...I knew that you could.
METAPHOR OF FRUSTRATION
About a year ago, I bought a '91 Buick Century Custom for $500. I was very proud of myself for having saved the money and done the work. Now, I am proud of myself for different reasons.
About two months ago while driving home from work down Lombard, I pressed the brake to the floor to find it BARELY responding only when it got all the way to the floor. This was my first serious problem since purchasing the car. Turns out that a brake line was damaged and needed replacing.
One day after picking up Felicia for a visit, the car was smoking heavily when I got to her home. I figured it was the radiator which needs to be replaced. On the way home, it died in the middle of the road. Luckily, I got the horse on the road again and got the beastie home.
Since then...I've replaced the coil packs, battery, and alternator. Though these things certainly helped the electrical problem I was having, it didn't seem to fix the running problem and I still can't take the thing any great distance.
I'd been trying to get a hold of the mechanic who did my brakes because I knew he needed the money and I didn't have the tools and skills. He never got back a hold of me.
I found out from the folks who changed my battery and alternator that my valve cover gaskets were leaking and right onto my spark plugs. I figured I'd change these things using a friends tools. I mean, how hard can it be to remove a few things and clean and scrape and replace. Turns out...PRETTY FUCKING HARD!
Not finding the mechanic fella, I decided to get myself some tools, some $230 worth, a Chilton manual for the car, and the proper parts, including a thermostat to hopefully help with the running problem.
Yesterday, with all the proper preparation, I set to work on the car, only to get so far to find that in order to remove the bracket that covers the front valve cover...I have to remove the whole housing on the top of the engine and at least to fuel injectors JUST TO GET TO THE FUCKING BOLTS which I could get a wrench on...but not move.
I realized, it's time to get another $500 car. One that I could fix on my own should the need arise. One that I don't have to remove half the engine to replace a $14 part or spend hundreds if not over a thousand dollars to get a REAL mechanic to fix.
So, here is the metaphor, and then onto a sales pitch:
Only with much more effort and many more resources than I have would I be able to make things work here. I have plenty of good tools and put in plenty of good effort and resources, but something really needs to change to make it work.
My car can get me a limited distance, pretty much like living here, and can probably do this for a while, but eventually...it really just isn't going to work.
Armed with the tools I have, I need to change the ride that I am on. In this case, getting the heck out of Portland and moving closer to our land base with my sweetie.
There's more, but now is time for the sales pitch.
I HAVE STUFF FOR SALE
The above photo is of my Horton Hunter Crossbow. I am asking $300 for it. It, sadly, has never been fired, but maybe that just might work out for you, eh?
This is Felicia's former bunk bed. It is strong and sturdy. I am asking $150 for it.I am not just selling these things because I need a new car, the Buick will still get me back and forth to work, but not a whole lot more. These are also resources I don't use. I have never used the cross bow and no longer use the bed, and we need to kind of get those things out of the way as Shusli and I move on.
Any interested takers on the blog here can contact me at: kbooindian@yahoo.com.
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