Mr. fix it

My daughter Holli is wonderful. She's 15 now and will be gone way too soon. I kid and say if she'd been the first child she'd have been the last. The first 4 were pretty compliant but she was the one you here about. Not difficult like a problem child. She thought she knew everything and could do anything. Definitely an entrepreneur type, always trying things. She wants to be a chef. Holli is a good cook on her way to being a great cook! She tries things and if it doesn't work out she'll try again.

I tried something once. I fixed a bike. Only it wasn't broken. Yet. I was 7 I think and had a 3 speed emerald green Western Auto bike complete with a banana seat, 2 foot high sissy bar and high rise handle bars with faux leather tassels in the grips. My uncle Kenneth had a Harley Davidson chopper and I imagined I was him as I rode. I had playing cards clothes pinned in the spokes to make it sound just like a Harley!

I had a vivid imagination as a child. I had to since no one would play with me but that's for another story. I guess I imagined I was one of those hippies, like Peter Fonda in "Easy Rider". I always wanted to be one but you have to have long hair. Mom believed in crew cuts. And now I've entered the no hair part of my life. Rats. A hippy whose Harley was broken so no time like the present dig right in.

My dad had a great set of tools at home. I don't know how he got them but they were United States Navy tools, USN stamped right on them. The $300 hammer type. A bit of a mystery though because my dad was in the Air Force. Hummmm. So I took those tools and went to work taking apart my "Harley". I'm a decent mechanic but usually seem to have a part or two left over when I work on our cars (sub consciously leaving unnecessary parts to aid fuel efficiency. Must be.) I've not changed much 'cause it happened back then too. I completely took it apart and put it back together and PRESTO! Good as new. Except it only had one speed now. Wonder if it had anything to do with the left over parts? I must have fixed it good because dad couldn't fix it either. Nor could the Western Auto guys. So a one speed it stayed.

23 screws and bolts. That's how many I had left over when I replaced the condenser in the dash of my wife's mini van. A good 12 oz. of weight saved. And it worked fine. But I had so much trouble getting that thing apart. I had the book but it wasn't too clear. My wife suggested the internet. Women. Nobody would have that kind of information put up on the web. They would have blown their brains out if they had to think about how they had fixed the A/C. So for six hours I took that puppy apart to get to the condenser and it only took 5 minutes to put the new one in. Another six hours and we'd be back in business. At this point Terri came out with 4 pages of something she'd gotten off the internet. I was hoping it was recipes or something. Step by step instructions to replace a condenser. Estimated time? 2 hours. Sure,.. you COULD do it that way..... Grrrrrrrrr.

I sometimes don't husband very well. I get caught up in life and quit paying attention to what I'm doing. Or not doing. If it ain't broke, don't fix it right? But if you don't take care of your ride you may find yourself broke down in the middle of nowhere. I, we, need to pay attention, to maintain those things that need regular care. Try what you know to do. If you don't know something, get help. Not all cars are the same and neither are relationships. If one book doesn't work, get a different one. Or call a friend. Cry if you have to (I do) but fight through. I committed to a God, a wife, a job, a mortgage, etc. and I can't give up and walk away. I am blessed with so many good things that God has seen fit to honor me with. How can I do any less than to honor Him with how I take care it? And if I screw it up tomorrow I'll take it to my DAD to fix. He'll fix it...with no parts left over.