Having a Little Fun

Finally, the rain came down in enough quantity to get the creeks flowing again.

As we headed out the other morning, on our usual jaunt down the county road toward school and work, I dodged a large puddle.

“Aw mom, why didn’t you speed up and hydroplane it!” he cried. This drew a sharp look from me.

He was truly dismayed. I was absolutely mortified.

“Hmmm. It’s going to be a while before you can get your permit.”

That little exchange did get me thinking though. There was a time when my first instinct would have been to splash joyfully through it, and I have experienced the sheer fear and adrenaline rush of hydroplaning (not that it’s something I’d repeat…)

My first instinct was to go around the puddle, and it was his to go straight through.

So when we came upon the next big puddle, we did make a mess. Muddy water splattered all the way up to the windshields. And it was fun and he was satisfied even if we didn’t skate the surface :)

Making Do

Let me tell you about my morning yesterday.

We got up, fed animals and left the house on time for change.

A little ways down the road I heard a new rattle on the old jeep. I call this jeep 'Frankenjeep' because it's been pieced together by my mechanic with 'make-do' parts more than once. The entire front end is held in place with cable ties.

But it runs and it's 4wd, so I keep it. And it gets me up and down the long, rough county road so I don't have to do that to my car anymore.

Anyway, the rattle started. I turned to Garrison and said "that doesn't sound good..." and he said, "yeah, sounds like something is dragging."

We were about a mile from the house, still within walking distance from the house. Decided to take a look, rather than ignore it and pretend nothing new was wrong.

So the driver's side shock is loose on the rear end and dragging the ground behind us.

What to do? I don't want to drive the rest of the 10 miles or so with it dragging, and backing up to turn around might make it catch under there somehow.

So I thought we'd just tie it to the frame. But with what? I searched the back of the jeep and couldn't find one thing that looked like it would work. No hay string thrown on side of the road, like it usually is, either.

Except for one long tube sock...

And so I drove the poor jeep into town with the shock tied up with a sock.

So stop laughing - it worked!

The guys at work said I have raised the bar for redneck ingenuity. Again.