512,000 km and counting

A slow 3.5 mile walk home on a moonless night, a truck, chain and a tired Papa and we're good to go.

Just got Meite home. She blew the timing belt on the yota 3.5 miles east. She said the sky was fantastic to entertain her on the walk home. Is that kid able to look at the positive or what?

Over a half million kilometers and still ticking. I am in awe of the Japanese craftsmanship in building this little car. It's a 1988 Toyota Corolla station wagon. It has the 4AF engine and I can't believe what kind of precision went into the engineering in that machine. What a pleasure to maintain! How very rewarding.

The thing I'll remember fondly for the longest is taking the dash apart to replace the blower fan for the interior heat and vent. I must have spent a half hour dismantling it the first time. I looked at the mess I was making and the number of plastic parts that had to be fitted back together and thought I'd just end up tossing it all out and living with the car looking more like wreck than a car.

To my surprise the dash pieces all went back together very easily. I had only experienced North American construction to that point so it was quite a treat not to have to fight too hard.

If it's only the timing belt that's gone, I'll be tickled. Meite kept dreaming up ideas on how it could have been so much worse. That kids is blessed with some examples in her life where it's clear that positive talk is helpful in getting through the days. I have never been much good at seeing the positive.

John will need a hand tomorrow with the repair of his pool liner and he's just so not intimidated by challenge. I can handle challenge, but only if there is only me to apply the pressure. Even then, I often crumple like a cheap suit when faced with adversity.

I was angry when Meite woke me up tonight, but it wasn't long before her infectious positive outlook had brought me around to a more mature perspective. I'm sure going to miss her when she's gone off to the University of Winnipeg in a few short weeks. I can't believe she's my daughter. She's had to grow up with me and I'm pretty much crippled when it comes to binding to human relationships. I'm a bit better with dogs and horses, but not by much.

It's not that I can't "read" them, it's just that I can't celebrate them. I always focus on the negative.
The Rambler.

If I am not for myself, who will be for me?
And if I am only for myself, what am I?
And if not now, when?
by: Hillel 100 BCE