Car repair, Chaitén, China updates

Can't resist telling my stupid car story. The first of last week my 'Service engine soon' light came on telling me it's time to change the oil. So, on Fridays we usually get off work early, which we did, so I head across town to have the oil changed. When I pull up there are 3 cars ahead of me at the dealer...ugh...I hate waiting but it needs done. Soon it's my turn and I pull in and tell the mechanic what's going on and he goes to get someone else. The second guys starts telling me the the Service Engine light could be many things and that the Check Engine light is what tells you it's time for oil change. They would have to put it on the diagnostic machine and that takes about 45 minutes to run through the program and they had cars ahead of me, blah, blah, blah. Now, I had the time but they didn't as they close in an hour. Then the second guys says, "Give me about 15 minutes to check something and I'll come see you in the lounge" so off I go to sit in lounge and wonder what is wrong with my car...how much will it cost to fix...where will I get the money if it's costly to fix....how much time or days will they need the car? I had at least 15 scenario's go through my mind but 10 minutes later the guy comes over to me and says, "You're ready to go. The gas cap wasn't tight." Who the &$%@ knew a car would notice it's cap wasn't tight!! Lord, I felt stupid but happy it wasn't something more. And they didn't charge me anything to tighten my gas cap lol. The worst part of it all was I needed to stop and get gas but decided to do it after I got the oil changed. Now if I had done it the other way around I wouldn't have known why the light had come on or how smart my car is :P

Here's another fine mess I got myself into...Since I was sick at Mother's Day and didn't get over to see my Mom or get her a present I decide to go whole hog on 1 gift for Mother's Day and Father's Day. So, I go and buy them a Digital Photo Frame. I got a small 4 X 6 one so they can take it with them wherever they go in the motor home only to find out it doesn't have internal memory. No problem, I just need to get a memory card. WRONG! I don't have a way to transfer info from computer to card. So, next I go out to get a USB Memory Stick. (Keep in mind the light on the dash of my car is flashing and beeping at me during all this running) Now this little baby is wonderful. You plug it into a computer and download anything to the card. It was a real learning curve but they love the frame with 130+ photos on it LOL and I know they will love showing all their 'snowbirds' in Arizona the pictures and stories behind the pictures this winter!

Current News:

Chaitén update: The volcano continues to issue gas and ash. On June 12th there were gas emissions and pyroclastic flows from the south side of the volcano. Two new craters have formed. Here's a satellite photo from 6-15-08 where you can still see a small trail of ash.



China earthquake: Workers successfully drained the lake created by the earthquake in May by draining it into and evacuated town. Here's a before and after picture.



Today in History:

June 16, 1884

First roller coaster in America opens

On this day in 1884, the first roller coaster in America opens at Coney Island, in Brooklyn, New York. Known as a switchback railway, it was the brainchild of LaMarcus Thompson, traveled approximately six miles per hour and cost a nickel to ride. The new entertainment was an instant success and by the turn of the century there were hundreds of roller coasters around the country.

June 16, 1904

James Joyce meets his future wife, Nora

Aspiring writer James Joyce meets his future wife, Nora, a lively, uneducated woman with little interest in literature, on this day in 1904. Joyce will immortalize this day in his masterpiece Ulysses, whose narrative unfolds entirely on June 16, 1904. (Many claim Johnny Depp's new tattoo is a quote from this author.)

Just for some thing new...Word of the Day:
Obeisance
\oh-BEE-sunss\ noun
meaning:
1. a movement of the body made in token of respect or submission : bow
2. acknowledgment of another's superiority or importance : homage

Until tomorrow.......and stay safe....