Progress
First things first: The planetary gear did something or other, and it damaged the gear case. Replacing the old transmission with a rebuilt one will cost $2,960 plus tax, which is more than I paid for the van originally.
Barring a miracle, Garnet the ever-reliable Dodge Caravan is no more. It has ceased to be. Bereft of life... you know.
Sigh.
A plan is coalescing to get me back to Michigan, and then to North Carolina, and then back to Michigan. It's actually easier to do that than to empty Garnet into another vehicle and then empty that vehicle when I get home (I think and hope this afternoon or this evening). Then I get to pack properly, head off to NC, sing my little brains out, stuff myself with BBQ, get back home, and relax for a day or two.
I would like to thank all of you so much for the emotional support so far -- I'm on rms_butterfly's computer right now, and she and fuzzyvanman and pondside have been amazing, simply amazing. judifilksign also came over last night, which was beyond excellent. Anne has been there every step of the way with me, and there aren't enough words for how much I love her. Leslie has helped so much, and the same.
So. Things are shaping up. A lot is still in the air, but given circumstances (some of which I'm not going to talk about yet, because they haven't happened yet and I really don't want to commit to anything until the pot has boiled), it's looking way better than it did this time yesterday.
And how are you?
Barring a miracle, Garnet the ever-reliable Dodge Caravan is no more. It has ceased to be. Bereft of life... you know.
Sigh.
A plan is coalescing to get me back to Michigan, and then to North Carolina, and then back to Michigan. It's actually easier to do that than to empty Garnet into another vehicle and then empty that vehicle when I get home (I think and hope this afternoon or this evening). Then I get to pack properly, head off to NC, sing my little brains out, stuff myself with BBQ, get back home, and relax for a day or two.
I would like to thank all of you so much for the emotional support so far -- I'm on rms_butterfly's computer right now, and she and fuzzyvanman and pondside have been amazing, simply amazing. judifilksign also came over last night, which was beyond excellent. Anne has been there every step of the way with me, and there aren't enough words for how much I love her. Leslie has helped so much, and the same.
So. Things are shaping up. A lot is still in the air, but given circumstances (some of which I'm not going to talk about yet, because they haven't happened yet and I really don't want to commit to anything until the pot has boiled), it's looking way better than it did this time yesterday.
And how are you?