Crying Over Battery Cables

Stupid Fucking Minivan

Published on January 12, 2005 By Texas Wahine In Misc

I'm crying.

I can feel myself making the "sad Gizmo" face.

I have tears in my eyes, tears on my face . . . my bottom lip keeps popping out.

Today I am supposed to clean the battery cables on the car. I had to go all over the base to find club soda to use. Now I have a brush, gloves, club soda, pliers, and a flashlight. I popped open the hood and propped it open with the metal bar.

I was crying even before that.

I am scared to do this, and so I wanted to do it and be proud of myself and make Adrian proud.

But I am sad. As I was driving off to get Club Soda, a neighbor told me that one of my back lights is out. I don't know how to fix that.

I cried on the way to the store, and Xavier asked me, "Momma, what's wrong?" I told him, "Nothing." I don't really know what's wrong.

I just want to be held. I want someone to help me with all these problems that keep coming up. I want to be loved and cherished. I want to not feel so alone.

I don't know why I'm crying so much now.

As I was driving away from the first shoppette I went to while looking for Club Soda, the ABS light came on. I don't know how to fix that, either.

More tears.

I looked inside the hood and I know where the battery is . . . but it's underneath a bunch of other stuff. I don't see any black and red cables. I looked and looked and prodded all around with my flashlight in my hand but I still couldn't find the things that I'm supposed to unattach and clean and then reattach. Stupid fucking minivan.

I'm supposed to be able to do this.

Comments (Page 1)

island_gurl12

on Jan 12, 2005

Aaawwww, huney dont feel bad like that. You dont have to do that to feel proud. You're already achieving so much, heck, just being a mum should be your pride.

You know what? Relax. You're a little stressed out cuz there's alot on your plate at the moment. Take it easy. One thing at the time. It always works. First you dont have to be a mechanic, send the van for full service.

Second, breathe in, breathe out. Third, cuddle your little cuties and fourth, go all together for some ice cream (you wont need the van for that now, would you?).

Oh and befor i forget, why dont you just sell the friggin mini-van and buy something else? Sounds like its giving you a lot of crap.

Anyhoo, you need to have a good cry, so let it all out. You'll feel better pretty soon.

=HUGS=

Texas Wahine

on Jan 12, 2005

islandgurl: You're so sweet.

You dont have to do that to feel proud. You're already achieving so much, heck, just being a mum should be your pride.

I am proud of being a mom, but this is something I should be able to do . . . Adrian's counting on me to do it, and I'm so upset because I can't seem to manage it.

You know what? Relax. You're a little stressed out cuz there's alot on your plate at the moment. Take it easy. One thing at the time. It always works. First you dont have to be a mechanic, send the van for full service.

I could do that . . . but I promised Adrian I would do this myself.

Third, cuddle your little cuties

Good idea.

go all together for some ice cream (you wont need the van for that now, would you?).

Yeah, gotta have the minivan for ice cream.

Oh and befor i forget, why dont you just sell the friggin mini-van and buy something else? Sounds like its giving you a lot of crap.

We're going to get rid of it and get something else . . . I just gotta manage for two more months with it.

Anyhoo, you need to have a good cry, so let it all out. You'll feel better pretty soon.

Thank you. You're a doll. *hugs* to you too

Locamama

on Jan 12, 2005

Hi Tex, how long has hubby been gone? You sound like me at about 4 months. Seems like they have been gone forever and it will still be forever before they get home. You are a capable woman even if you aren't a mechanic. If you can't figure out the van just find a neighbor whose husband isn't deployed and ask him if he could please help you out. There is nothing wrong with asking for help when you need it. I would say that it is absolutely necessary. The military community has to become a family since everyone is away from their own family. You can't ask your dad or brother to come over so ask one of the guys in your neighborhood. I hope tommorow is better - stupid mini van!!!

Texas Wahine

on Jan 12, 2005

locamama:

Hi Tex, how long has hubby been gone?

It's been about 9 months.

Seems like they have been gone forever and it will still be forever before they get home.

No kidding.

If you can't figure out the van just find a neighbor whose husband isn't deployed and ask him if he could please help you out.

If only my neighbors weren't douchebags.

You can't ask your dad or brother to come over so ask one of the guys in your neighborhood.

Yeah, maybe I can find someone to help . . . but I promised I would do this today.

I hope tommorow is better - stupid mini van!!!

Thank you, sweetie . . . and I am beginning to hate this minivan.

Texas Wahine

on Jan 12, 2005

OK, so my problem is this . . . the battery is not where a normal battery should be . . . it's completely buried like this:

From the firehouse.com website :

The new Chevy Venture, Oldsmobile Silhouette and Pontiac TranSport minivans are examples of vehicles that have batteries that are extremely difficult to access. Although it is under the hood, in each case the minivan’s battery is almost completely buried underneath a heavy-duty metal bracket and many engine components.

And so this means that . . .

I am screwed.

Danny Bassette

on Jan 12, 2005

Bad minivan. You should arrange for an 'accident' to remove it from the picture, just make sure not to get yourself or anyone else hurt in the process. And even though you said to Adrian you would do it, maybe the mechanic is what you have to do...

Texas Wahine

on Jan 12, 2005

Danny:

Bad minivan.

Damn straight.

You should arrange for an 'accident' to remove it from the picture, just make sure not to get yourself or anyone else hurt in the process.

It's just my luck that if I tried to make something happen to it, it never would.

And even though you said to Adrian you would do it, maybe the mechanic is what you have to do...

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. I really hope he understands.

lostintexas

on Jan 12, 2005

Brandie, you have email.

dharmagrl

on Jan 12, 2005

As I recall, I had a similar battle with a rearview mirror right before D came home. I won, btw...

I don't think that there's any shame in taking it to a professional to look at it. You should have an auto hobby shop on base...run it over there and have one of the dudes look at it. They also have a computer they can hook it up to and will probably be able to figure out why the ABS light is coming on.

I'm more auto-savvy than the average chick - I can change my own oil and do routine maintenance on my own - but even I'd balk at getting the battery out single handed. It looks like you'd have to take the grille off or dismantle half the engine.....some auto are just freakin' geniuses, aren't they?

dharmagrl

on Jan 12, 2005

That should read 'some auto designers are just freakin' geniuses'........must....have...coffee.......

cactoblasta

on Jan 12, 2005

Do you roadside assistance in the US? I hate messing around with cars and stuff cos there always seems to be bits left over from even the most simple repairs I've ever tried (including changing a wheel or the oil - some sort of quantum effect I think). So now I leave it to the professionals. Just drive or push the car down the road a bit and give them a call. With any luck the guy or girl'll fix it all for you for free or it'll be covered by your membership anyway.

Myrrander

on Jan 12, 2005

aw, dearie, this isn't your fault...I didn't consider the fact that the battery might be buried under a ton of other machinery -- I think they do it just so you HAVE to take it in...

I cried of a vehicle once, when I tried to fix my transmission and nothing was like the manual said it should be.

i'm all sad reading this, hon, that sincerely sucks -- you aren't a loser or a dummy tho, you just can't be Mr. GoodWrench at the costume ball this year (I know that disappoints you).

*big hugs* {--------------------------------------------------------------------------------this big------------------------------------------------------------------}

shadesofgrey

on Jan 12, 2005

Ok, I'm just plain stupid--but why are cleaning the battery cables anyway? (That should make you feel better--someone less auto-inclined than you are). I know the very minimum there is to know about my car--like when to take it in to be serviced and who I can trust to service it without ripping me off--I figure I can't be an expert in everything and while it would be great to save money by changing my own oil and whatnot, it's not worth the hassle or the stress.

Chin up, chicken

--we can't all be everything, that's why modern society invented Jiffy Lubes and the likes--but if I had to choose, I'd rather be a good mom, like you are, than Mr. Goodwrench anyday!

stevendedalus

on Jan 12, 2005

Trade it in for a thirty year old car--they're easy to fix.

dharmagrl

on Jan 12, 2005

Trade it in for a thirty year old car--they're easy to fix.

He's absolutely right, ya know...older vehicles are way easier to fix than newer ones. If you can find the parts, that is. I had a late 70's Mini once that was pretty simple. The only pain in the ass was that you had to take the grille off to get to the distributor cap, but that was about it.

Let us know how it goes, Tex.

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