do this work himself... if he can get the other half of that bolt out of the hole...

So, for the time being, I'm housebound. Pretty much sucks with holiday errands still looming over me but I won't drive the car. Instinct (along with the information I dug up on the internet about broken engine mount bolts) tells me that driving the car in its current condition is BADBADBAD, despite A. telling me it can be driven as long as we baby it.

A. is hoping to manage a half day today so that he can get under the car before it gets dark. I'm not sure how much he'll be able to accomplish without the use of my grnadfather's tools and blocks, but with my grandfather in the woods (seriously, the man is pushing 90 and he's gone hunting again) there's no alternative but to try. Well, I suppose we could take it to a mechanic somewhere but without ready funds I'm extremely hesitant. Besides, there's this whole big lack of trust when it comes to mechanics.

So I guess today I bake, clean, and wrap presents. At least until A. gets home. Then there's a chance that I'll be playing grease-monkey assistant.