Repairs and Listening to your Gut

 So last week, I got tired of sitting around the house 

and decided to drive to Portland. 

I got in the van, headed out the back way 

and got as far as Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge, 

a goose refuge near me. 

For some weird reason, 

I pulled into their waterbird viewing area 

and sat there a few minutes, thinking, 

'Do I REALLY want to go to Portland?'

I thought, 'Maybe I should just turn around and go back home?' 

I mulled it over, going back and forth,
and finally decided yes, I wanted to go,
so I got back on the Highway.

Well. . . about 2 miles before the turn off to I-5,
the check-engine light started flashing
and the van engine started missing. 

I did a U-turn and headed back to Dallas, Oregon,
about a 20 mile drive.
I limped into my mechanic's - and told him what happened.
He said repair appointments were
THREE WEEKS OUT!!!

Holy cow!

Oh well... nothing I could do about it.
So I called my son to pick me up,
left the van there, and hoped for the best.

My mechanic called a few days later.
He had been able to look at the van earlier,
due to a canceled appointment.
He ended up changing the spark plugs, wires, and coils.
It was about a $700 fix.

But you know? That's ok.

I'm grateful it happened here at home,
and not on my upcoming trip.

I had him completely check the van over
and as far as he could tell,
everything else was in good working order,
so I'm hoping for a non-eventful trip.

And I learned, again,
that it's worth listening to your gut. 

This coming week, I'll be super-cleaning the van
and deciding what I do and do not need on my trip.
I bought a car-top carrier
because I need to take some items to my son in Georgia.
I'll probably leave it there once it's emptied.
I'd like to travel light.

So that was my excitement for the week.
How has your week been?

That's it for now!

Happy Spring Equinox World!

Love,

Annie