You could hear crickets chirping.
I was listening to NPR this afternoon, and the host was talking to someone over the phone. Apparently the guest had his phone on speakerphone, because you got that echoy far away sound, and also he was either on the other side of the world, where it was night, doing the interview outside, or he has some kind of animal the eats crickets in the room he was in, because all through the interview you could hear crickets chirping. It was very annoying and not very professional.
Today Biv called in sick. Stiff neck. She left a bit early yesterday (we worked through lunch so I didn't mind) to go boating, kayaking, whatever. I'm guessing she overworked her arms and neck, if she did what she said she was going to do. If not, perhaps she just rationalized that she is getting extra pay for working Sat. so she can slack off during the week. Quite a way to get ahead. I really didn't mind at all that she wasn't in. Not only did my brother come by and replace the oil pressure sending unit on the truck, but I was able to get the oil in the backhoe changed and grease the machine. And I was glad she wasn't there to see me almost bang my head against the machine when it wouldn't start....
My father's job was always the mechanical stuff. I would grease the backhoe, about 15 or more different points on the machine, while he changed the oil at the other end. Changing the oil wasn't hard, but when I decided I should drain the bowl that traps the sludge, well, that's when I hit a snag. It looked simple, small drain plug on the bottom of a glass bowl. I drained about half a coffee can of diesel out and still no sludge came with it. I don't recall my father ever doing that, but I know he did do something to drain it or check it. So then I know I'm going to have problems with air in the lines or something. I start the machine, and it runs, then sputters and stalls, I see the bowl filling with fuel though, so that's good. I try over and over, with breaks, to get the machine started again. No go. I resist hitting my head, but I'm bullshit with myself for doing something without knowing what I'm doing. I keep turning the key, then waiting a while. Finally, the machine kicks over and sputters. Then stops. I turn it over again, and it catches, runs and finally runs smooth. After that it was fine.
And as it turns out, who drives by and beeps at me but one of my father's friends who I know worked on diesels. I emailed him tonight to ask him what to do, and he told me to give him a call and he'll clear it right up. I did but he's not answering. I'll try tomorrow. I'll have to keep his number in mind in case something else comes up that I don't know.
I cant tell you how relived I was to have that machine fire up and run. I did NOT need that.
Today Biv called in sick. Stiff neck. She left a bit early yesterday (we worked through lunch so I didn't mind) to go boating, kayaking, whatever. I'm guessing she overworked her arms and neck, if she did what she said she was going to do. If not, perhaps she just rationalized that she is getting extra pay for working Sat. so she can slack off during the week. Quite a way to get ahead. I really didn't mind at all that she wasn't in. Not only did my brother come by and replace the oil pressure sending unit on the truck, but I was able to get the oil in the backhoe changed and grease the machine. And I was glad she wasn't there to see me almost bang my head against the machine when it wouldn't start....
My father's job was always the mechanical stuff. I would grease the backhoe, about 15 or more different points on the machine, while he changed the oil at the other end. Changing the oil wasn't hard, but when I decided I should drain the bowl that traps the sludge, well, that's when I hit a snag. It looked simple, small drain plug on the bottom of a glass bowl. I drained about half a coffee can of diesel out and still no sludge came with it. I don't recall my father ever doing that, but I know he did do something to drain it or check it. So then I know I'm going to have problems with air in the lines or something. I start the machine, and it runs, then sputters and stalls, I see the bowl filling with fuel though, so that's good. I try over and over, with breaks, to get the machine started again. No go. I resist hitting my head, but I'm bullshit with myself for doing something without knowing what I'm doing. I keep turning the key, then waiting a while. Finally, the machine kicks over and sputters. Then stops. I turn it over again, and it catches, runs and finally runs smooth. After that it was fine.
And as it turns out, who drives by and beeps at me but one of my father's friends who I know worked on diesels. I emailed him tonight to ask him what to do, and he told me to give him a call and he'll clear it right up. I did but he's not answering. I'll try tomorrow. I'll have to keep his number in mind in case something else comes up that I don't know.
I cant tell you how relived I was to have that machine fire up and run. I did NOT need that.