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Borrego Springs, CA

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Grounded!

Last Monday on the way to do the horrible litter pickup after WE Fest, I dropped my car off at Gary Lee’s Collision Repair shop outside of Detroit Lakes.  The plan was for Gary Lee’s to fix the driver’s side rocker panel, door, and the panel around the front tire, so I could pick it up all done on Friday.

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Well, you know how the well laid plans of mice and men go…  Very long time readers may remember how I backed the rig up into the toad outside of Craters of the Moon National Monument in 2010.  The Blue Ox hitch crunched the door and wheel panel.  Then in 2011 after all my horrific problems with the mother board panel for the brakes, and the death of my residential fridge, I massacred the rocker panel trying to get into Swinging Bridge RV Park in Jackson, MS.  It was a matter of going over a curb or smashing into a car head on.  I chose the curb.  Sad smile

IMG_4161I just lived with a crumpled car for the last three years because I knew what another claim would do to my insurance rate.  I’ve endured questions and comments on the ‘crumpledness’ wherever I’ve gone for the last three years.  The last straw came when I could no longer open the driver’s side door from the outside. 

IMG_4158Picture this… any time I wanted to go somewhere in the car, I had to open the passenger’s door and clamber over the bucket seat and stick shift thing to reach the lever to open the driver’s side door from the inside.  Then I had to shove the door open far enough so it wouldn’t close; climb back out and go around to the other side.  Sometimes there are very gusty winds in the prairie areas around here.  One time, I had to climb in and out three times and then run around fast enough to catch the door before it slammed shut again.  Uff-da!  I’d had it with that routine!

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So as long as I had to have the door handle thing fixed, I decided to get the whole shebang done.  The cost won’t be pretty, but it is what it is.  Fast forward to Friday afternoon.  I gave Gary Lee’s a call, and as you might guess, due to unforeseen circumstances, the car will not be ready until at least Monday.

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So I’ve been grounded with no means of transportation.  It’s really not so bad, but it’s more the thought that I can’t go anywhere even if I wanted to that wears on a person.  Thankfully, Steve, the other volunteer, was going to town today for groceries so I hitched a ride with him.  I persuaded him to visit the farmer’s market as well, so we both stocked up on some fresh picked veggies and bread.  This week I’m trying their Country French Bread.  I’m sure it will be as delicious as the other varieties I’ve tried from the Breadsmith.

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Emma is as disgusted as I am at not being able to go out on an adventure.  Although, this may just be her normal disgusted look when I try to sneak a picture of her.  It dawned on me this evening, that when I turn 70, Emma will be 70 in dog years too.  Do you think she’ll settle down a little by then?  I can only hope…

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

30 comments:

  1. Why aren't cars ever ready when they are supposed to be?? But won't it be great to be able to go right in via the driver's door!!

    Mark

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  2. You have described your maneuvers with the toad so well, I can only smile at what folks thought as they watched you jump in/jump out and jump in again as the driver's door slams shut before you can get to it. Priceless:)) If you had a West Virgina plate on it, folks would understand!

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  3. Emma so handsome ;) disgusted or not ... I've been 70 for four months now. I'm the oldest thing around here... well? no, I'm not! Diggity is 18 and that's 126?! holy moly... that's an old cat ~ oldern me

    what a treat it will be for you to enter from the driver's side... hahaa ~ Homer still has a backup dent

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  4. That's a long time to deal with a bashed in door. You will forget that extra wait time once you get it back and no longer have to climb through to open the door. That must have been so frustrating. Amazing hummingbird photos. I still haven't been able to capture any photos at mine at the feeder.

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  5. What a story about the car. I know it will be worth the wait of a few extra days to have a door that works!

    The hummingbird pictures are great! I have yet to capture them like that, but will continue enjoying the practice. They are amazing birds!

    I wish Emma could meet the "tan clan" .

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  6. Awqww Judy! I'd lend you my car for an adventure if it wouldn't take me a day or two to get it to you! Hope it's all fixed tomorrow!!

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  7. Awqww Judy! I'd lend you my car for an adventure if it wouldn't take me a day or two to get it to you! Hope it's all fixed tomorrow!!

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  8. Emma settling down. Hmm I not sure that that will happen yet Judy. I hope your care is repaired on Monday and I also wonder how long it will take you not to go to the passenger door first to get in.

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  9. I guess the driver side door window would not operate either? If it were down then you could reach inside from that side. You would have had to insert your key and then reach the window switch but would have had to do that only once. O well, your getting it fixed now. Maybe you will get it back soon.

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  10. Anything that has wheels or electronics can be a pain, and cars have both. Be patient, enjoy a quiet weekend, and tell Emma to do the same.

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  11. Just wondering if you are maybe trying to start a new trend with this nice 'head-on' shot of Emma instead of your traditional 'the end'??



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  12. Your crash escapades read like a cartoon! LOL Even if I'm not going anywhere, it drives me nuts not to have wheels in the driveway. Your pictures are beautiful, as always. Jack and I were the same age at 70, too. I'd say you weren't "sneaking" a picture of Emma. Looks like the camera is right in her face! I have to catch Jack off guard, too. Just dawned on me, you can get a close shot from across the world with your camera. ;)

    Glad you'll have a car, soon. After three years, what do you want to bet that you'll go to the passenger side a few times.

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  13. I've lost track of your plans -- did you say you were heading for Bayou Cocodrie sometime?

    Getting almost any kind of maintenance done on the road almost always seems to take longer than I (or the dealer/shop) expect. I'm getting better at spelling f-r-u-s-t-a-t-i-o n.

    Cheers,
    Peter
    A retired Photographer looks at life
    Life Unscripted

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  14. We had the opposite problem with our old truck, you could only enter through the drivers door. With buckets seats that is no easy feat..finally after I complained enough it was fixed..it was just the door handle. If anyone is headed to the Pow Wow today catch a ride with them you will find it worthwhile take your camera. Photos are allowed except during the Peace Pipe Ceremony. We have company coming..so I am not sure I will make it. It is located on the Pow Wow grounds...take 26 toward Ponsford. At Bobby Jacks corner ( Old store ) on your left take a left and go down to the first right..and you will be on Pow Wow Highway. :)

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  15. The real question is not will Emma settle down, but will you??? :cD

    Hopefully, despite the delay, your car will be better than new. I know it seems nothing gets fixed on time, but the end result will be no more bouncing back and forth to get in to your car. Wish you posted that on YouTube for all of us to enjoy.

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  16. Accidents are all part of the adventure. What would you do with nothing to talk about? No more blog!
    Yikes.
    Emma so cute. Even for a 70 year old. (hehe). My Sammy will be 49 this year, so he actually will be a little older than me now instead of younger. Strange. but he hasn't slowed down, and neither should I.

    Good luck on getting the car back by Monday, take some photos of it for us!

    Cheers!

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  17. Your bird photos are wonderful. The one of the woodpecker almost at the end looked like an angel with its wing out like that. Great catch.

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  18. I don't know how you stood it waiting for three years to get it fixed. You should be able to bottle "patience" and sell it and not have to worry about insurance!

    The little curl on the lip of the dog is so funny. Power does that too!

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  19. Jeez, 3 years? No wonder you had hip problems ;)
    Love the frontal shot of the 'gog'! Of course I couldn't help googling 'dog years' (http://www.calculatorcat.com/dogs/dog-years.phtml) (there's a little calculator) and I found that apparently for the first two years, a dog year is equal to 10.5 human years and after that, each dog year equals 4 human years. That makes my 14 year old Sadie 69!

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  20. I love your photos... laugh at Emma's look... try to picture you running around the car to get in... BUT... keep coming back to that Country French Bread! UmmmUmmmm!

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  21. We never know what something means to us until we don't have it any longer. And a car is a big thing to miss....
    Ah Emma won't slow down any, 70 hasn't stopped you :)

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  22. So glad you are finally able to get your door fixed. Hopefully you and Emma will back on the road in style too. I sure loved Emma's picture today. What a beauty!

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  23. I am just laughing picturing you doing this jump in and out routine. You are a woman of supreme patience to do this for 3 years. And with your hip too! Glad you are getting it repaired. Love the picture of Emma. Those are some pretty deep eyes there.

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  24. oh goodness. . .I bet it's similar to the water being off, and you know it's off, but you still turn on the faucet.. .I too wonder how many trips you will make to the passenger side??? Glad you're getting it fixed though. . .

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  25. My truck can sit in the driveway for days and never get moved, but let it not be there for a few hours and I need to go everywhere.

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  26. I've just recently been reading your blog. I assumed Miss Emma was a small breed dog. This is the first time I've seen a picture of Emma..... you need to take more picture of her.
    She's a beautiful lady

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  27. We hope the car gets fixed FAST!A Royal pain being without wheels!
    Stunning hummer and woodpecker photos!

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  28. Do you carry a bike? At least you could pedal your arse around the campground ...

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  29. Love the picture of Emma. . .And that is so cool that she will be 70 same year that you are 70!

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