We are currently parked by Reliable Auto and Transmission. Have been here since yesterday. They’re trying their best to figure out the issues on it. Replaced a external sensor on the transmission that wasn’t firing properly. It didn’t resolve the issue. So they’re thinking that it’s the valve plate and we’re waiting for the gaskets to come in on monday. They gave us permission to park here for the weekend.
I feel lucky that we’re parked on Main street. We’ve walked it last night and this morning. Also we get some traffic of appreciation! I’ve gotten a couple people to kick down along side taking pictures. For being “broke down” this is an ideal spot!
The kids and I listened to the Half Blood prince being read over youtube by demi bobemi and dedd inside. It was quite a relaxing experience. I got to get things done while listening and we covered the book in less than a month. We had finished reading the Goblet of Fire and the option for getting the next book seemed like quite the task, so I downloaded the series while connected to wifi. Now I’m ready to listen to the next one.
Our drive from Atoka to here was fairly uneventful. The scenery here is lush and green and has so many rivers and lakes. It’s a wonderfully stark comparison to the desert and I much enjoy the humidity and the weekly thunderstorms. We stopped in Asher for a potty break where I started calling mechanic shops. A shop in Tecomseh had the right computer and told me to bring it by in the morning. I asked if we could park over night there after they closed, to which the owner agreed, not promising that we wouldn’t be asked questions by police. (This didn’t transpire.) So we went to a playground which was barred off by caution tape. We strolled around the pathways and had a little picnic before going to the Dollar store where we sat for a while waiting for the shop to close and buying some kitten litter. We ate dinner there and headed to the shop where there was a nice green spot outside the gated area. The kids and dogs enjoyed this before it was bedtime, consisting of brushing teeth, reading an ABC book, small sponge bath, positioning kids and dogs in perspective beds and listening to the Harry Potter book while I cleaned up some in the bus.
The next morning I made a quick breakfast of cereal for Galixy and a cream cheese sandwich for Atreyu. The shop opened as I was sipping my first cup of coffee, so I gave them some time to combobulate before heading in. He told me to pull the bus up and he’d be out soon. He read some codes and said it was the speed sensor soI should be ok to drive it up to Montana. I took down the code numbers and called Hanser from the city park we went to walk. They said, not to drive it and to call Reliable down here. They told me to bring it in. After we took our walk, during which a wonderful couple kicked down very lovingly, we headed to the shop a 15 minute drive away.
They got right on it. I pulled up in prime spot and everyone came out to admire Matilda. They said they’d put a pic of her up on their wall!
We hung out in the bus for most of the day. At least I kept the kids couped up with homework and toys. Later in the afternoon I turned on a movie. I kept being the over the shoulder mechanic, trying to be as unobtrusive as possible. I feel like I could’ve replaced the sensor myself and saved quite some money, but the fact that they test drove it and are gonna figure out the actual problem makes it worth investing some of the stimulus check. I really wish I couldve saved some of it, but it does give us a wonderful excuse to be out in public and right downtown in a chill town.
That evening, one of the mechanics invited us to the lake, but I was already so tired that I accepted his offer of fast food, ate, took a stroll, and did bed time a little earlier than usual.
This morning, we took a walk after a pancake breakfast. Then I edited a video for youtube poorly (go subscribe! https://youtu.be/X53cCFo-4I4) while the kids side walk chalked. It was the ideal day to bust out the picnic table, so along came the paints too. Homework was a breeze with both. I feel like we’re just rolling on the sight words for Atreyu and Alphabet for Galixy.
I’m still sipping my smoothie. We’ve had a handful of visitors variously helping out. The sun is shining and the winds been blowing our hair all day. I vaccumed and cleaned today.
I feel ok. I’m here and now and everything will be just fine…. I hope you feel better than that!
Stay grateful.
Matilda the Bugus 