Projects. The morning after.

Hi there. I just wanted to say that my 6 month saga replacing the blown head gasket on my truck has come to a close. My truck broke down 5 miles south of Forks sometime in the middle of last August. Sadly my truck broke down right after our picture printing machine (and money making device) experienced an epic paper jam. At the time I envisioned an easy repair and then I would be back on the road. But that was before I drove my overheating truck the 5 miles back into town, when on arrival my cylinder head was warped to the point of engine failure. But I didn't know that until December.

The time in between was filled with some work, some writing, a bit of what is called "going to Louisiana with your friend and a 63 year old Australian Twilight fanatic" and maybe a bit of what I call "slacking." All the while I was slowly taking apart the engine. I sort of know what I am doing. Working as a welder/fabricator has prepared me to take things apart. Of course it did not prepare me to put anything back together, or diagnose engine troubles. I had a bit of help with the diagnosis part. Even with my lazy, jobless attitude, the truck slowly came back together. It felt like a dream at times. It had been gone so long I forgot what it was like when moving.

Finally one day I got it going. I called my insurance a. gent and got it driveable. Of course I was so excited that I neglected to look at the tabs, which had expired 7 months prior! Luckily the local Five-O were neglecting their duties as well, they didn't catch me. Of course I realized soon that I was in need of some tabs, so I headed to the emissions testing facility. Of course I got right to the front of the line when the radiator hose blew off spraying coolant everywhere. At this point the truck started overheating and I started freaking out. I had yet to get the truck legal and it was already in danger of repeating the same process I had worked so long to repair! That day I drove the truck home a half mile at a time, when the engine heated up I would park it. When I got close enough I walked.

The next time I went in to get it checked I did not spray coolant (that had been caused by a hose I forgot to clamp). What did end up happening was that I failed on account of my check engine light being on. I knew I had a problem, but I thought I had fixed it. Unfortunately, this meant that I had to fix it myself, hope that it worked, then bring it back in. If I failed again, I would need to pay again. Or pay a repair shop $150. So I fixed it for $42 and an hours work. Yes, I think the feeling was one of relief.

On Monday I went in to the DMV and got my tabs renewed until August 2012, at which point the world will have ended due to the Mayan prediction. It won't matter anyway. That is sort of how I feel. I know that the project is a big accomplishment, my friend Gentleman Ben the mechanic says so. Personally all I feel is that gas prices are high and I have a bunch of other projects to finish. Essentially I am experiencing postpartum depression. The long process sort of sucked the fun out of it, that and aging. Plus a good friend of mine said that the whole thing is worthless unless I paint the truck pink. At which point I might have to rename it from "Snowflake."

I guess that is all, I am going to try and fight the depression by not driving. I think spending money also causes the same symptoms. Especially when gas costs $4 a gallon. OK, that is my life. See ya!