A real problem getting started

Many photos, not many words today.

So you thought we celebrated too much last night and had a tough time getting going today? How wrong you were, at least about the getting going part. For 18 long years our Explorer has been our faithful trusty servant, taking us to where ever we wanted to go, but not this morning. All it would do was click, and I guess we were lucky to get even that out of it. The best minds in the IRV2 Monaco forum Quartzsite group put there heads together and pronounced our starter toast.

The suggestion was made that sometimes pounding on the starter with a hammer will get it to work. When you can barely see the starter, let alone hit it with any kind of power, it isn't likely to start.

The IRV2 group not only has brains, they also have brawn, and with a mighty push and the fact the Explorer has a standard transmission, it was started. Then we were off to find someone who could repair it. Years ago I'd replaced starters without a second thought, but at this stage of our Life, there's still a lot of our kid's inheritance to spend, so it was off to find someone who could install a new starter.

Our guardian angel. Checking online it appeared that the only auto repair shop in town was Best Auto on North Central, so that was where we headed. What a joke it turned out to be. There were a number of customers standing around when we arrived all of whom were completely ticked off at how totally incompetent everyone associated with the place was. No one was in the office and the mechanics didn't have a clue, so imagine my surprise when I saw this mobile repair truck pull into the lot across the street. And in a New York second I was on my way over to hopefully get some service.

Zane diagnosed the problem as a bad starter, and after a few phone calls, I located a starter in Blythe. Now understand that if I shut off the engine the Explorer isn't going to start, at least until it is pushed, and with this in mind we set off on the 23 mile drive, which included passing through the California inspection station. In the end with a few small blips I bought the replacement starter and returned to Quartzsite.

Back at Quartzsite, Zane installed the starter, and upon completion it was as good as new. So just remember, even if your day doesn't start as it should, it doesn't mean it won't end as it should.

I want to end today's post a little differently than I usually do and mention special kindnesses. When we were being helped by Zane across from the incompetent repair shop we had originally stopped at, a lady offered to drive us over to Blythe to get our starter. We thanked her but when the Explorer started with her helping push it, we went by ourselves. Then when Zane was installing our starter a car from British Columbia stopped with a badly leaking water pump. The rest of the story is that I drove the husband of the car with the bad water pump over to Blythe so he could get the new water pump he needed and I could return the starter core to the auto parts store. People doing special and unexpected kindnesses to people. Isn't that what Life is truly all about. Did you do an unexpected kindness today? As for us, we had an unexpected kindness offered and were able to do an unexpected kindness all in one day. Life, isn't it wonderful!!!