The bluest skies you’ve ever seen are in Seattle …
At least today. First Purple Daze soccer game of the season is in the books.
Beautiful day for a soccer game, nice friends, friendly opposition, couldn’t ask for more. Well maybe for a win, but that’s not the only reason I play.
Time to take the car in for its regular oil and other bits appointment.
I don’t miss getting down under the car to do the oil changes. Well, maybe just a little. That stopped when we got a Honda that was too low to the ground to get my head and body under. It was not realistic to change the oil and that was the start of the end of automotive mechanic Jay. Still did some here and there, installed a few radios, but now it is just easier to take it in.
Growing up I thought that you were supposed to take care of your car. I mean to do the work. I changed a few gaskets, replaced a water pump, and more things than I can remember.
When I got the first Honda (1980 Civic Sedan) it was when not every town had Hondas. So I got the book on how to take care of it, starting with removing the engine. I also purchased an extra fan belt and some other things that I forget now. I figured if I got sidelined in a backwater town, a good mechanic and the book combined should be able to get it back on the road. Well – for the next 280,000 miles the only time it dumped me on the side of the road was a blown out tire. Theoretically I could have changed it, but I was not into road work on the side of a freeway during rush hour. After hanging out for about an hour a nice State Patrol person changed it for me, in the drizzle.
UPDATE – it looks like the first family member out of our bracket will be Ashlan (if Oklahoma loses). It would be very difficult to root for OK anyway. My big test is whether to root for my draw, UConn, or go with the home favorite MSU (Rey’s team). The rest of the teams left are Carls.
Raincharm's Weblog 
March 29, 2009 at 8:04 pm |
When you work as an engineer in a manufacturing environment you get use to asking other people to do your work for you. Be they technicians, clerical or union it is their job to actually do the work, your work. And from first person experience, they really do not appreciate you doing their jobs. So, I’ve been outsourcing the vehicle fleet for years.
UConn looked awfully good against Mizzou. You could root for Carl’s villains, et. al. All said and done though, I’d go with the alma mater.
March 30, 2009 at 4:26 am |
I was never any good at fixing cars but then there were engineers (or would-be engineers) at my house who took care of my cars for me.
My brother used to love when my POC would need service while I was up at the beach. Oh good, we get to go to the Chrysler dealer! Or, let’s put new tires on it and see if the GG notices. Good fun.
The GG, who worked the Hamtramck assembly plant in his youth, used to be a do-it-yourselfer. Nowadays, with Howard Cooper Honda’s drive-thru oil change service, it’s just too easy to have someone else do it.
March 30, 2009 at 4:49 am |
I impressed Dan and his friend Dominic once, when I stopped at an AutoZone to get either a replacement windshield wiper or headlight. That’s about the extent of my playing mechanic on cars.
–Pooh