Election Day

Since I went to bed so early (according to the clock, anyway) I woke up at 2:00 AM. I laid there and more or less dozed until about 4:00 AM, when I gave up trying to fall back asleep for real and read a book until 5:00 AM. Then I went through my morning rituals and left at 6:30 AM to vote.

I took a knit hat and my walker, in case I had to standing a long line outside (its happened to me before) so that I’d stay warm (it was 32 degrees F.) and have a place to sit.

It turned out I was about the eighth person and they were letting people go inside. So, I took my walker back out to the car. I lost a few spots in line, but that was okay.

Everyone chatted while we waited for the polls to open. We all agreed that we were sick of all the campaign ads, the telephone calls and the Facebook monopoly this election has caused.

Finally it was time and I got in and out in 10 minutes (but I had taken in a sample ballot with all my choices marked on it). I stopped back at the house, dropped off my walker and my hat, had another cup of coffee and filled in the Blog entry to date. Then I left for work.

Instead of my normal morning walk, I took Michelle’s tote bag and my soup over to her Building 7. She was on her way out, but said thanks, as she had just brought a sandwich and the soup would go great with it. I told her how much I liked her cabbage casserole and agreed with her that it need more meat.

At lunch, I accomplished one of two goals: I did get a fish and chips meal at Big Boy (one of the few cheaper places left that I know of that when I order fish and chips I still get cod). To me, fish and chips means cod!

I really like fish, but hate making it at home as the smell seems to linger for days. However, Vicky at work told me her mother’s Puerto Rican secret: You are suppose to boil a lemon cut in half in a saucepan of water while you fry the fish and it will help cut down on the smell. I may try it, but put that in the same category as folklore legends about how to cut onions without crying.

My other goal was to find a piece of furniture with legs I could remake into a bath vanity. I hit the Salvation Army store first, and then the Peddler’s Market (or whatever the hell its called). But, I couldn’t find anything with the right height, width and depth dimensions I need. I think I have to face the fact that I will have to build a one-off cabinet, myself (something I am quite capable of doing, but dislike doing in the cold garage).

Back at work, I was impressed at the email Michelle had sent me. It went as follows:

“I like the sausage in there to ‘bite’ into… I also like the Garbanzo + Campanili beans – which stay a bit firmer than soup beans.

The texture with the different beans in a thinner stock is the best I’ve had in YEARS! I like that it’s not too salty. Yummy, thanks!”

So, I was feeling pretty good until Art (from NVH who we share the building with) came is and said, “Hey, that’s your Volvo, right?” I said, “Um, yeah. Why?” He said, “Well, you’re leaking power steering fluid or transmission fluid all over the parking lot!”

So, he walked me outside and sure enough, there was “something” that had been leaking on the ground. Since I’m the only handicapped person, odds are it was from my car. He suggested I pull it around back and into the garage area where they could take a look at it.

So, I did. I pulled it in and he asked if I was “comfortable” driving onto a hoist. I told him I made 29 armored cars for the company and it wouldn’t be a problem.

Once up on the hoist, it was easily apparent that the liquid was NOT power steering fluid or transmission fluid, but antifreeze. But try as we might, (and he even had a couple of mechanics look at it as well), none of us could discover the exact cause of the leak.

I said, “Goddamn! I just spent $3700.00 on fixing this car!” and the mechanics said, “Why didn’t you just ask us to fix it?” They do that so a case of beer and parts money, or so on. I didn’t bother to mention this was a Volvo and not the Ford vehicles they typically work on – I thought that would be rude.

But, anyway, the consensus was it that the engine was too cool to see the actual leak, so they suggested I drive it home and check it out when it was hot. Their theory was it came from the part Jake had replaced while I was hospitalized (if you remember).

So, I fretted throughout the rest of the day and then gingerly drove it home, watching the Temp gauge all the while. It never got above normal. When I got there, I popped the hood. In spite of leaving it running, refilling the coolant and wiggling all the hoses, I couldn’t see any leaks at all in that area that Jake fixed.

But, when I laid on the garage floor, I could see it dripping off the frame member behind the engine. Of course, it could be leaking in the radiator area and the fans are blowing it back. I just couldn’t see it in the crowded engine compartment.

So, I guess I’ll ask the mechanics at work if they would take a real look at it. That failing, I suppose I will have to drive it to the dealership in Troy again (groan). All I knew at that point was I had spent a good hour freezing my butt off and gotten nowhere!

I left the hood up to remind myself to check the coolant level in the morning and went inside. I made a cup of coffee and then warmed up some of that soup after changing clothes.

I had the station on to the watch the election results, but mostly read a book. This time I fell asleep about 9:30 or so. I did wake up for a bathroom break and, since the TV was still on, watched Romney give his concession speech and then Obama give his victory speech (I guess you’d call it). Then I turned off the TV and reading light and went to bed again.