The voice-mail.....

So, Saturday my wife and her best friend went shopping in Nashville.  I take the opportunity to take a nice ride out though the country.  The weather was great all was well with the world.

So, I stop to top off the tank and as always I check my phone to see if I have missed any calls.  I had one, the wife had called.  I kind of thought I would, so I checked my messages...

In a VERY sexy voice I hear, "Hi honey, I've got something hot,.. sweet,... and sticky for you." (end of message).

I'm obviously floored.  The wife NEVER leaves me this kind of message, but at the same time a little intrigued.

I head home....

So the wife gets home, she has this BIG GRIN on her face.  She walks in with a few bags.

She pulls one bag out in particular...

And with a big smile says, here is what I got for you.

My wife, she knows how I LOVE doughnuts....   :-)

Scoots and Giggles, Now being read in Bulgaria....

OK, Recently "Blogger.com" has been offering a 'status' page on it's blogs.  Of course being the big attention freak that I am check my 'stats' each day...

Today's shocking find?  I'm being read in Bulgaria.  Yes, war-torn, former communist Bulgaria.  I somehow feel like that guy on CBS morning news that throws the dart, then goes and does a story.

Except, I'm not a journalist.

And, I could never afford to go there.

And of course, it was probably an errant link.

But I can dream right?

And where is Bulgaria again? (Just kidding I know that one.)

I think my truck is jealous...

I'm believing to think that my truck is like those cars with feelings you see in the old Disney movies.  Yes, before you write me off as a cook, hear me out.

You may remember from an earlier post that I've had some major trouble with the truck of late.  We'll this weekend we had another.  Lately I've been having more and more issues with my truck.

After using it to run errands in on Saturday, I come out Sunday morning and I have a flat tire.  Flat tires don't usually bother me.  I used to have a car with so many plugs in one tire that I was surprised it held air.  But that's just the beginning of it.

I get out the air-pump and go to start the truck.  No dice.  I had been having a little bit of an issue of late with it not wanting to start, but really didn't think about it.  Today, it would kind of fire but not catch.  Fuel pump.....

I know it's the fuel pump because I've had this issue before.  Not on this vehicle, but others.  One of which was on a vehicle pulling a U-haul trailer somewhere in the middle of West Virginia.  But I knew what it was immediately.

I will even claim to be somewhat handy with mechanical stuff.  I have no doubt that, having the proper place to do it, I could fix this myself.  Yet I have NO location, and my driveway is sloped so forget that.  Plus now with the flat tire, it's not like I can tow it anywhere.

One small thing here.  Does anyone out there know the brilliant sole who thought it would be a great idea to put the fuel pump in the top of the fuel tank so you have to drain, then remove the fuel-tank from the vehicle before you can fix the fuel pump.  If you do, could you please go up to them and smack them right in the face?  I would really appreciate it.  I've changed out fuel-pumps before.  Most were about a 20 minute job.   But noooo...  Can't keep it simple.  Let's put it right up in the middle of something.  Where it guarantees the owner at least a $300 repair bill.  (Insert a word my mother told me not to say here.)

It may be because it's just a lemon.  I've been pretty lucky in that department over my life, I guess I'm due.  But why does the issue always show up after I've not started the truck for a week because I've been riding one of the Scoots to work?

Jealousy? ? ? ?  Hmmmmm......

I did it!!

So, last week I told you about getting the new parts to fix the wife's brakes on her Honda Elite.  Well, after being so busy all weekend I couldn't get to it, I decided to at least get half of it down last night.

I was thinking that I could at least get the wheel off and the old brakes out one night, then put the new ones in and put it back together the next.  But once I was able to get into it, I found the job to be less than I thought.  I was ready with my downloaded shop manual.  I KNEW that it wouldn't be the nice, clean, pristine Elite that I saw in the pictures.  But every thing should be in the right place right?

I'm so glad that the repair went smoothly.  I would have HATED to had to somehow get it rolling enough to get it into the truck and get it to a mechanic.  That's my fear. 

I've had that issue with a car.  I've had older model cars (before all the electronics) that I've thought I would do a 30 minute repair, say changing spark-plugs and wires.  The repair would quickly turn into an hour and a half due to my stupidly not paying attention to my firing order and getting the wires out of sequence. 

I've also gotten into the repair only to realize I DO NOT HAVE EVERYTHING I NEED!!  I really hate that.  Either I don't have one thing that I should have gotten to put everything back together, or I don't have a tool I need.

This time, I was in luck.  My only but of "Now what" came when i went to remove the larger nut that was over the end of the axle.  BUT, I remembered another set of old sockets that I had received from my friend Adam.  He had gotten them from a nice older man who he had become friends with. 

You remember your grandfathers toolbox that was under the work-bench.  The one with no two sockets from the same set.  The one with one working and at least one non-working ratchet?  Yeah that's the one.  BUT..

It had the size socket I needed and a long handled 'breaker-bar' (for those who are not tool inclined it's a tool that you can attach to a socket with an extra long handle for leverage).  It was PERFECT for the job I needed to do, how lucky was that? 

I did of course need a little help from Wifey.  Due to the fact I was sitting on my rear-end at the back of the scooter trying to loosen (then tighten about 30 minutes later) the big nut on the axle I had to ask her to come out and hold the back break so the wheel wouldn't turn. 

This morning, I rolled out the newly repaired scoot.  I had driven it around the block to make sure all was well and it seemed to be, but I wanted to take it on a slightly longer trip before I let Wifey take it out.  I would (obviously) not want the wife to have trouble due to something I screwed up or even worse wreck due to it. 

I'm happy to say (as of this writing at least) all seems to be well.  I will probably double check some bolts when I get home (not that I think they are loose but it doesn't hurt). 

I did of course find things that I DO need to add to my toolbox.  One, I need to look into getting a torque wrench.   I have the specs for tightness from the manual.  But I want to make sure I don't screw something up.  Two, a LONGER extension for my socket set.  The little 4-inch one I have wasn't enough.  I have a couple of beat-up knuckles this morning.  And three, either a flexable extension (they make those now) or an adapter with a universal joint in it.  There were a couple of places I couldn't get into due to the angle and how close it was.  Not having these didn't keep me from getting the job done, but it sure would have made my life a lot easier.....

Well, keep checking back.  Further posts in this blog means that the trip home was successful too....  (just kidding)..