Perpetual Ruminations

Thursday

It done went and got late on me again. Not terribly bad, but later than I had intended. Not that I didn't try, it just did not work out the way it was planned to. See, around six my time, we took the dogs out for a potty break. We played a little, and around quarter after got ready to head back in. Before we could, however, we needed to plug the vehicle in. No, not an electric vehicle that needs charging, it's a GMC Jimmy that needs to start in the morning, and its just very cold out again. With sub-zero temperatures, vehicles just don't always start the best, and it's very hard on them. So, they have heaters that can help keep the engine warmer in these kind of temperatures.

Anyway, back to plugging the vehicle in. We also needed to check the radiator coolant to make sure it was full, since it's losing some but we cannot find where. It's not a fast leak, but it's enough to bring the level down every couple of days, depending on how much we drive it. Lately, it's been quite a bit for miles on it, and I wanted to make sure it was ready to go. I have to be up at three in the morning, and it's going to be cold and windy again. Therefore, it's much better to get things ready this evening instead of in the morning.

I topped off the radiator, and was just about to put the cap back on when it just pops right out of my hand. I had gloves on since it's very cold out, and they were slippery enough that the cap slid right out of my grip. Of course, it dropped down and kind of hung up on some of the tubing and cables right in that area. So I slip my coat off so I won't get it all dirty, then reach down with my bare hand and grab a hold of the cap. I can't hardly reach it, and as I close my finger tips down on the cap, I feel it slipping from my fingers. I try for a better grip, but it was too late. The cap slipped out of my fingers, and lands further down, and under the battery box.

I tried a couple different ideas to reach it, but there just wasn't any way to get to it. I had to come back inside and put on an old coat, since it's about twenty below wind chill out tonight, and almost a negative five degrees without the wind. I ended up having to remove the battery and then Rhonda tried to reach it, but could not get her arm down far enough. Meanwhile I'm holding the battery as far out of the way as possible without undoing the cables. Even so, she still brushed up tight against it.

This is when I realize she is wearing her security coat, and the sleeve is rubbing against the battery. Hopefully she did not get any battery acid on it, but it's always very difficult to tell. it's a new battery and it's clean enough, but that does not mean she did not get acid on her sleeve. I had her go in and get it off, telling her to put it right in the washer. Only she didn't put it in the washer, she just changed coats and came back out to help me.

While she was inside changing coats, I managed to push my arm down along the battery and felt the cap in my fingertips. I had to wedge my arm down a bit more, so I again removed my coat and pushed my exposed arm down and managed to get hold of the cap and bring it back up. I then put my coat back on, being half froze by now. From there it was wrestle with the battery and get it back into place, then fasten it down. Only it did not want to go right back into place. It would go in just about all the way, but not enough to get the clamp that holds it down, in place. I had to loosen that even more, fearing that it may also fall.

Then, I had to lift the battery back up, maneuver the clamping piece and lower the battery back down while holding everything in place. One slip and I would have had some pretty sore fingers, since the battery would have landed on them, but I managed to get it all back into place, get the clamp back down, and tightened. Then it was back in, wash up and get Rhonda's coat in the wash. Hopefully it's not going to have holes in it from contacting the battery. About this time, we hear a dog barking. I thought it sounded like Hanna, but she came in with us.

Only, it was Hanna, she had slipped back out while we carried the tools in. Being so cold, she could have easily frozen her toes, even her feet and ears if she had been out very long, but she didn't run off, and barked to let me know she wanted in. I'm sure glad I don't try and break dogs from barking and she let me know she needed in. She wasn't out long; not nearly long enough to suffer anything other than feeling a bit upset for being outside with anyone with her. She was very excited when Rhonda let her back in. I was just as excited to see her and see she was safe and sound.