After enough time, sometimes you BURST!

We're wrapping up week 2 of quarantine, at least for most people here in the US. For obvious reasons it is just about the only thing people are talking about. Folks are sharing how they're passing the time, how their work-from-home situations are going and what they want to do first once this passes. There is no right or wrong to most of these, so long as it doesn't bother or harm others or yourself, most activities should be fine.

I have friends in the shipping business, who work for UPS and they tell me shopping has not slowed down much. With the exception of large retail areas such as malls and some chain restaurants, residential consumers are stronger than ever! Seems one of the preferred ways to pass the time is to shop online.

I am guilty of this a bit myself. Nothing to exuberant but also, not exactly "necessities" either. Before this whole pandemic broke out, I had received a generous gift card from one of the work programs we have at Warner Brothers. It was a $100.00 gift card to REI outdoor store. I recently used it to replace a small cooler that I've had since I first moved to Southern California, a cheap red and white Coleman cooler which I think I picked up at either Walmart or Target. Well, thanks to that gift card, I replaced it with a much nicer and more efficient one, a Roadie cooler from Yeti. I'm sure you've seen the Yeti brand coolers, they are the sleek roto-molded coolers with the rubber latches. Generally they are seen in their unique white color; which is the color I chose. It arrived today which was about half the time it said to expect the delivery. I've also ordered a few other odds and ends which arrived earlier this week. As I said previously, thank you to all of those who are still working everyday to make something as simple as my online shopping still possible. On a much more important side of it, you're also continuing to ship food, medical supplies and other essential goods to the people who need it to survive, so thank you!

Returning from the store yesterday, upon pulling up in front of our apartment my temperature light came on and we had steam coming from under the hood. Now, just a month or two ago I replaced my radiator, so it damn sure shouldn't be that!?....I opened my hood and immediately pointed out the problem; a burst hose. Now, I thought when they replaced my radiator they would have replaced the hoses? Perhaps that is just me being efficient? Well, whether they should have or not, they clearly did not and this one was done for, as it had completely split down the side. In it's last moments, spewing with coolant in a hot mess of of grease and steam, it was dead.

Now I understand there are no rules to pandemics, life still goes on and frankly, a burst hose is nothing compared to some that others are experiencing; I acknowledge that. However.....C'mon!!!!! Really? We have to do this now? sigh.....

I hopped online (the internet, not an actual line) to see where I could get a new hose while most places are closed up. My local Pep Boys was accepting online orders that were available for pickup. Perfect! Click, click, type credit card information, click and done. I went and picked it up today and got it installed. It took about an hour, mainly because my air filter sits right in the way of this hose, so in order to get to it I had to remove that first. Not difficult, just a bit time consuming, but hey, not like I had much else to do.

and now, a quote from National Lampoon's Vacation (1983), may not be verbatim, I'm doing it from memory....

CLARK: I don't imagine you have any kids?

ROY WALLEY: Are you kidding?! I have seven!

CLARK: Seven? I thought so....You ever take them across country?

ROY WALLEY: Oh hell yes! Took them to Florida one year. Worst two weeks I ever spent in my life! The smell from the backseat was to unbearable.

CLARK: I know that smell, I know that smell............Now, can you imagine if you got to Florida and it was closed?

ROY WALLEY: Oh, they don't close the state of Florida

LOL! I've been thinking of this scene a lot lately since everything is basically closed. This is probably the closest we got to actually closing the state of Florida. This is also a reminder, for all of you out there looking for something to watch, please, treat yourself to this comedy classic. Introduce it to your kids, friends and family who may have been dreprived of this great film. You deserve it, you'll thank me later. There is a smidge of nudity just FYI, but nothing grotesque. Also a bid of language, but nothing your kids haven't heard already from you. But never mind those things, sit down with a bowl of popcorn and watch it, you'll laugh your ass off!

R.I.P. Radiator Hose...but here is the new one!

Thanks for reading my rambling. I bet you're beginning to wish I would forget about this for months at a time like before, huh? Don't worry, I probably will, but this is quarantine time, who know's what is going to happen?!

Take care of yourselves, support your favorite local restaurants if you can and don't listen to the fake news bullshit. Be smart, the actual experts are providing their advice, just listen to them and no one else. Bye!