We are Finally Home!

Oh, yes, and what a trip it was!!! We finally got the car on Thursday morning, and headed home. We were both tired, and thankful.....okay, I must admit, until we got the car, we were both rather cranky. But after a test drive or two, we loaded our stuff and and hit the Interstate. Where we cruised home....both of us really upset that we were headed North instead of South. We stopped at Canyonville, and had lunch, then a little bit later we went off of I5 and headed West on 138....which is a beautiful, if a bit narrow at times, drive. There are very few pull-outs on that road, and most of them, if you don't know that they are there? Well, you notice them as you whiz by.....which by that time is too late. Unless you are one of those talented drivers that can whip the car around in the lane....which I am not....and while I have mentioned it to Max a time or two, he doesn't seem to feel strongly enough about that particular pull-out to do it. So, to be honest? I've always wanted to be in a car that does that.....as long as it is a policeman, who knows what he is doing....(Oh, Bob...hint, hint?)


So, we meandered West, admiring the turning leaves, and trying to talk ourselves out of the blues. We finally got to Elkton, and Max pulled over so we could switch drivers. It was MY turn!!! (I do love to drive!) As I walked around the back of the car, I noticed this trail of drops....and they seemed to lead under the car....hmmmm....so, I mentioned (okay, waved my arms and screamed like a banshee...the whole town of Elkton probably thought that Death to all had arrived).....to Max, who looked at me like I was insane....(he's had a LOT of practice at that). Then he calmly said..."Move the car forward so I can see if it is leaking under OUR car". So, I did.....he looked, and then reached down to poke at the PUDDLE where the car had been. And it was oily. Now HE looked like he could scream like a Banshee...but of course, him having more restraint than I do, he just clenched his jaw....(I love it when he does that....just gives me the shivers..though of course, that is not the time to tell him...sigh). We pulled onto the gravel parking lot, and he checked the transmission fluid level...it was almost non-existent....time for a call to our Personal Transmission Builder, (here-after known as PTB) which Max made...(still clenching his jaw)....who told us to find a station and fill up the transmission fluid. When I heard that? I reached into the back and grabbed the Beer Nuts......(remember, stress eater here).....so we carefully and slowly drove to the station which was across the street. Spoke to the guy who owned it, and then called our PTB, so he could talk to the station guy. Within about, oh.....1 minute, the station guy HUNG UP on the PTB. Seems our Ashland Dude had made the station guy VERY angry. So, I reached back to grab something to drink with the beer nuts.....no beer. Darn.....so, I grabbed the next best thing....Pepper Jack Chips and started in on those. As I sat in the car, watching the discussion going on in front of me....I thought, what a shame....no popcorn......WAIT....there WAS popcorn!!! Another quick grab to nab the popcorn and Pepsi (gotta have Pepsi with Popcorn), and I was all set to enjoy the rest of the show. By then, however, things had quieted down, they added the fluid...and the plan was to head for home. Checking the fluid on the way....so, again, off we traveled.

It occurred to me, as we started the twisty curves that maybe I should call someone, so that if we didn't show up at a special time, they could come and find us. So, first a call to Mom and Dad...no answer...no machine....next a call to Craig....no answer.....before the machine could cut in, we had lost the signal....I'm ready for home...the beer nuts are gone.....Chips are gone....Popcorn has lost it's appeal...and the Pepsi? I now had to find a bathroom.......

A half an hour or so later, we got to Reedsport, where Max pulled off at a station that he used to deliver fuel too...they checked the fluid....we're good....just then Craig called....so I told him why I had called. He said that he had figured that was why we called....(Like I never call just to say "hi"?), so we set a time, and he said he'd head South if we hadn't checked in by the set time. Of course, now that we had a set time? We ran into construction....so we made it to the lake with five minutes to spare, so I called him, said we would be there in about 15 minutes. Made it there, got the keys, ran to our mechanics, where they set up an appt on Monday at 8:00....so we'll see. So far, no leaking. That's what so great about life at our house...you just never know what is going to happen!!

What a day......

Well, what a day, indeed! As you can see......we had plans! Yesterday, we took Mom F. to Bandon to spend the month with her sisters.....and we loaded up and headed out this morning, bound for Georgia and Florida. This was the scene as we left town.

It was a lovely morning, and we enjoyed the sun...and well....we were HAPPY!! Going to see our babies.....we have been planning this for MONTHS!! As we hit the pass outside of Grants Pass, the car gave a couple little burps...but the road was horrible, and the wind was howling, and I hadn't given the car much gas to get up the hill......so we put it down to that.....we traveled on...no more problems. As we came to Ashland, our "fill-up" place before we hit California....we noticed the smoke coming from the hill behind Ashland. They had a fire start this morning....

It was so close to the road, and the town? Right behind some of the homes. We haven't heard whether anyone lost their home. Hopefully, they didn't. The fire was contained late this afternoon.
We headed on up the Siskiyou's, on our way to California.....and then it happened. The transmission went out. Thankfully, Max was driving by then, and he got us out of the road, and along the edge....pretty hairy, as the eighteen wheelers were flying by. Went to use the computer....looking for a tow company....(someone, who we won't mention by name, did NOT renew the Good Sam coverage..seems she thought she was too busy). Anyway, the computer couldn't do anything...we were in the extended coverage area, and the fee was $27.00 a Mb......so I called the 411 number and told the operater I needed a tow company...any two company, and she found us one...they came and got us, we dropped the car off at a Transmission fixer-upper, rented a car and found a motel...and now we wait. I have a feeling that the trip to GA and FL will not be happening, and I am sick. So is Max. We'll see what happens tomorrow.

Oh, and as we came back to Ashland, there was another fire...5 miles from where we left the car. It had started in the time we were waiting for the tow truck. Very scary!