Minnie Pearl is Kicking My Ass

My old farm truck, Minnie Pearl, seems to bring out my blondness (and frustrates the hell out of me). I needed to get a load of hay last week, but couldn't get the engine to turn over. It was bitter cold so I figured that was the problem and I'd try again in a few days. The second try, still nothing.

For some reason, I concluded the spark plugs needed to be changed (sounded like a good idea). But I've never changed a spark plug, so I got out my handy manual, read a bit and looked that the diagram. I found the distributor cap (which was pictured in the manual), good, but there were no spark plugs inside. Huh. It took me a few minutes to realize, the plugs were at the other end of the wire (geez). After a consult at the auto parts store I was armed with spark plugs and the ratchet to remove them.

I should mention, the truck is so high I need a ladder to get under the hood. I'm on the ladder and then I'm crawling around over the engine, trying to reach the plugs, which are not conveniently located by any means (in fact there hard as hell to get to). I managed to get five of the eight changed, before my body was bruised and battered from leaning against hard metal and twisting in every direction possible trying to reach the freakin' plugs. I couldn't take it any more, I wanted to cry. I didn't... I went inside for the evening, scrubbed my greasy finger nails and had a glass of wine.

I go thru this about every six months, the truck breaks and I think I can fix it. Maybe I can't or shouldn't, maybe I should call a mechanic. But I'm too stubborn, I like to do things for myself. I want to know how to fix my truck and I haven't given up hope (yet) that this time I will.

In the mean time, I schlepped a half a ton of hay, in three loads, in the back of my pathfinder. I think its time to vacuum.

No, you never get any fun out of things you haven't done.
- Oscar Wilde