P.S.

And Eric at Acme Electric fixed my A/C on the Wednesday before the wedding.  It wasn't the compressor.  YAY!!!  A bolt had fallen off and then loosed the belt and that was making all kinds of noise and awfulness.  The blower didn't work since a fuse was melted.  Easy enough to fix and I was on my way!

Thank You Hacksaw And Cameron And Washington State Ferry Deck Crew Guy!

 

What a day, what bliss!  

Saturday was a dream.

Though on Sunday we had some cleaning up to do.  The farm and barn needed a little attention after the party and I needed to return the kegs to Flyers in Oak Harbor to get my deposit back.  Collin stayed on the farm to clean up and organize and my job was to drive the 60 mile round trip from Freeland to Oak Harbor in the Hondamatic.  Collin was under strict instructions to not deliver the tables and chairs back to coach's until I returned so that I could go with him.

The drive to Oak Harbor was eventless.  I parked in the back loading area, unloaded and returned the kegs and got my deposit back.  Yay!  Now back to do more work on the farm!

Except the Hondamatic won't start.  Nothing.  Not a sound.  Except the buzz when to door is open.

The last time this happened it was only once before in the Northgate parking lot about a month ago.  I was totally confounded and had no idea what to do.  Collin suggested messing around with the gear box, P to 1 and back to P a bunch of times.  That time it seemed to work.  So in the back loading area of Flyers I messed around with the gear box for what seemed like an eternity.  It was hot out and I was getting frustrated and nervous.  It wasn't working this time.  Finally I decided that I ought to get out of my current space and move across the lot to continue trying to make the Hondamatic work and maybe pushing the Hondamatic would get the gears to shape up.  So I pushed the Hondamatic across the lot and parked it again.  Eventually I called Collin and begged for any other suggestions.  He didn't really have any other than confirming what I was doing - yes, the lights, A/C and radio were off; yes, I am attempting to move the gears; etc...

I didn't necessarily want Collin to have to drive up to get me and try to fix the Hondamatic, since what could he do that I wasn't already doing?  But it looked like it was going to be the only way to get me back to Freeland.  Collin was pushing for me to go into Flyers and try to solicit some help from the employees but I was uncomfortable burdening anyone else with my problems.  I did go inside for some water and a plate of I'm-depressed-fries and I was to call Collin with a status update and decision in 30 minutes.  I did end up asking the bartender in absolute desperation if he knew of anyone who knew anything about 78 Honda Accord transmissions.  He did not but then he yelled to the guy sitting at the bar "Hey Hacksaw! Do you think you can help her out with her car?"  and said more quietly to me "Hacksaw knows a lot about cars."  So Hacksaw came over and I told him what I thought was wrong, he asked for my keys and asked which car it was was.  I told him it was the reddish 78 Accord that had 'Just Married' written on the back window.  You just can't miss that one!

After a short while Hacksaw came back and said it fired up just fine.  

I felt like a complete doofus.  I swear for that entire hour the Hondamatic did not work.

I took my fries to go, called Collin and raced back to Freeland to my husband.

Thank you Hacksaw who works part time at Flyers and the Elk Club on the base!!!

Once back at the farm I helped clean and load more of our stuff and then we went to coach's to bring him his tables and chairs.  We chatted for a bit and then left for some dinner at China City back in Freeland.  it was pretty good.  We went back to the farm where the Hondamatic was still waiting and decided to take a nap to kill a little time so we would avoid the stop and go and engine on and off of the terrible ferry line from Clinton to Mukilteo.  We finally left close to 11pm and made it to the ferry landing at 11:34 - just having missed the 11:30 ferry.  The next one was at 12:30 but to be sure Collin asked for my phone to check the schedule.  My phone.

I left it plugged in to charge at the barn.

Collin began planning my Monday for me which involved getting up early, taking a ferry and retrieving my phone.  Or something like that.  Just then we saw a blue early 80s Honda Accord pull around us in the landing.  It was Cameron!  With my phone!!  He had noticed I had left it in the barn and had chased us to bring it to me.  It was a very fortunate thing that we had missed the 11:30 ferry.

Thank you Cameron!!!

I took another small nap and at 12:18am Collin called me (he was in the Subaru behind me) to make sure I was awake.  I was after he called!  The ferry unloaded it's five cars quickly and we expected to load the five cars waiting just as fast.  Except the Hondamatic wouldn't start. Again.  

It was stressful.  What were we going to do?  They wouldn't let us on the ferry if my car wouldn't start but then out of kindness they said Collin could tow me on.  But we only had four minutes until the ferry sailed.  So then they said Collin could set up the ropes on the ferry to tow me off and they pushed the Hondamatic on.  Once we were all aboard and moving across the Sound, Collin was getting the Hondamatic attached to the Ru and one of the ferry deck crew guys came over and asked me to pop the Hondamatic hood.  He then proceeded to tap a heavy screwdriver on the starter which caused the engine to be able to be turned over!!!  Hurray!!!  I drove off the ferry and home

Thank you Washington State Ferry deck crew guy!!!

***

In other more recent news, today to be exact, I finally was able to find the time to get over to Kirkland to visit the Carburetor Connection.  Alex looked at it (after I fixed the starter issue again to move it near the garage) and said that everything looked fine.  I asked about the disconnected choke and he said even he is finding it difficult to get any parts anymore.  It seems to be fine now and maybe before winter arrives he might be able to jerry-rig something.  He showed me what part I'd be looking for so at least I know what it looks like.  It's a cap like thing with a coil underneath it.  A choke spring is also what it's called.  Oh, and no, the floats are not sinking. 

Someone Got Married!!

It was a beautiful day at The Raven and The Spade!!

It's Getting Hot In Here

Whew.  What a day.  My phone weather screen says it's 82 degrees but I don't believe it.  More like 122 degrees.

About a month ago I got my A/C recharged and it has worked wonderfully.  Until yesterday.  Of course it broke on the hottest day of the year.  You know that sound when a playing card slaps the spokes of a bicycle, imagine that but awfuller and that's the sound that arises from under the hood when I crank on the A/C.  I wanted A/C so that I wouldn't sweat so terribly in my wedding dress.

Less than a week away!!  YAY!!

Here's the "Boozamatic" doing some heavy lifting for the wedding preparation.