Saturdays were made for this?

My trusty ol’ pal needs attention

The garage guy called and said the Honda Odyssey’s valve cover is leaking and it’s time for a tune-up.  I can’t in good conscience sell it like that, so I said, “Go ahead.”  $298.50. 

Good morning to you, too. 

While I had him on the phone I asked him about the Chevy Express van – my perfect tow vehicle – which has an unidentified draw on its battery.  Could the radio on all day completely drain the battery?  I noticed when I drove it over to the auto electric guy that the volume was turned all the way down, but the radio was not turned off (There’s no on-off light to help you know.  You just depress a knob to turn it off.).

Yes, it could have been the radio.

He also said the “system noise” detected may have been from the power inverter in the back not being 100% grounded.  Since that isn’t the type work they do, they just disconnected it altogether. 

Guess it’s not the radio!

I drive over to  Wal-Mart for some groceries.  I see a multimeter and buy it for $12.00.  (Online price is cheaper but then there’s shipping and hey, I’m not so frugal that I don’t give in to impulse-buying once in a while.)  Hop into the van, turn the key, and there is a heart-stopping hesitation before the engine “turns over.”  Moan.  I barely get it started.  The radio was definitely turned off ever since I picked it up from the garage yesterday.  I decide to take the groceries home, leave the engine running while I put them in the house, and immediately drive the van over to the auto electric place.  They’re too busy to look at it until Monday, so I leave it.  I call the garage guy and he promises to come pick me up as soon as the Odyssey is finished getting a tune-up.

I love the way people react when I tell them my plan.

 On the way back the garage guy asked me what I was doing with the Chevy van.  I suppose it does seem pretty weird for me to have it.  I told him I was selling my house,  retiring, going to pick up my trailer from the factory in Texas, probably in July, and the van was going to pull it.  From there I’m going to New Mexico and beyond.

“You’re gonna’ live in the camper?”

“Yeah.  See some of the country, not like a tourist, but just live here and there, moseying around.”

“That’s fantastic!  Boy, my brother-in-law would LOVE you!  He’s been wanting to do that for so long!  You are so smart!  That sounds so cool!….”   We become super-animated.  He’s asking questions between outbursts of “What a great way to live!” and more “That’s so cool!”  I’m going on and on, fueled by his reactions. Back at the shop the other guys are pulled into the conversation, too.  As I head for the door the garage guy tells me to be sure to come back one last time before I leave for good and I think – this is why people like to stay in one place, for the relationships built over years. 

Oh well.  As for me, the open road beckons . . . 

 rvsue