vehicular futz

I was out and abouting today, and ran through a big puddle.(It's been raining a lot lately.  There are puddles in the street you could raise trout in.) I smiled broadly at the big splash, then blinked in surprise at the puff of smoke or steam or whatever from under the car.  The battery light came on, the power steering went out, and the heater ceased to heat.  "Oh Crap," I thought.  "I flooded something.  Maybe if I just keep driving, it'll dry out."  Didn't happen.  I wrestled that non-power steering around corners and in and out of a parking lot and on the way home I gave up and pulled into the neighborhood mechanic.  When I described the symptoms, he said, "You dropped your serpentine.  That usually only happens on Chevy vans.  We can get to it this afternoon."  "You could keep it till next year if you need to." I said.  He blinked, then laughed, and now the car is back and running just fine and we are only $160 lighter.  So if ever the power steering goes out, the heater blows cold, and the battery light comes on, it's probably your serpentine belt.  We need to tell one another about these things.

No plans for New Year.  Usually we go to bed like normal, then when the neighbors start firing their guns, we roll over, kiss one another and wish one another a happy new year.  Do you have festive plans?