Being handy...

I've jokingly said that my best tool is a credit card.

The blower on our "grandma car" quit working at the lower speeds. A check of that problem on the internet confirmed that it is rarely the switch, but more often a resistor on the blower motor. There were no definitive step-by-step instructions for replacing that resistor, but another check of where it is located led me to believe that it should be rather straight-forward.

When I started disassembling stuff under the dash, I soon found that the image showing where the resistor is located was actually upside down... I had to remove other stuff just to get at it. And, of course, this was all put in before the car was assembled, so you really need to be ape-like with your arms and one of those contortionists who can fold themselves up into a shoe box. What I thought would be a half hour job turned out to be over two hours... just to get TO the allegedly non-functioning part! The screws holding it in place were just out of reach no matter how much I stretched and twisted - fun.

When I finally got the old part out, it didn't look anything like the replacement part I bought at our local O'Reilley's. Of course. To make it even more fun, it started to drizzle. I took a 20 minute break to allow my body to unfold and make a run back to the auto parts place. They looked it up again, and said, "You've got the right part."

"No, I don't. This is a 4 pin connection and the part in the car is a 5 pin connection."

"Yeah, well the book says it's the right part."

"The book is wrong."

"We can try this one... but, it's $100 more than the part you bought."

"Is that for a car with automatic temperature control? This car doesn't have that."

"Yeah, it says 'ATC'."

"Wrong part. Wrong price. What else do you have?"

We managed to find the right piece by going to a model one year older than what this car is... and, it was $15 cheaper. I like cheaper.

A quick hour and a half later and a bunch of grunting and swearing, I held my breath after starting the car and reaching for the blower control... it works!

These days, I have more time than money. Plus, I was getting a little rusty on frustration and achy neck muscles... all caught up now!

We celebrated this successful endeavor with supper out - had a fine meal with a nice view of the Laguna Madre. We stopped to pick up mail while out; there was a small package in there from the PPA (Professional Photographers of America). I have been retired for 5 1/2 years now... I was given "Life Member" status at that time after 30 years of membership AND being retired. In the package was a "Life Member" pin - kind of the equivalence of a Lifetime Achievement Award. Dang, I didn't feel that old. And only 5+ years late.