Brian's Morning Newsletter
Yikes! Friday the 13th May 2011
Rodgers-Jeep The plate Mom and Dad gave me before Dad died, now proudly displayed on the Little
Jeep-Roof-rack
Jeep-Roof-rack, in the end, and after I pulled the roof rack off the white Blazer which I could not make work, the solution was cutting pieces of one inch square tubing and drilling holes in the existing and I might add useless roof rack. It took me hours to find four bolts and matching nuts. Finally the bolts appeared after a trip and visit to see Mom, and then looking through Dad's impressive assortments of well labeled jars and trays.
Jeep-Roof-rack
Jeep-Tool-Area I don't know how many hours I spent fiddling with the tool box and parts box arrangements, but it was a good while and afternoon before I attached the roof rack issue.
Good Morning
I don't remember owning a black vehicle. Humbly, most of the vehicles I've owned weren't even the same color all around.
Anyways, early on in this mega-starry-eyed pursuit of a Jeep diesel I was thinking she wold be named "Libby." Then we found this little Black Jeep. One of the local inflections I've always enjoyed, was the way "shocks" was pronounced, "Chocks." Somewhere is the twisting depths of my mind, I see, "Little Black Sheep." I think she my "Little Sheep." Who's to say where the names we name our pets and whatnot come from? "Get in the Sheep bro."
I know it's a little early in the morning for that kind of kinkiness. Anyway, I was so tired yesterday, how tired? Actually part tired, exhausted tired and part excited, super excited about my new Jeep, I forgot to go to physical therapy. Whoops. I didn't even realize until just now. I only have a few PTs left, but that's no excuse, it's the "Sheep, bro." I forced myself into action after the grueling fourteen hour day, Wednesday. Honestly I don't remember what I did first, probably some laundry and or dishes, oh yeah, I called our insurance company and got full coverage for the Sheep. Yeah it's gunna cost us a pretty penny, but, The Sheep, she's a beauty, certainly the largest cash investment Nell and I have made together.
Once I got my circulation halfway restored with the above activities, it was time to take the new Jeep for a ride on the ranch. I had asked Jackson if he wanted to go when I stopped in to see him on my way home from work Wednesday, albeit way latter than usual. He said, "Absolutely, come get me." I had my little Giant Ladder in the back, where it barely fit, yes the 2005 Jeep Liberty cab/box is a lot smaller than my old Isuzu Trooper. Cozy to be sure, but I am loving it. Some stuff still doesn't make a lot of sense, like no fold down tail gate. Stupid spare tire right in the middle of the way when I'm trying to reach my tools, and no step on the rear bumper to reach the roof storage area.
I may be doing more customizing to the Sheep, because it is a work truck, and the most important thing for me is it has easy access to the back. Like I said I pulled the ladder out of the back and folded the back seat backs up, and warmed up the Sheep, for a minute, loving the sound of a four cylinder turbo diesel engine. I picked up my brother, pulling a "U"ey in front of his house. Awesome turning radius, I didn't measure it, if I had to guess, I say it does a 360 inside a 15 foot diameter circle. We looked under the hood as well as sat in the stiff rear seats, Jackson said, "That's for soldiers." I'd already christened the drivers seat. Wednesday night I was to friggin tired by the time the Jeep arrived, I didn't realize I had a tube of silicone sealant in my back pocket.
We drove up the hill from Jack's house. I turned left after the cattle-guard , Jackson cried, "I always wanted to drive down through there, but I wasn't that crazy." I shrugged and said, "Let's see what she'll do." The Jeep sits quite high off the ground, regardless, something tapped the underside as we crawled over the rocks by the old location of the water tank which is now our rainwater tank. My destination was the top of the Crestone, but that wasn't set in stone. I had loaded up a gallon of distilled water to fill the cells of the batteries on our remote WiFi tower. Anyway, we were now in the field, I said,"Let's go down to the river first."
One of the features of the Jeep is messaging from the on-board computer, which reads out in the display of the odometer, apparently accompanied by a pleasant "bing bong," not unlike the bing bong heard in department stores. I hadn't had time to make the association yet, and while the dealer claimed the owners manuals were in the glove box, the only things in there were a warranty guide, a logbook with no entries, and a Lemon law book, all equally worthless. I'll be buying the factory service manual like the big book I bought for the Dodge, Jeep, Chrysler-Daimler, all the same company more or less. It will have to wait until we pay my mother back though.
Anyway, after riding along the river from one fence to the other we followed the fence up and around, when the bing bong again sounded and I noticed the low fuel warning light on. Well I had my wallet, so we drove the low road to Las Tusas, and out onto the pavement over to Sapello, where I put 10 gallons of #2 Diesel in her. Jack commented on the #2 status, to which I didn't have a honest answer which never stopped me before, "They don't sell us peons the number one grade." Hehe
Welp, Nell drove the Blazer home last night because her Isuzu Pup was acting up. I will drive her in and work on the Pup before I go to work for Desertgate. We're hopeful it isn't anything serious. Nell said she hit a speed bump too fast when the engine began misfiring. They say those speed bumps are designed by mechanics.
Have a swell weekend
Brian Rodgers
