Mid Week Chatter

Well, I have sent countless pictures from the phone to my email, but do you think I kept them when I did my batch dumps? Of course not. ugh.

It's raining again. That just isn't "news" anymore. Now to say it wasn't raining, that would be a news flash. We have had so many days of rain, I've lost count. Sure, it hasn't been constant, all-day rain everyday, but it's been raining every day, nonetheless.

And humid.

Mississippi is just plain humid. Not very many folks would argue that at all. But when the weather report makes a special notice that it will be humid....that's bad. Our temps will be running upwards of about 86 they say on one weather blurb, and 84 on another. Hot either way as far as I'm concerned. But the humidity levels are pushing 90% -- it's oppressive out there to this northern girl, let me tell you. And yes...I know if it's raining, technically the humidity level would be 100% -- don't remind me. Let's just say it's hot and it's humid. I don't want to know the particulars of it all beyond that.

Yesterday we were in town pricing shocks and brakes for the van. So much fun. I didn't know what they might cost. I know Dewey had an idea because that's just a man thing, knowing about car parts and such. Me, I didn't have a clue what ballpark the price would land in. I can say that I wasn't figuring on $500, though. Now that is my parts and someone else's labor, but still...isn't that kind of up there? Maybe it's just me. I'm not used to being the one dealing with car parts and repair and the like. With that kind of shock (hee hee...no pun intended...gosh, I crack myself up sometimes...I'm weird, I know...and I digress...), I'd just as soon not have knowledge about car parts and repairs. I like to think they just "get done" and that's it.

Now, granted, I did end up at NAPA instead of AutoZone or O'Reily's Auto Parts. Those are the only folks we have locally outside of a mom & pop place tucked away here or there, or the dealer. I didn't even want to consider the price through a dealer. NAPA is pricey, and I knew that going in, but the other places kept trying to tell me my van specs called for a light-duty shock.

I don't think so. I don't know much, we've made that clear already, but it's a 15 passenger van. I carry 8 bodies plus my own in that thing daily, I drive on some of the worst backroads you can imagine (picture something just this side of a cow trail up a mountain), I haul feed and supplies...and the ocassional farm animal, and if nothing else, it's a 1-ton vehicle. They keep telling me it's listed in their computers as 3/4 -ton. Good for them. It's not, though. In reality I have a 1-ton. Either way, they keep saying light-duty this and that.

Nope. I'll go find someone willing to sell me the high priced, heavy-duty, big truck shocks, thank you. NAPA started saying light-duty was in the specs too -- then the manager walked outside and looked over the van and came back in and said if it was his, he'd go heavy-duty. Yes, that's what I like. The customer is always right kind of service.

So, by Friday, I'll be the proud, financially-stunted, owner of about $300 worth of shocks ad $100 worth of brakes. Then I get to spend about 2 hours Monday morning watching them put them in place for me. And check out my alignment again, balance me all out nicely and I'll be on my way.

The mehanic I use when I have no husband within range to do the work himself is a whiz. Of course, he only deals with tires and their assorted components, such as the brakes and the shocks and the like, but he also does tractor tires. Great for me -- somehow, on my watch here on the homestead, we have a flat front tractor tire :o( I didn't think much of it at first -- slime it, patch it, plug it, whatever and it's fixed, right? Not so, aparently. We finally soaked that tire in enough soapy water and found our leak. It's along the side wall. the side wall. Man, that just isn't what I wanted to know. As I said, I don't know much, but I know a side wall issue tends to equal new tire...which almost always equals pricey.

But, Mr Geno thinks he can fix it for me, just about good as new. He does some kind of patchy thing -- takes 2 portions of rubber from an equivalent tire stock, and then they are patched inside and out and sort of 'melted' and fused together to form a new side wall. Worth a shot, I think. Now the issue will be can I get the tractor jacked up? Then can I block it properly (gotta be careful blocking a tractor around here...Wild Child, you know) and then the fun begins....can I break those lugs free and even get the tire off to carry with me? If it wasn't raining all the time, and it wasn't 18 miles and part of that on busy 2-lane, I might consider being totally hillbilly and just driving it over for him to do.

Don't worry. I'm not going to do that. I'll try it myself -- then I'll go begging up at church for manly help.

Speaking of church, Bro Bud, our preacher, is sitting in the hospital right now and will be most of this week it seems. Nothing life-threatening, but it could have been much worse. He had a wicked infection running up his entire leg. Finally spiked a solid 104 temp Monday and they got him in. Straight to admissions at the hospital from his doctor. While in town yesterday we popped in and gave him a card and a coloring book. It's a small town hospital...and it's just plain small itself. The gift shop isn't as big as my van and all they had was a handful of coloring books and puzzle books. Well, I didn't know if he was a puzzle book kind of man, so I opted for fun instead -- an 8-crayon pack and a coloring book :o) And for a treat -- if he's good and listens to the doctor -- there was a Reese's Peanutbutter Cup tucked in there as well. I also sent a pack of sugar-free candy to counteract that Reese's.

If you think about it, give him an extra lift of prayer on your end.

Well, the day isn't slowing down while I sit here. I need to get some things together for church tonight, keep laundry moving along and get my June dinner menus ready...among about 100 other duties. Haven't had our Bible lessons for the morning yet -- and I know everyone is itching to get to them, mean mommy.