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Wroom, vroom SPROINK!
a day ago
General
Karno's Rare-Because-He-Never-Has-Time Blather:
So Saturday morning and early afternoon was spent at the show, no trouble there. But on the way home, I was gonna stop at Donny's place to give him an entry pass to said show. But just as I'm turning off the main drag to get to his place, the power steering in the truck goes out. Yikes! I was grateful for the morning workout program I've been on the last couple years, for I had just enough muscle power to wrestle the truck 'round until it was parked in front of my friend's place.
Upon exiting the truck, I saw what looked like smoke billowing from under the hood. Uh-oh. That's NEVER a good sign. Turned out to be steam. Seems a hose of some sort had given out, and sprayed the engine compartment with fluids. Most likely the radiator hose, for there was a trail of coolant for some yards behind the truck. Well, at least it hadn't been coolant-less for longer than a few seconds, so the motor didn't have a chance to melt down.
The rest was mostly basic adulting. I called AAA (everyone who drives old clunkers should be a member), and they promptly sent a tow truck. Which then hauled it off to (hopefully) Buck's Automotive. They're closed over the weekend, so the tow driver said he'd just leave Big Blue there, and I'd get it all sorted out on Monday morning.
I was struck by how little this upset me. In my youth, my vehicle crapping out on me like this would have been cause for panic. But now I just sat back and called AAA from the comfort of my friend's living room, while his big knucklehead of a dog tried to climb in my lap. Then Donny and his sister drove me home, where my lovely wife hugged me and gave me food. I have a network of friends and family that take the edge off any disaster. Bless them!
Yes, Murphy has repeatedly warned me to not get complacent. But this wasn't caused by complacency. Which reminds me, my Tucson-based readers? I'd avoid doing business with the Jiffy Lube on Grant by Silverbell. I can't prove anything, but the timing is real suspicious.
Yep - don't get complacent, but don't be paranoid, either. You can't spend your life in fear of the next disaster.
UPDATE: I just got a call from Elizabeth of the Tucson Police. Seems the tow truck driver didn't put a note in their drop box like he was supposed to, so they called the cops to check what this truck was doing in their driveway. I cleared that up, but then I was told the driver's side window had been smashed in. Gods DAMMIT! There wasn't anything of value in the cab to steal, but a new window will cost hundreds. Like I needed more expenses in the Yule season. Murphy always likes to get in the last word, doesn't he?
UPDATE #2: I borrowed my wife's car to buzz out to Buck's. Got there a few minutes past their 7 AM opening time. Seems I spoke too soon when I claimed "there was nothing of value to steal". Seems I don't think like a dirtbag looking for goods to pawn for drug money. When I got there, I saw my 2-ton hydraulic jack was missing. Also my jump box (a big battery with a handle on it, with built-in jumper cables and a tire inflator with attached air hose), and my emergency roadside kit. And my spare sunglasses from the center console, along with some audiotapes.
Doubtlessly my property has already been pawned for a twentieth of it's value, and the entire proceeds spent on meth. Thanks to it's mild winters and minimal social services (I include police with "social services"), Tucson has a rapidly worsening street vermin problem.
I would much rather have just given the junkie the twenty to forty bucks he'll get at the pawn shop, and saved myself the hundreds upon hundreds of dollars it will cost to fix the window and replace the jack and jump box. Must be nice to just not care about the harm you do to others?
Upon exiting the truck, I saw what looked like smoke billowing from under the hood. Uh-oh. That's NEVER a good sign. Turned out to be steam. Seems a hose of some sort had given out, and sprayed the engine compartment with fluids. Most likely the radiator hose, for there was a trail of coolant for some yards behind the truck. Well, at least it hadn't been coolant-less for longer than a few seconds, so the motor didn't have a chance to melt down.
The rest was mostly basic adulting. I called AAA (everyone who drives old clunkers should be a member), and they promptly sent a tow truck. Which then hauled it off to (hopefully) Buck's Automotive. They're closed over the weekend, so the tow driver said he'd just leave Big Blue there, and I'd get it all sorted out on Monday morning.
I was struck by how little this upset me. In my youth, my vehicle crapping out on me like this would have been cause for panic. But now I just sat back and called AAA from the comfort of my friend's living room, while his big knucklehead of a dog tried to climb in my lap. Then Donny and his sister drove me home, where my lovely wife hugged me and gave me food. I have a network of friends and family that take the edge off any disaster. Bless them!
Yes, Murphy has repeatedly warned me to not get complacent. But this wasn't caused by complacency. Which reminds me, my Tucson-based readers? I'd avoid doing business with the Jiffy Lube on Grant by Silverbell. I can't prove anything, but the timing is real suspicious.
Yep - don't get complacent, but don't be paranoid, either. You can't spend your life in fear of the next disaster.
UPDATE: I just got a call from Elizabeth of the Tucson Police. Seems the tow truck driver didn't put a note in their drop box like he was supposed to, so they called the cops to check what this truck was doing in their driveway. I cleared that up, but then I was told the driver's side window had been smashed in. Gods DAMMIT! There wasn't anything of value in the cab to steal, but a new window will cost hundreds. Like I needed more expenses in the Yule season. Murphy always likes to get in the last word, doesn't he?
UPDATE #2: I borrowed my wife's car to buzz out to Buck's. Got there a few minutes past their 7 AM opening time. Seems I spoke too soon when I claimed "there was nothing of value to steal". Seems I don't think like a dirtbag looking for goods to pawn for drug money. When I got there, I saw my 2-ton hydraulic jack was missing. Also my jump box (a big battery with a handle on it, with built-in jumper cables and a tire inflator with attached air hose), and my emergency roadside kit. And my spare sunglasses from the center console, along with some audiotapes.
Doubtlessly my property has already been pawned for a twentieth of it's value, and the entire proceeds spent on meth. Thanks to it's mild winters and minimal social services (I include police with "social services"), Tucson has a rapidly worsening street vermin problem.
I would much rather have just given the junkie the twenty to forty bucks he'll get at the pawn shop, and saved myself the hundreds upon hundreds of dollars it will cost to fix the window and replace the jack and jump box. Must be nice to just not care about the harm you do to others?
I mostly maintain the fleet for my organisation, and it’s a giant headache at all times, if it’s not the vehicles making problems, it’s the people driving them.
To say nothing of the wildlife that keeps hitting them, especially Kangaroos (three guesses where I live).
Actually had a driver who lost power steering on their ute last week. Turns out one of the belts was worn and had come off. Thankfully we were able to get it fixed. Though I will now take the opportunity to remind management that it is a 10 year old vehicle with over 180 thousand kms on it (111800 miles) and is well past the point it should have been replaced.
I'd be surprised if you can't find a new window for much less than that. Ask the guys at the shop.
Would be nice if the swine got their fix from legal stuff like Caffeine and such, has the bonus of making them actually productive and useful to society.