Perpetual Ruminations

Thursday

I almost forgot to log in and make my journal entry. It's already past my bedtime and just as I get ready to get up and get ready for bed, I remember I need to write in my journal yet today. Even more important than just making the journal entry is writing at least 750 words for the day in, you guessed it, 750 Words. I did take the March challenge, after all.

So, I almost forgot and that would have cost my my goal of writing 750 words a day for the entire month. Why? Just got busy and forgot, nothing else. It's not that I had a bad day, I didn't. In fact, I had a great day. I had today off, my third day in a row for this week. Rhonda had to work, however, so we got up a little earlier than we have been the last two days. I had coffee with her, then she got ready for work and I walked her out to the van.

We had just gotten it out of the shop, for the same problem it was in for before. Once again, it ran like crap. The same thing as it's been doing, and still not fixed. Of course, the mechanic did not charge us for this last visit, since he really didn't find a lot wrong. He cleaned the EGR valve, but wasn't sure if that was the problem. He let it sit overnight and tried to get it to run bad the next day, but it was running like a charm. So we brought it home, and it was fine. We didn't drive it anyplace, just parked it and let it sit until today. Then this morning when Rhonda started it, we were right back at square one.

So, I had her open the hood, and I just kind of nosed around looking to see if I could find anything that may be causing the problem. It seemed unlikely, but as I unhooked the air filter container, it corrected the problem and it ran fine. I'm not sure what the problem was, but I know it's something in the duct work for the air cleaner. There are a couple of things hooked to it, but I don't know for sure what they are, and what's causing the problem. I unplugged the one thing, and it died just like that, so I suspect it is the source of our problem. Tomorrow, I will pull it apart and see if there is something that needs cleaning or if there is something lose in there. I may also talk to the mechanic about it and see if he has any ideas.

So, even though it started out kind of bad, we found the area the problem is in, and now it's just a matter of time before we have it fixed. Maybe I can do it myself, and if not, at least I can tell the mechanic what I did to make it run right. It's likely he had been messing with this while working on the EGR valve, and without knowing it, he had jarred it enough to run right.

Then, after Rhonda left for work, I made myself some lunch and set down to get some things done online. I remembered I had not sent my e-report off, so I did that and received a nice email back from my boss. Then it was a little time to check a few things out, log into my MFP and Facebook pages, then into WdC. I got things done, made a comment on the three word Thursday, then set out to find a few items that may work for the WdC Anthology. I found three I like, and edited two of them. The third was already edited and ready to go.

After, I checked word counts and then read through them again. It took a few reads to work out everything, but soon enough I had both items edited and done. I will look through them again, probably tomorrow, and make sure the mechanics are good. Then, it's time to enter them into the Anthology to see if any get selected. It would be so awesome to have one of my items chosen to go into the Anthology, and of course I would have to purchase a copy. It requires 10k of gift points donated with each entry submitted, so I will have to provide 30k gift points. That means I'll have to get busy and start earning them back. I know, it will take a while to earn 30,000 gift points. It's not so much for the gift points, as it is motivation to do some activities in here, like contests, reading and reviewing, and just making the time to enjoy the site.

After I finished, Rhonda sat down and listened as I read the selected items to her, and she thought they were all three very good. Two items are short prose, the other is a short poem. I also like all three, and that's why I'm submitting all three of them. After I read them, Rhonda took me into the bedroom and took advantage of me. I wish I could say my items moved her this deeply, but she had already been threatening me with this action before she went to work.

After, we enjoyed a nice dinner I had prepared before she arrived at home from work, then relaxed in front of the television for some Netflix and ice cream. Now, it's time for bed; past time for bed and that's where I'm headed.