Ahhh Technology!

Really, in the last TEN years Technology in this world has made huge leaps forward that surpasses what was accomplished in the Twenty years before. That twenty years surpassed the forty years before that. Those forty years surpassed the accomplishments of the 80 years before it and so on and so on, etcetera etc.

Which means in the next five years alone we should be truly introduced to some fantastic items to improve our life.
As long as the equally impressive leaps made in the technology of war doesn't just wipe us out all together.

It isn't the war that scares me. It's the amount of technological crap that I have that doesn't work!

Oh I'm just venting here like anyone who uses electricity has at one point in time or another. This isn't about my computers -which mine still are not working properly and won't for some time to come- but pretty much everything in general.

I have explained before that after working a full weekend I like to take every other Monday off. Sometimes that isn't possible and I understand that. Yesterday was one of those days. I got to play organizer and expeditor for a day. My wife seems to think this is my first time having to do this. It isn't. It also went quite well I thought, but that's not a good thing. It was an accident!
This is the kind of thing my wife does well and I had -without saying so- conviced her that I do not. The idea behind this is that this way she WILL do it and I don't have to. Laziness is an art practiced by the smart.

I still have a lot of work to do so,
I guess I'm not that smart.

Anyway, Deanna's folks have a little purple car. It's a small 4X4 that we use to run their route reading electric meters while they are gone in the winter. Last month, on our second or third day reading meters I went out to start it and the key refused to work.

I wish I had its dedication.

I tried yanking on the wheel. I tried pushing the car forward and backward. I turned the key around and tried all the above again. It was below zero temps so I tried heat and a blow dryer. I tried lubricant. Nothing worked. We called Dave and Dottie and had them mail us their original key. In the mean time we finished the route using Dea's Lum*na. This is not a good option it was just the only option.

No, Not a good option. Too many meters you can't get to in the winter without four wheel drive. So I walked alot. And then I walked some more. Did I mention I walked a lot? This month is Quarterlies. That means we have all the same meters as last month plus a lot of other meters that only get read 4 times a year. These meters are all too often placed in even more rediculous places than the regular meters. There are a couple of marshes where I am sure I will be walking through the snow for far too far.

Maybe.

When we got Dave and Dotties key in the mail it was warmer. We went out and tried their key and nope! Not going to work. Having checked everything else, it must be the mechanism itself. Which ironically, they have taken a lot of effort to design so it is as difficult as possible to replace.

If only they had put the same effort into making it so it would never need to be replaced...
It gets better! Parts store number one says strangely, "We can't get it. Well, I'm sure we could but not even our 'direct from the factory' supplier can get it." Great. He was kind enough to tell me what it would cost IF he could get it. Thanks bunches pal.

I called the locksmith. This is a guy I know I'm not going to get along with. He can't keep his story straight. I don't think he was lying. I think he wants to make himself sound important and necessary while not being to committed to anything he does say. He waffles a lot and won't speak clearly. What I do get from him is that He can get the part for cheaper and actually make it work with my original key but it will take THREE TO FOUR WEEKS to get the part!! We are supposed to start reading meters on wednesday!.

My feet hurt.

I call the local ch*vy dealer. She can get the part tomorrow. For about $60 more than parts store number one can. They also can install it for X amount of dollars plus towing. I'm not telling you exact prices for a reason, but let's just say I have bought cars for less than this key cylinder is going to cost. The good news: I don't have to pay for it. The bad news: I have to explain it to Dave. Better news: I can get Dea to tell him first!

Deanna tells me I need to talk to her dad. Seems there are more issues than this going on. So I call. Turns out the vehicle they have on their vacation is also having MAJOR issues. The kind that would make the key cylinder seem small; if it wasn't in addition to their other issues. Still, he tells me to call the dealer about his purple car and take care of it.

So, that was mission number one for Monday morning. It was supposed to be number one but there was another minor emergency first.

Deanna is taking my truck to work so I can drive her car to the mechanic. Both her brakes and her power steering are in desperate need of repair. I no longer have a garage and I am not going to try jacking a car up on ice and rack my knuckles in -4 degrees F!
So I had no problems with agreeing to this errand.

Being the kind thoughtful husband that I am I went out to start my truck and warm it up for her. I have been plugging the block heater in this winter in an attempt to avoid the issues I had with it last winter. It starts up great. I make a mental note to talk to the repair shop to take my truck in next. It has had a small leak in it's cooling system ever since I bought it. I think it might be getting worse so now is the time to get it fixed.

As deanna is coming out to get in the truck I look on the ground and can see green in the snow. A lot of Green. Way too much Green. Antifreeze on the ground. Uh Oh. On a hunch and remembering what happened last year, I checked my half empty bottle of antifreeze mix. It's like a "slushie" inside. I can hear the ice. Good news! Last years cooling issues really weren't my fault! Bad news! I have to find a different kind of coolant to use! This brand doesn't cut it as "antifreeze" that's for sure.

Still, as bad as it's leaking, I tell Dea it's okay to take it but keep an eye on the gages and I'll keep my cell phone with me.

So, my itinerary is: Pour ashes over the leaked antifreeze. Cover up with snow. Warm myself up. Call Dealer Parts Dept. Call Dealer. Call Tow Truck. Call repair shop about my car and truck. Give tow truck driver the keys and directions. Call dealer again. Call other repair shop because they want to reschedule (mechanic didn't show up) Call other repair shop to beg that they not reschedule but also make room for my truck. Get them to not only agree but arrange for a loaner vehicle. Go to parts store for parts for both of my vehicles. Include oil and filters for both vehicles. Include fuel filter for mine.

I Get Dea's car to repair shop and spend the afternoon with the very funny and very nice guy in charge of said shop. We make rude guy type jokes. We grunt like Tim Allen. Lot's of testosterone. Nothing like a garage to make men go hormonal. Well, almost nothing; but you understand.

All the while I am getting him to add more and more stuff on to my list of things to get fixed. I didn't plan it that way, it just sort of happened. Remember, He's one mechanic short and has very limited time. Still, each time he agrees until the steel comes into his eyes and he declares: "Not. A. Nother. Thing. or I will run you over!" He's in a wheel chair with a bad foot, but I don't think he's kidding.

Deanna shows up with my truck and the leak is worse yet. I park it in back and we transfer her stuff to the loaner minivan. (I'm Not Driving it!). She has a bunch of girls to pick up and deliver. (it's a mom thing. Our daughter is in a school play and the moms are taking turns delivering them after practice. See, Dea belongs in the mini van. I don't; Yuck.) She first picks up Jacob from an after school thing and I meet them in the now finished Lum*na to save Jake from a van full of girls and us guys go home.

It looks like they are going to keep my truck until Friday. I can't wait to guestimate how many cars I could have bought with the money I spent fixing the two I have. It's okay, I know anything I would have bought would be spending just as much time being repaired as these.

It's Tueday afternoon and no word on Dave's purple car. It may be Friday too. Friday should be interesting. Remember I'm supposed to be reading meters on Friday. Meters that power the technology we use. So, I can pay for the technology I drive.

Maybe the Amish have it right.

Nah.

Numbers 6:24
Will