Spring has Sprung

Ah, springtime in Mobile..... the azaleas are beginning to bloom, the trees are leafing out, the pollen is flying, the allergy doctors are raking in big bucks.

Now that the weather is warmer, the weeds are growing and that means it's time to get the tractor mower in shape. Naturally, mine has two flat tires - one on the back, the other on the front.

Sunday, I get out the car jack and I finally manage to get the back tire off and into the van for a trip to the tire store on Monday. I'll have to get the back fixed, then put the jack in front and take that tire off.

Since I'll be out and about, I might as well get my van's back blinker fixed, too. Monday rolls around, I take the tractor tire and drop it off, then go to the Chevy place to get the blinker bulb put in. Nowadays nothing is easy on cars to fix..... I think the engineers plan it that way so you'll be forced to use a garage to do what use to be a simple task. Gone are the days when you only had to unscrew the light cover and insert the new bulb. Now, it's a major operation requiring the entire light section AND the section above it to come completely off in order to change one tiny bulb.

After waiting about 45 minutes, I pay up and I'm off to the bank and Wally World (aka: WalMart) for groceries, then back home to unload, eat lunch, regroup and go back and get the tractor tire. Some little voice in my brain said "Check the blinker lights in the back". Interesting - there are NO LIGHTS AT ALL back there! I have driven up and down Schillinger Road and Airport - busiest streets in Mobile - without any back lights after visiting the Chevy place!!!!

I drive back up to the service department and a man hurries out to help. I ask him to got to the back of the van and check my lights - no backup light, no blinker, no nothing on the left side.

"We can fix that", he says.

"Well, good", I smile and say, "because before I came in here THIS MORNING, it was only the left blinker not working". That took the starch out of his sails....

They came right out and took it away. Turns out the mechanic that "fixed" it, managed to ground a wire - which blew out a fuse - and nearly cut another in half - hence no lights at all. They fixed the fuse, wrapped the wire - free, of course - and I was off and going again.

You'd think someone would have thought to check their handiwork before letting a customer drive off - Wouldn't you??

So, now I've gotten the back tire back on, gotten the front tire off and now I'm off to get it fixed, get an new carter pin and take the pups for their rabies shots. I'm hoping for an uneventful day....

We'll see.......