Dave's Sketch Journal

The Painted Desert looked interesting so we headed north to check it out. On the way, we stopped in Roswell, New Mexico. The place of the UFO museum.

As we travel Ruth often checks the iPhone for best places to stay. We found a Holiday Inn Express, booked the room, and moved our stuff inside.

Since we have a few things loaded in the van we like to keep an eye on it. So I checked from our hotel window and discovered that I couldn't see it. So I went back down and moved it into another parking place. After I shut it off I noticed that I was crooked in the parking stall. I turned the key in the ignition to adjust it but . . . nothing happened. The van was dead.

I tried again, and again, and again. Nothing. No clicking, no sound, no starting. Oh, no, not car problems. No, not this! It was 8:00 p.m.


So we called our road service and discovered that it was not the battery nor the fuses but in fact, it might be the starter. It's Saturday night. Tomorrow is Sunday. No one will be available. What are we going to do? What if we have to tow it?

We decided to sleep on it. Maybe tomorrow the starter would work after a whack of my persuader. I brought my hammer.

But the next morning is was the same. Se we sat in the hotel's breakfast area eating free eggs, rolls, pancakes, juice, and coffee. Since we couldn't drive anywhere, we decided to walk to a meeting nearby. There just happened to be one within walking distance.

While finishing breakfast, the lady that keeps the eating area clean came by to check the tables. After a little chat, Ruth asked her: "Say, you don't happen to know of a good mechanic do you? We are having car problems."

"Sure" Trina said, "my husband."

"Your husband is a mechanic?"

"He can fix anything. I'll call him right now."

Five minutes later she was back. Her husband was coming on a Sunday to fix our van. They live 20 miles away.

Sure enough her husband, Genaro, discovered that the starter was bad. He had it out in 60 minutes. Drove me down to AutoZone where I parted with one hundred and twenty eight dollars for a starter guaranteed for life, and had the new one back in within 30 minutes. The car immediately started. Thanks so much Genaro & Trina!

Meanwhile Ruth walked to the meeting and happened to meet some new friends, Sandy & Jennifer, who have sold everything and are moving to China. What are the chances? They invited us over for dinner and to stay a night in their beautiful home, now for sale. Turns out, Jennifer lived in Kailua, Hawaii, which is the town that Ruth grew up in and the place we lived for 15 years. Now all of this can't simply be a coincidence. Can it?

Oh, and I forgot to tell you. It's a good thing I moved the van to that parking spot under our hotel window. The car that parked in the old spot got a rock through it's window last night and everything inside was stolen.

But yeah, other than that, not much has happened.

...dave
Eliminate your enemies, extend your friendships. - Billboard road sign