First, just letting you know, I am having to stray from the happy world of all things art today. I feel like screaming so that usually means if I write it down it will help shrink that feeling back away. Rest assured I will sacrifice only this one post on such negativity…..actually that might not be the right word. Hmmmm maybe disappointing would  be a slightly better description.

Ok…Ok…the sooner I type it the sooner it’s gone. I should have known something was going to happen our two cars/trucks/whatever(motor objects) have been rolling along nicely for a ‘lil bit now.

Let’s just start off with the obvious. IF…IF…IF…IFFFfffff my husband…or I…or If I knew anyone in existence on the planet Earth that knew how to fix motor things I might feel differently. BUT I / WE(hubby) DO NOT KNOW A.N.Y.O.N.E!! Not ONE! Now that I think about it I don’t know anyone who works on any speciality thing(electrical, construction, roofs, oh my goodness let’s not forget plumbing) In case anyone is curious in my area of FL if you need a plumber that will be $100 an hour!!! Oops…sorry distracted and off topic…lol..sorry.

In another few years I may be in a better position for motor hep as my boys are now 19 & 22. Now that they have their own motor things they are starting to build up some motor fixing knowledge. Justin(19..20 in Jan.) has been able to help me with 2 small previous issues. However the reality is that there are just some things that can’t be done in a household garage(if you have one) or drive-way(if you don’t). Reality(cruel as it is) is what I / we are experiencing right now. But this is me we are talking about and I don’t roll that simply.

THIS IS MY MID-LIFE CRISIS KIDS ARE GROWN DREAM CAR….I LOVE IT!!!!!!

Yes, this 2000 Jeep Wrangler TJ is the care that I have been feigning for since my kids were born. My thinking was don’t have to worry bout enough space or anyone undoing the seat belts and falling out….you know what I’m saying……Right??

At first I wasn’t going  to go with my plan. I never thought I would have not a 24/7 Mom  sadness when the time came. Once again reality is a …insert word… My mind was I getting them up for school, taking places, cooking dinner…and so on. Then…BAM!! what am I supposed to be / do now(not Mom…well Mom, but not Mom) sorry I’m not handling the new reality let alone trying to explain what’s in my head. Anyway, I was / am having huge empty house issues, to this day. I feel like a prisoner in this house! One dayI found myself gradually shopping around and seeing if there was anything I liked and how many $$. That in no way implies that my emotional state was coming alone at the same speed.

Obviously, this is the one we ended up buying.. I LOVE it and I have had to have it worked on a few times, mostly maintenance needed for a Jeep with 125,000 miles on it. Last Friday I was visiting with my Mom and when I was leaving as I put one foot on the running board “CRACK” one of the clips for the running board broke. Ok, no problem I’ll just get a new clip or buy a new set of running boards.

Enters reality in the form of my youngest, Justin. He had stopped by to mow and trim for us and he wondered how I broke the thing on my jeep. I of course tell him I ordered new running boards. Ok, but that’s not what I talking about Mom….as is slowly follow him out to see!!….Yes, the running board broke but so did part of the frame and it was rusted outrageously. Yes, hubby looked under before we paid for it and it look like it had been cleaned up, but nothing looked like a rusty can and obviously did not look painted either(nice of the guy to cover it so well that it lasts long enough for us to give him money and leave) hubby even ran an car fax or whatever its called.

Time for investigating this nightmare…off I go. I take it to auto place they send me to body shop. Out comes the guy and dumps a ton of REALITY on me…..no options. I should absolutely NOT be driving this motor thing, if I got hit the entire jeep would fold into the middle!!!!!! Holy….!..!

The amount of bummed I feel is unmeasurable, so I’m not going to try. I do find it odd that I have it serviced 3 times and not one mechanic who had been working under and all over my Jeep said anything to me other than it looks great and now runs great.??? I stand there and give one place $500+…all the mechanics love it…no warnings or pointing out of anything awry. I had gone to another place 2 different times for a total of over $900(not exaggerating). I pick it up it’s running great nothing negative or awry.

Reality(body shop guy who barely had to put one knee on the ground) was dished out in 10 seconds or less…..sigh Yes, I called the place I had been to twice and most recently and asked why no one cared to mention the death trap I was driving. I was informed that they were an auto repair shop…not a body shop…no DUH! I’m certain if any of our mechanics saw a problem they would have pointed it out to you. You can bring it down and we can see if we can do anything to help…??..!! I asked if he was listening the the frame was extremely rusted and unstable…it is not driveable. He proceeded to repeat the exact statements. I thanked him for sorta listening and have a good day!!!!

Now I don’t want to give the wrong impression of how I am, but this guy got lucky. When I’m screwed over I usually start at the top and work my way to the last screw leaving carnage in my wake. I somehow managed to not even cuss….of course I forced myself to end people communication before that happened. Why you ask, because I didn’t see myself getting any of my money back or anything fixed until I came up with a few grand to buy a Jeep frame along with the money to pay labor.

Sorry so long. I really didn’t realize it would be a novel. Well, thanks for letting me vent.