Yearly Chores.

It was a cold and blustery day when I decided to switch out my summer tires for the winter set. I had always been conscientious about maintaining the van, and I know that good tires ware essential for safety on the road, especially during the winter months.

I retrieved your winter tires from the shed where they had stored them over the summer, and with a little bit of elbow grease, I was able to get them stored in the back of the van in no time. I couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. Off to the garage tomorrow

After I finished moving the tires, I decided to tackle another winter-related task: moving the snow blower from the shed. I knew that snow was likely just around the corner, and I wanted to be prepared. I carefully moved the snow blower out of the shed and put it on the patio.

With the snow blower out of the way, I of course had extra space in the shed. I took advantage of this by moving the barbecue inside. I had always kept your barbecue on the patio, but I knew that the cold winter weather would not be kind to it. By storing it in the shed, I could protect it from the elements and keep it in good condition for the next grilling season.

As the day came to a close and I locked the shed door behind me, I couldn't help but feel grateful that all the hard work was done. I know that by being proactive and taking care of my tires and winter equipment, I am setting myself up for success, no matter what the weather had in store.

Van Appointment

 

Yesterday evening I dropped off my van at my mechanic's. Usually I drop it off the day before my appointment, then they can better fit it in to a time slot. I leave the van there, my son picks me up. When it is done, Lisa calls me up, my son drives me back and away we go. I needed summer tire put on, an oil change and the bi-annual safety check. If I need something else because of the safety check they will call me. 

Got my van back. |Needed windshield wipers.

Van Recall

     Had to take my van in on Thursday for a recall. Actually the recall was for last July, it took this long to get the part. There was a switch for a back window that could catch fire. It happened to a van in the parking lot next to the Supermarket. Burnt the whole van out. I was thinking that it would be a disaster if it caught on fire while my daughter was in her wheelchair, strapped in the back. I couldn't get it unbuckled that fast.
     It only took about five minutes to change. It was in the armrest on the driver's side. The girl just pulled it out, unplugged it, plugged in another one, and stuck it back in. And that was that.

Visit To P.E.I.

      Been away for the last little while. Spent four days in P.E.I. It's not for myself that I went but for my daughter. She is 42 and has Cerebral Palsy. She can't walk, talk, or do any of the things we take for granted. We have to feed her with a tube. So, we tell her that going to P.E.I. is her vacation. We can't keep her in the house all the time, and it is so much easier to take her in the new van. She can sit in the back and look out the window and at night she can sleep in a motel. She was smiling for the four days. It rained for the first two days, but she didn't mind as long as she can look out the window and see something different.
      My wife will take her away again in Aug. Her best friend lives along the ocean, and they go there for a week. Lots of noise, grand-kids, etc. Another vacation.

Oil Change

Got my tires changed on the van this morning. Faster and cheaper when you own the rims. Also, had an oil change. Oil changes for this van cost more because of the different type of filter. Strange looking filter. 6' high and about 2' across. Looks like an air filter. I'll put up a photo. On the way home it started to snow. Turned to water on the ground.

Joyride

     A couple of days ago, I wheeled my daughter into the van and drove her to Wal-Mart. It's so easy to do with the new van. I find that when I am driving, I am a touch more nervous than normal. Been driving for 55 years - not afraid of driving. At other times I drive the car and all is normal. But the van is a wheelchair type and cost over $60,000. I'm not worried about my driving, I'm worried about everyone's else's. Any type of accident would be disastrous. Even a slight touch on he back may not allow me access to the ramp, and then how would I get my daughter out. It would be a struggle getting her through the side door and I would never get the wheelchair out. So - extra careful.

A Van Farewell

This is the last picture of my van as the new owner drives it away. I hated to sell it. but, things move on. Now I have my 2014 wheelchair van. As soon as I opened the back door, my daughter's eyes opened wide and she let out a big laugh. Easy to drive her in. That was last week and today we are going to Wal-Mart. I better bring my Kindle with me. Don't need to walk every aisle, touching things.

Power Washer.

I bought a Power washer the other day. Tried it out yesterday. It was just a cheap model from Wal-Mart. $47.00. I only need it for small jobs. The green bin, the garbage cans. I also needed to wash the grease from the bottom of my van, stuff that comes from the undercoating. It usually covers the rocker panels and a few inches up the door. Good enough machine for that.
Winter seems to be coming fast. Cold in the mornings. I had to turn on the Heat Pump on for awhile. Warms up in the afternoon.
I should call my mechanic to make arrangements for an oil change. Normally I do it in Oct. and Apr, but next month I'll be away on my cruise.

Life Goes On And Gets Shorter

0C/32F outside. Also in my neighbours house next door. She didn't pay her taxes, house was auctioned off. Whole situation is a mess. Not getting involved.
Bought a new van a couple of weeks ago. It's a 2009 Grand Caravan SE Plus. A friend asked if it had lots of bells and whistles on it. Told him it was a van, not Santa's sleigh. Went to Canadian Tire to get an undercoating the other day. The machine was broke, so got an appointment for Tue. If I lived in Florida for the winter, I wouldn't need it.
My son checked out which one was best. The Canadian military says the stuff which Cdn.Tire uses is the best. So that's the one. Of course it all depends on the person who puts it on. You have no control over that. On my other van, my mechanic checked it out and it wasn't done on the part where the hoist was. Got it redone.
On Monday I have to go to the hospital for a pre-operation check. That is because I'm getting my prostate removed next Fri. Get to stay in the hospital one night.
On Wed. I have to take my daughter to the hospital for an x-ray of her foot.
Thursday has no obligations. Maybe I should take my wife out to lunch. A last supper, sort of. Well, hopefully not the last,last supper.
The day after I got my van, I got a letter from my insurance co. telling me that I need a new oil tank. Ten years old, that's it. Ordered a new one with fiberglass, good for twenty-five years. So that will be the last one of those I will buy. I seem to be saying that a lot in the last few years. Last roof replaced, last furnace, last driveway paving, last oil tank, but hopefully not last van.
A few days after that, got a bill for my licence plates that will expire in Jan. $199.00 for two years.
Haven't written much in this blog lately. Devoting my time to writing in my other blog called Flash Fiction.
http://originalmagazineads.com/flashfiction/

Falling Leaves

Nice day today. Not that warm but sunny.
Had to do some work on my van. The arms on the back door had some rust, so I sanded that down and put some Tremclad on it. Next month is my safety check. Safety checks used to be good for only 1 year, but they changed it to 2 years. So my next one will be good for two years. It will probably be the last one for that van. It has 82,000 miles on it and is in pretty good shape. But it’s a 2000, so that makes it ten years old. One of these days I will trade it in.
My neighbour gave me a lawnmower that didn’t work. Gave it a check over. Had spark, that was good. Carb. dirty. Cleaned that. Gave it a yank. Big puff of smoke. That was good but the recoil almost took my finger off. That means the pin is broken. At least it has a good carburetor, which happens to be the same as on my snow blower. I’ll still take it apart to make sure about that pin.
Waiting for a neighbour to call so I can pick up her husband from the hospital. He went in a week ago. He doesn’t look all that good. I don’t want to get to involved with something in case I have to leave. If I went for my walk, she would call while I was away.
Back from the hospital. Says he doesn’t feel good. Lots of perscriptions to get filled.
Went to mass this evening. Nothing to watch on tv. All repeats.