Calf rope!

Just in case ol' man winter is waiting for me to throw in the towel. I don't want to be the one hold out that prolongs this cold weather!

Wednesday evening late, I got a call from the driver on Pepa's truck. I have to continually remind myself that I am not working with rocket scientist. This man drove from Abilene East for 110 miles before he had an air issue on his truck.

K.O. and I tried to talk this man through the issue, but it became evident very quickly that this wasn't going to work.

These trucks are usually equipped with air dryers which "dry" the air. Condensation in the tanks and air system in sub freezing temperatures is a problem waiting to happen. Another option to the air dryer are drain valves. A driver can walk around his vehicle and easily reach down and pull one of these cables, draining any moisture from the tank. It seems that this driver had been draining two of three air tanks, but the one he wasn't draining was a problem.

K.O. picked me up Thursday morning and we made the drive to Weatherford. We were well equipped. Two propane tanks, one space heater, one pear burner, and a hand held propane torch. Of course we were carrying an excessive amount of regular old rubbing alcohol. When we arrived, we donned our insulated coveralls. K.O. grabbed a wrench and shimmied under the big truck. In about five minutes he had located the problem areas. Ice in one air line and a check valve that had ice in it. In just moments the air line expelled the ice, but the check valve was removed and placed on the exhaust side of the turbocharger to defrost. After about thirty minutes we started the big truck and gathering tools.

K.O. and both were on the ground, him under the truck and me on the ground communicating with him and jockeying tools and equipment he requested. The driver, never even looked under the big truck. I suppose this is the thing that frustrates me most! This driver didn't learn a thing.

Mental note. This driver doesn't buy into that be all you can be stuff.

From mid afternoon on, once we returned to Abilene my day became filled with Pepa's refrigerator dilemma. My original intention was to drive to Roscoe to pickup Jason's trailer to haul the new refrigerator to Roscoe. I decided to go by the store where I had made the purchase. It was a good thing. Their truck was unloading, having just returned from picking up appliances in the metrolplex. Long story short, the company back ordered Pepa's refrigerator. The salesman told me, I was going to call you today. I asked him, "When?"

He told me he had just gotten busy, that there was a model number change on the unit we had ordered and that caused the factory to back order the appliance. It would be another week before they would have the purchase.

This went all over me. I had given these people a check for the new refrigerator when we ordered it. I told the salesman I wanted the money back, cash. (The check had already cleared.) First of all he told me I would not find another unit in town that would fit in the hole at Pepa's house. I assured him there were two units in Abilene and one in Sweetwater. Another salesman came into the fray and he told the salesman there was a unit on their floor that met the physical requirements. The biggest difference was that this unit was not white on white, as Pepa had required, it was stainless. And there was a $108.26 increase in pricing. He wanted me to jump on the wagon immediately and I told him I was going to have to make a call.

His buddy saved the sale because he intervened between me and a pushy salesman that had already screwed up. Anyway, after the close of the regular business day we finally made our deal.

I never made it to Roscoe, but it worked out. Jason is coming to Abilene this morning and we are s going to pick up the new acquisition.

By the way, stainless was always my preference.

The group is celebrating my birthday along with two others tonight.

Have a day. Make it a good one and we will take off the next two!

FATHER, I could sure use some warmer weather!