November 16, 2004

November 16, 2004

Trout Lodge

DAY 152

 

Well ... it's Tuesday. Time for our weekly Tuesday afternoon pilgrimage ( no. 5 ) to Parker-Banks Chevrolet in Potosi. This is not funny any more ! I watched ( and assisted ) the service man repairing the windshield washer system for the third time in the last month, and the seventh time in the last year. The pump was cracked and leaking again. This dealership has suspected since the first time they looked at the problem that it is caused by battery acid leaking onto the windshield washer system components. FINE ! Dee-dee has 2 batteries and can temporarily be operated with only one, so we did not re-install the battery that they suspect is leaking. I drove straight from the dealership to Wal-Mart and bought a new battery ! I’ve watched the complete disassembly and re-assembly of the entire windshield washer system, and if there’s any more problems, I’ll fix it myself !

I made some phone calls while in Potosi. The cell phone service at YMCA Of The Ozarks is non-existent. The cell phone service in Potosi is marginal, on a good day. I've found out why. This area of Missouri has the largest concentrations of lead in the ground in the world. This is / was a significant lead mining area. The lead in the hills messes up cell phone service.

After the truck repairs, it was over to Wal-Mart for our weekly shopping trip. Everybody here at Trout Lodge treats their weekly ( or so ) trips into Potosi to shop at Wal-Mart like the highlight of their week. They don't get out much here ! As I wander the aisles at Potosi's Wal-Mart, I try to remember what it was like to shop for Christmas gifts at Sak's Fifth Avenue in Manhattan a couple of years ago < sigh >.

Tonight was the premiere episode of Amazing Race ! Woo-hoo ... game on, baby !

DSK