2021-02-20 — Not Quite Going My Way

Holar, peeps!

Another tough day in the books over here. It was supposed to be a work day, and it was, just not quite the way I’d hoped. I spent about 4 hours in the morning doing paperwork stuff. The Durango fuel pump was toast, so I loaded up my Civic and got the fuel pump, did one quick and easy job, went grocery shopping, and then came home to try to get the Durango going.

Had to drop the fuel tank in the snow, and… I guess chalk it up to the cold and wet (trying to drop a fuel tank on a gravel driveway with melting snow everywhere) and being exhausted, but I forgot to disconnect one of the fuel lines. I went all around the tank and disconnected everything I could see but I couldn’t see those connections, and… yeah… damaged the fuel line.

Not only that, but one of the tank bolt snapped off and it wasn’t just a matter of getting another slide bolt housing. No… Dodge put the threads directly into the cross member, and then instead of using bolts, they welded the cross member.

Yeah… so I’m not sure how I’m gonna fix this. I tried to drill out the bolt, and I was partially successful, but it broke two or three of my drill bits in the process including the very size I needed most.

So… I’m stuck right now. Tank is out, and it’s been drained. It just needs to be cleaned and to have the pump put in. But there’s this pesky problem with no way to bolt the tank back onto the truck, and a damaged fuel line.

I’m not having the best February, but… oh well. We’re making progress, little by little?

It’s 10:50. I’m exhausted, but I don’t want to go to bed. (sigh)

#1. I’m grateful that I was able to get my Sentra’s front end pulled apart. I can see most of the damage that’ll need to be fixed. The only question I have right now, really, is if the frame is bent. If it’s not, I can do all the repairs pretty darn easily. If it is, well… lovely. I’ll be taking it to a body shop. I’ve got to see if I can figure out if there’s frame damage myself first. I don’t think there is. But I’m not sure. Crossing my fingers. If there isn’t, it’s just all bolt-on parts. I don’t even think the AC condenser is damaged enough to need to be replaced. I’m gonna try and buy another Sentra I think, one that’s smashed hard in the rear. Maybe I can get it for cheap. I’ve thought about doing this with Toyotas or Hondas, not Sentras, but… that’s what I get. 🙃 Anyway, I’m grateful I made meaningful progress on something.

#2. I’m grateful that I might have found some shoes. My shoes are so bad that my feet get instantly wet if the ground is wet. I found a few pairs of Keens on Ebay, and I’ve had Keens a couple of times before. Once from a thrift store, and Chase gave me his old ones when we went to China, so I’m just ordering basically another pair of what Chase gave me. I’ve put offers in on two auctions. We’ll see what happens. Hopefully, I’ll have some new-to-me shoes here in a bit. I’m closer to getting some winter boots as well. I think maybe I’m going to go with either Sorel, Carhartt, or Caterpillar. We’ll see. I’m leaning toward Sorels. We’ll see. My sister Heather should be happy, at least for the progress in the footwear department. 🙂

#3. I’m grateful that the job I went to was an easy one, and they gave me a tip, so that was something.

#4. I’m grateful that, though the shelves at the Neighborhood market were pretty bare in a lot of places, they finally had spaghetti sauce, an I was able to get a few more things that mom was looking for, so that was good.

#5. I’m grateful that I was able to at least make progress on the Durango. I’m pretty discouraged, but it was progress. I just have to figure out what happens from here. Two fairly significant issues. We’ll get there, though. We’ll get there.

#6. I’m grateful that I’m… moving and not just licking my wounds. I’m trying to be proactive, trying to make progress on all the things I have to do.

#7. I’m grateful I’ve got 21 days clean now.

Thought of the Day: “Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men.” ~ John F Kennedy

Lift the World.

~ stephen