A friend once told me an "adventure" was setting out on a journey not knowing how it would turn out. I like that definition. Adventures can be good or bad, and the outcome may depend a lot on your attitude about having one.
Mommanurse planned a family reunion this weekend. I wrangled a few days off with my co-workers so I could attend. I set off yesterday (Friday) so as to arrive near Robertsdale, Alabama before dark. Fully intending for this whole weekend to be an adventure, I programmed the destination address and allowed "Carmen the Garmin" to point me in the correct direction. She decided to take me in a direction I had never travelled. I have found that sometimes Carmen will take me on a longer trip than necessary, for whatever reason, but yesterday I didn't care...
I was intent on having an adventure!
At 6 P.M. Carmen was indicating I had another three hours or so to drive. The thermometer indicated it was 90 degrees outside. The air conditioner quit working.
Oh well, no big deal...
The sun is getting low in the sky and the temp. will be dropping...
Windows down and it's reasonably comfortable. Turn the volume up a little on the radio and pretend it's 1964 again!
Half an hour later the battery discharge light came on. Now you may remember that I've had battery problems on this car before, so I shook my head in amazement thinking that this new battery had given up the ghost so quickly. I started thinking about how we'd have to find a Walmart with an auto shop to replace this battery tomorrow.
It was then that I noticed the car was hard to steer.
Uh-oh.
It all clicked...
A/C inop.
Battery discharge light on.
Power steering gone.
I've got belt problems.
I stop for fuel in Citronelle, Alabama and pop the hood. Sure enough, there are two belts on the front of the engine, one regular "V" belt that drives the A/C, and a serpentine belt that drives the power steering and alternator. Both are chewed up and lying in the bottom of the engine bay.
The AutoZone store had just closed. I asked about motels and got directions...
Both had "No Vacancies".
Back to the AutoZone store, worrying now about how much juice is left in the battery.
There was enough juice to roll the two front windows down, recline the driver's seat, and sleep in the AutoZone parking lot until they opened at 8 A.M.
The clerk showed up at 7 A.M. and asked how he could help. He sold me two belts and provided tools to do the work. While I was struggling, trying to figure out how to tighten/untighten the two tensioner/idler pulleys a guy came up and said "Let me help you."
Good thing too...
I'd never have gotten the job done without him.
Thirty dollars worth of belts and ten bucks for the work my new friend "Trav" did and I'm on my way. Even sleeping in the car wasn't as bad as I expected.
Certainly, this was an ADVENTURE!
Pretend it's Friday.
Tell us about your adventures.
Dedicated to CGHS graduates, our friends, teachers and our beloved Principal, Mr. Melvin Vandermeer
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14 comments:
GEEZ!! I "knew" you were in trouble somewhere! Just felt it. I am happy you consider it an adventure and all is well.
Bo
GB,
p.s.
You have one too many women in your life with "Carmen".
Bo
GB
Glad to hear that everything worked out OK. I can't say that I would have had that good an outlook on things, but I guess sometimes when you don't have any other choice it has to be OK. And life goes on. That's all for now; more later.
dj
I had a nice adventure Friday. I went to Stream Cliff Herb Farm near Scottsburg, IN with two other ladies. They sell any herb you can think of and just about any flower you can think of, too. They had about ten different mint plants - chocolate, apple, pineapple, peppermint, spearmint, etc. While we were there we had lunch. They serve several different salads - chicken, tuna, potato, pasta, etc. All of their salads are made with various herbs that they raise there at the farm. I had the salad sampler - chicken, pasta, greens and vegetable medley soup. It was delicious! We each had a different flavor of tea with our lunch. Mine was vanilla tea. I had never had that before. It was delicious, too.
When we left the herb farm we went to Cathedral Gardens in Henryville, IN. If you've never been there I highly recommend it. It takes an hour or two to tour the grounds. This gentleman, Dave Daugherty, lived and worked in Louisville. He was about to lose everything he had. One night he prayed all night long and the next day things changed for him. He became a multi millionaire. So he bought this ground near Henryville and built Cathedral Gardens to honor God. He bought the ground in either 1995 or 1996. He started building pagodas, small pools, rock walls and planting lots and lots of various plants and trees. Then small planes started flying over his property to see what he had done. So about five or six years ago he opened it to the public. There was a write up about it in the Evansville Courier and I think in the Louisville paper, too. They have lots of weddings out there now. It's really a beautiful place to see. It's very calming and relaxing to walk among the angel statues, smell the flowers and listen to the running water.
Ferdy
Sounds like a true adventure. How did the Family Reunion go? Sometimes, they are an adventure in and of themselves.
Ferdy, May have to make a trip down to Scottsburg and Henryville. Sounds like something we would enjoy for a day or a weekend. Isn't there a big fishing store in Scottsburg?
We had a garage sale this past Friday & Saturday. Funny, we have spent 35 years accumulating 'stuff' and for the last 5 years, we have been trying to get rid of it all. I continue to work a bunch, so I was not able to help much. Our great adventure during the sale was having pizza on some TV trays (that didn't sell- btw) in the garage yesterday before I went to work. We did make a little money. But none of the 35/40 year old Barbies,dolls or little Horses sold. Even though old, they are all just like new. Strange to me that they didn't sell,, Oh well, there is always next time.
Ha.. With the money we made, we'll probably go out and buy more stuff!
Hey TD, you struck a chord on the family reunion; one thing I remember for sure was if you saw something in the food line that you wanted to sample you had best get it the first pass through, cause it ain't gonna be there when you come back. Yes, to the fishing store at Scottsburg; Bass Pro? Just remember seeing a store there. Ferdy, interesting story surrounding the Gardens. I believe those things happen more than we know.
And as far as garage sales . . . I'm seriously considering getting one of those pods or "rat packs" and load it up and have them haul it off to storage. . . . pay one months rent and then it's all theirs to do with as they choose . . . not really serious, but the thought has crossed my mind. I'm watching "Lonesome Dove" while writing this. Didn't really watch it the first time around and that was 20 years ago. Sure doesn't seem like it. A little scary if I think about it too much. But today has been a good day and for that I am grateful. Best to All!
dj
TD - There is a small cabin on the grounds at Cathedral Garden they rent out for weekends. You and Cinders mights enjoy staying there if you're looking for a weekend get away.
Ferdy
The Power of Prayer
As I wrote a few weeks ago I found the dreaded (lump) in my right boob. I went to my family doctor and he noted it also and sent me for a diagnostic mammo and ultra sound. Yep there it was. So he sent me to a specialist. He saw it in the tests and ordered an MRI. So Monday I went to the hospital and had the MRI. I was on pins and needles waiting for the doctor to call with the results.
I was so scared I couldn't wait any longer so I called to see if they had the results. The nurse came on the line and said, "well, Karen, good news, everything was negative". I breathed a sigh of relief and said, "that's fantastic", but what is it.
Then she said, Karen, the lump isn't there. I didn't think I heard her correctly and asked her to repeat it. She said, that the mass that showed on all the other test had disappeared.
I just sat there and cried. We have a prayer group that meets once a month and they had me on the prayer list. So many of my family and friends had been praying for good news also.
As I mentioned Jan & Larry have been in visiting from Florida. The night before the test we was sitting at the kitchen table and I said how scared I was about the MRI the next day. Jan looked over at me and said, "Sissy, don't worry that lump is not there". I thought that she was just trying to ease my worry. But she said, no sissy, it's gone.
And praise the LORD, he gave her a message. Thanks to all of you that sent your prayers. GOD turely works in mysterious ways.
So no matter how bad things seem to look know that faith can work wonders.
Echo
Echo - I'm so happy for you. This is truly great news. Prayer is always the best course to take. Even when our prayers aren't answered the way we want them to be, we have to know God knows what is best for us.
Ferdy
Looking out over the sea of doubt we find ourselves navigating I'm happy to receive great news wherever I can find it. I truly believe trust in God's direction mixed generously with a positive attitude can, and does work miracles.
Echo, I hope this is a turning point for you and Shifty...
Roses and lollipops from now on!
DJ, "Lonesome Dove" was one of those miniseries I hated to see end. I loved watching "Gus" and "Capt. Call".
Do you own these DVD's, or are you renting them?
GB
I hated to see Gus go, but when he went it was on his own terms. If we all could be so lucky. To answer your question; it was on AMC / cable Sat and Sunday night. Both Gus and Capt. Call sat a pretty good horse, but in real life Capt was from Texas and said he could ride a bucking horse OK. (He narrated bits and pieces throughout the anniversary showing) I have seen "Gus" riding english in another movie and he appeared to be a pretty accomplished horseman in his own right.
I just didn't care too much for the ending of Lonesome Dove; left ya feeling a little empty and alone.
ECHO, great news from you! It's amazing what can happen if we just stay in today and appreciate and live today.
That's all for now . . . The lawn beckons me to come hither and mow.
dj
Dear Echo,
Great to hear the "Good News". WHEW!! Enjoy your summer and stay happy!
Hugs,
Bo
Echo & Shifty, It is great news.
DJ - Never have seen 'Lonesome Dove' Hear so much about it that sometimes I think that I've watched the it,though. Must be a great one. Will be able to watch it soon. Always enjoy watching great actors. And love good westerns...
Ferdy, Thanks for the tip. Probably be a day trip - but, who knows. When? Don't know that, either. Don't know much - Do I?
TD
If you're like me; I am often confused and don't know that much BUT I am very, very consistent! And I am unanimous in that. (Mrs. Slocum "Are you being served?" English sitcom) Wait, I think I'm confused again.
dj
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