The week started out OK. Got up went to church and it was Fathers day so there was lots of BBQ to eat. Then Monday came around. The starter in my truck decided to die about a week ago so Monday after work I decided to change it. I’m thinking” two bolts two connectors and it’s out”. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I struggled to get the connectors off they were hard to see. I fought to get the top bolt on the starter out it was difficult to reach. I crawl under the truck to get the bottom bolt out. I start to wrench the bolt out for what seems forever and it comes out . I go back topside to start pulling the dead part out and it doesn’t move. I REMOVED THE WRONG BOLT!!! It was a transmission bolt. I put that bolt back in and find the correct bolt. Back to wrenching again. I get the bolt out and the part still doesn’t move!! @#$@##%%$#%^& I PULLED OUT ANOTHER TRANNY BOLT!! Back in that bolt goes. I feel around and find the hidden starter bolt. It is Impossible to get to. I try for two hours to get a socket on it and finally give up around seven O’clock. I’ve had enough!! I decided to take Tuesday off and get the truck fixed if it kills me. I got up early and bought some socket extensions that I think will help me get the bolt out. They didn’t. I spent about another two hours trying and trying to get a socket on but it just won’t quite fit. I, in desperation, try a box end wrench. I can just get it on but I can’t move it because of clearance problems. I came up with a solution. I cut my wrench in half to get the clearance I need. In times of desperation sacrifices must be made. It works …sort of. I can move the bolt about an eighth of a turn at a time. Still progress is progress. I finally get it out after a half an hour or so of wrenching. The part is now loose. It’s time to celebrate with lunch. After throwing some groceries down my neck it’s time to get the part out of the truck. It won’t come out , everything is in the way. By now I have the front tire is off and the inner fender ripped out( I was getting a LITTLE frustrated.) I had to loosen transmission lines and brake lines to even attempt to get the old part out. I even took part of the steering loose. I finally pry, pull the part out. I almost cried! The new part goes back in fairly easily and I put all the loose parts back into place. The truck starts and I thank God for allowing me to keep my sanity… just barely.
Today I drive my freshly fixed truck to work and all goes well. During my workday there is a point in which I start receiving product into the building. During this period I also have to receive the mail ( we get some product in this way). I have to cut some stuff out of the shipping boxes and down to the packaging that we sell the product in. I slice the top off of a box and my razor knife gets hung up for just a second . It lets go and all of a sudden I feel a sharp pain in my left thumb. I’m now bleeding. I can’t work on anything without bleeding on it. I have a half inch gash on my thumb that goes very deep. So now I need to go to the emergency room, expecting stitches. I didn’t get any, instead they tape my thumb back together. It’s amazing the uses of duct tape. I also get a tetanus shot.
So let’s take a tally of my injuries . My ribs are sore from leaning over the truck, I have broken finger nails that are sore,scratches and abraisions on my chest, stomach, head( yes head from laying on my back wrenching I irritated the skin on the back of my head.), hands and arms. My thumb is bandaged and taped together, and my shoulder hurts from the shot. All that’s left is… I dunno maybe a broken toe to top off the week!
