It's now Day 4 of my vacation (or Day 6 if you count weekends but since I don't work weekends, I don't). I like it. I like it a lot. I really need to win the lottery so that I can continue doing this. In the past, I never took a full week off and when I did take time off, I usually spent it flying west to see the brother, sister-in-law and nephews. Flying to Texas to see them was my original plan but with the prospect of Big A being laid off later this month or in July, I felt it would be wise to not spend the dough at this time (I could have flown stand by for $10 but Murf likes to have a pre-assigned seat). I wished I could have been there for my brother's 40th birthday on Saturday but just puttering around home has rejuvenated me. I've done well with not checking my work email (only twice and now that I see that the boss added me back to a very popular group email address, I'm done until Monday. I'll sort through it on company time).
I've managed to stay up to nearly midnight last night (thanks to going to watch an exciting softball game that began at 8:45 p.m. that my younger brother took part in. It's always exciting when people dispute the umpire's calls). A feat that hasn't been done in quite awhile. Hooch and I have had lovely 1+ mile walks at 7:30 a.m. which ends with sitting under my neighbor's carport with her and enjoying the morning neighborhood quietness while 'shooting the breeze' and she feeds Hooch the treats that she keeps for him. Big A has had this time off as well and we haven't gotten on each other's nerves much. He heads back tomorrow. I had to take my car in this morning to get a bit of work done on it but if it's not done until tomorrow, I look forward to having a day where I have to stay home (Murf doesn't do public transportation). Maybe then, I'll finally get around to starting my book for the Southern Reading Challenge.
4:48 p.m. Update: I will be without a car until sometime tomorrow. I have to get a whole new drive shaft (I think I went over bumpy railroad tracks a few weeks ago too fast. I wonder if that could be why) and the dollar amount is making me ill although I feel better when I break it down: Over the past 5 years that I've had it, if I had set aside $22 a month, I could buy a new drive shaft and give some change to Sally Struthers and my adopted African child too (Actually, I don't have an African child but I did once adopt a whale. His name was Stub. I don't know what became of him after I stopped re-adopting him annually). I may have to rethink not doing public transportation.
6 comments:
Thinking back, I don't think I've ever called into work to check messages while on vacation and that includes one time when I took a month off. In fact, I chewed someone out once for calling me while on vacation when it wasn't an emergency.
Your blog reminds me of a story I have to tell about my day off and attempt to sit and watch the morning unfold.
I would highly doubt that the traintracks have anything to do with your driveshaft going bad. I've never even heard of one going bad on cars from the past decade. I'm guessing it was a defective seal or bearing that ended up destroying the yoke end. That can happen due to an errant rock bouncing in the wrong place but most cars have guards at the joints to protect them from just such a thing. I'm assuming your drivetrain warranty has expired?
We now learn two more things Murf doesn't do: fly standby and public transportation.
I loved public transportation when I was in Pittsburgh and San Francisco--you get to meet interesting people and there is something freeing of not having to depend on a vehicle with a bad drive shaft. Hope your car is back safe and sound quickly.
Ed - It was a part on it that was destroyed but of course, it is impossible to replace that part. I'm past the general 3 year warranty and because they called to give me the quote and the o.k., the drivetrain must be included in that expiration.
You attempted at sitting and watching a morning unfold? Either you found humor in retired neighbors going about their usual morning business or it drove you nuts since I'm picturing you just sitting on the couch, looking out of the window.
Sage - It wasn't until I didn't have the radio on that I learned I had a bad drive shaft. The lesson I learned from that? Always leave the radio on. I think I would do public transportation in a place like Canada where 'normal' people view it as a means of transportation and ride it. Here, it just seems like it's people like the Wendy's guy riding it.
Back in the days when I lived in a town with public transportation, I read the newspaper or a book until I got to where I was going. Otherwise like Sage said, I would meet some "interesting" people.
Methinks you're being taken for a ride. Driveshafts are simply sticks that connect the transmission to the rear differential. There's a universal joint at each end that's subject to breakage and that's about it.
Cost of replacement and labor can't possibly exceed $500, and that's a high estimate.
There's a bit of a dichotomy in terminology as to what is a driveshaft and what is a propshaft, but given that you almost certainly have a front-wheel drive, your driveshaft/propshaft is is about two feet long and can be replaced in the driveway.
Like Ed said, bouncing over the train tracks likely had nothing to do with it. You either broke a universal joint or, more likely since new driveshafts tend to be sealed units, some dirt got in there and ate up the bearings.
Methinks Snake Eater needs to move to Michigan or keep his trap shut. ;-)
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