Bluegirl and April dog Adventures

It could be a long story, but who has the time? However, as stories go, it might be interesting, entertaining, and there might even be a nugget of information to be learned. Learning’s good for both young and old, after all.

Now, let me tell you about my mom—well, my human ‘mom’—and I’ll call her Bluegirl when she’s upset me. Yes, she can upset me sometimes, but that’s a whole other story.

My mom has two cars, both old and on their last leg, but she keeps them for different reasons. One is a 1999 Mazda that gets great mileage—29 miles per gallon on the highway. The other is a 2003 Ford Explorer Sport, a gas guzzler at only 20 miles per gallon on the highway. But it’s roomy, and when the back seats are down and the hatchback open, it’s great for tailgating, hauling large items, or taking a lot of trash to the dump. Most of all, it’s used for camping. She sets it up with the open hatchback like a tent, and we sleep right on the floor. It’s cozy in there.

As luck would have it, the Mazda’s engine light came on, and she had to tow it to the repair shop. It’s still there, waiting for fuel injectors that they can’t find because they don’t make them anymore. That was three weeks ago.

Now, the Ford was sitting in the yard with a dead battery. Mom tried to trickle charge it with an electric charger for a few days, but it didn’t do much. She works on Saturdays to help her son-in-law with his business, and that’s when we make our weekly drive to town. I get to play with Coco, the schnauzer, and the kids. They’re a lot of fun.

This time, though, mom got the Ford started, but the battery kept losing charge. It finally died at the corner of our street. She managed to park on the embankment while we waited for a tow. A couple of hours later, the car was at the auto parts shop, and they installed a new battery so we could finally head to see Coco.

I spent the day playing in the yard, lounging on the couch, and giving lots of licks to everyone. The neighbor’s miniature dachshund pup was there too. Oh boy! There was a lot of running, chasing, and barking while mom worked on her car troubles.

It looked like she had a pickup to run, but she didn’t quite make it. A few miles from her destination, the car died again. It was towed 45 miles to the AAA shop, where they replaced the alternator. But then—surprise!—the engine light came on again, so they had to replace the vacuum hose. That took another week.

But wait—there’s more. The noise! It was loud and scraping, like a wheel was falling off. Mom had to find another shop to fix it, and it turned out she needed new rotors, brake pads, a spindle, and bearings. Another week of waiting.

In the meantime, mom went to baseball and softball practices and games. The 10-year-old, Cal, and 5-year-old, Jo, both played in the little leagues, and their dad coaches. Their mom helps with snacks and cheers them on. It was nice to get out and watch the games.

Now, we’re back home, it’s late at night, and I’m stretched out napping. Mom’s finishing up the tale for you. She’s happy the Ford is fixed. At least that one’s good to go. As for the Mazda, well, they’ll call when the parts finally arrive.