Fix It ?

Thanks to lots and lots of practice dealing with aging equipment and farm infrastructure I have of necessity become a pretty handy guy over time. At this point there isn't very much stuff I can't tackle, from engines to plumbing to wiring trailers and fixing hydraulics. I guess that's a good thing because there's always a percentage of stuff around here that could use some fixing. In fact, I divide my fix it list into four distinct parts.

1. Fix it now- Farm related
2. Fix it now- Home related
3. Fix it later- Farm related
4. Fix it later- Home related

Melissa would say that # 3 and # 4 actually mean,"Fix it NEVER" (yes, I would say that) but that's only because the volume of stuff entering list #1 and #2 never seems to slow down. When multiple fix it projects need immediate attention I've often quietly thought it would be nice to be able to call somebody instead of having to cobble it back together myself . At least I did until I broke myself earlier this week and then actually had to call and enlist help to get stuff done. Easy right ? Goodness me.

First on the got-to-fix-it-now lists were changing the fuel filter combined with replacing an aging/overworked master cylinder and hydraulic booster on our truck. To be fair, I might have hired this work done anyway because all of it is a royal pain in the rear to do yourself. For those who don't know, master cylinders and hydraulic boosters control the brakes....pretty critical pieces of infrastructure. I called the repair shop....the best one in the area.... and talked to them a few days ago about what it might cost in time and money to get this work done. I told them what I thought it needed and I had a figure in my head for the amount of time and money I thought it might cost. Double both and you'd be pretty close to their shop manual estimate. Add two trips five days apart to the repair shop because they didn't believe me when I told them what was wrong and so didn't order the parts they needed before hand. Strike one.

Strike two was the quote I got for replacement brake pads and possibly front rotors on our car. Again, just about double what I thought it should take in terms of time, effort and money. While it doesn't need to be done tomorrow it really does need to be done soon, before we manage to damage the rotors. Got that scheduled too.

So with that I came home and thought I'd have a look around in the fridge to see what I might have for supper. The fridge.....a side by side unit which is extremely heavy...smells like leaking freon inside. Strike three. I'm debating whether or not to bring a hydraulic jack up from the shop to tilt the fridge enough so I can see under it and perhaps diagnose what's wrong. Or maybe I should just go find the nearest bridge and throw myself off it. Except with my luck all I would manage to do is break my leg while the fix it stuff continued to pile up around me.   

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Norman and Cuffie

Maisie and Lily

Chili

Darby, B-Rad and Alex

Noble and Slinky having play time

Largo striking a pose

he was followed by Clayton

Titan, Faune and Winston

Sebastian and Wiz