Don't Cross the Red Tape... without chocolate

April 30, 2008

It all started with a few requests as my friend and I announced we would be going to the store to pick up some things....

I found myself alone at the store when my friend saw that the basketball game was on. It was fine - it might be faster this way. One item of business was buying feminine products for people who shall remain nameless. I select needed items and carefully balance them in my arms just in time to answer my cell phone to another request. This request is for a phone charger.
On my way to electronics I hit up the frozen isle and snag some mixed veggies and continue on. With a smirk on my face I asked the two gentlemen where I could find the charger and chuckle as they awkwardly glanced at my hands.

I found the correct charger and headed in the direction of checkout when I realize my wallet is still in the car so I decided to stash the items in the clothing section. As I start to bend over to set down the balanced items - the top box of tampons falls to the floor bursting open - tampons fly like little miniature torpedoes all over the floor. I laughed as I scurried to pick them up - just in time for two guys to come around the corner and almost trip over me and my now-rebalanced feminine products.

I obtained my wallet, grabbed aforementioned items, and jumped into line. . . and guess who gets in line behind me? A young, cute, guy friend of mine who probably doesn't have any bit of an understanding of how funny the whole situation REALLY is. He was uncomfortable when he saw my handful of goodies. Naturally I had to explain - and a few people in line had a good laugh too :)

The smell of black oil on the rain-covered pavement

(changing my friend's oil 5/29/2008)

Memorial Day May 26, 2008

SOMEONE IN HEAVEN: "so how did you die?"
ME: "well there we were looking up at the undercarriage of my car changing my oil..."

On Friday my friend Levi was changing my other friend's oil. I was about to pull out of the parking lot to go get my oil changed when I spotted him and told him of the coincidence of it all. He offered to change mine for me another day and teach me. Heck yes!

That day was today my friend.
After cruisin' to Wal-Mart and snagging an oil filter and some oil we jacked up my car. It was sprinkling out and the sky was a dingey gray. It reminded me of Washington - and reminded Levi of Alaska. But here we are in Utah - our legs protruding from beneath the car - the rain picking up now and water running off the car and onto our legs. It was cold and my hands lost their ability to work well.

With the right tools we painstakingly unscrewed the too-tight bolt on the oil pan. Scraped knuckles and a bruised funny bone later - the old oil was spilling from the car and into a plastic pan. There were a few times where the thought crossed our minds: "what if the jack was to fail"
I also imagined it falling while I was on my side - think of all those broken bones! That would sucketh.

In the end everything worked how it should and I was left with a well-oiled machine and a hand/arm that smells of old oil. Oh and neither one of us died on this Memorial day :)