I Am Boymom...and Mrs. Fix-It

Being a Boymom means learning how to fix things.  Lots of things.  Like broken toys, broken bed frames, broken bikes and sometimes even broken hearts.  I'm super happy that I have to fix broken "things" a lot more often than broken "feelings."  Broken feelings are much harder to fix.  You can't use super glue and duct tape and staple guns to fix broken feelings and broken people.  I'm pretty handy with super glue and duct tape and staple guns and small power tools.  I'm not always as knowledgeable about how to mend feelings. 

But back to my awesome and amazing skills as a repair woman of appliances and toys and electronics!  I'm not bragging.  Okay, kind of I am bragging, because I'm on a high after fixing the baffle on my dryer.  You know, one of those fin things that flip the clothes around while the barrel spins?  Yeah.  That. The thing that no one realizes can come loose until it actually does.  Well, mine did.  And I fixed it.  And okay, it wasn't super hard, but it felt really good to know that I could take my own dryer apart and put it back together and have it work!

After the dryer, I sat down and started thinking about all the things I have fixed or replaced with zero assistance.  Among the numerous items I have repaired are BB Guns, Nerf Guns, Hexbugs, Blow Dryers, Matchbox Cars, Sneakers, RC Cars, Radios, a 42" Flat Screen HDTV, 2 different washers, a dryer, 3 broken bed frames, a broken sofa, a Lazy Boy recliner, a broken cable on an electric car window,  a VW carburetor, a toilet, a garbage disposal, bike tires, broken bike chains, a water heater...so many things!

What is the point of all this?  I don't know. It just hit me that I have fixed a lot of things. And that maybe I should take the time to appreciate my ability to dive in and repair something that is not working. It's not a bad skill to have. It certainly comes in handy in a house full of boys. Maybe the Universe is trying to tell me that I need to open a repair shop.

Lame Public Service Announcement

Let me start by saying, I AM NOT A MECHANIC! Got it? Okay. You have been warned!

Having said that, I found a little trick that may (this word will be important to take note of) be helpful if you are ever completely broke and without a mechanic friend to help you figure out a car problem. I am sharing it because I spent a few days last week trying to help my sister diagnose a car problem. I am not a mechanic (have I made that point clear yet?), but I do know how to research things on the internet. The great thing about the internet is that there are soooo many other people out there who are willing to offer advice... and some of them are even experts.

After lots of emailing and IMing and online chatting with all of these "interweb" experts about this car problem, we were still at a dead end. The bad thing about car issues is that even if you a car expert, diagnosing a car problem is still a crap shoot. Those guys can help narrow it down, but the average accuracy rate has got to be like what, 30-50%?

Working on a car problem is as frustrating to me as working on a kid problem, because you have to go through soooo many superficial issues until you finally eliminate everything but the real problem. THEN you still have to deal with the PROBLEM!! (There is an end to this story, stick with me...)

So, after all of the expert advice and opinions which didn't work, I told my sister about this little trick I learned. After searching on the internet, I found a way to use a paperclip to diagnose the car issue from the little computer thingy (yes, that's the technical term mechanics use). You have to find the little diagnostic box, bend the paperclip into a "U" shape and then insert each end of the paper clip into a certain slot, determined by your car model. Then you turn your key to the On position and the engine light will give a series of flashes and pauses and give you your code! 2 flashes, a pause and 4 flashes is 24. Then you look up you code to see what the problem is, go to the auto parts store for the part and then put the new part on your car.

Hopefully it will work. And if it doesn't? Well...I told you! I am not a mechanic! Why did you listen to me in the first place!!? Gah!!

My sister tried it. The car gave the flashes and she got her code. The code stated that the issue was related to a sensor. She went to the auto store. The guy there said it was probably a coil issue, not a sensor issue. Another guy there who looked like he works on cars alot said the same thing. So they bought a coil and installed it. The car worked. The code thing didn't. But the code thing does work...sometimes. If you're lucky and you hold your tongue just right while you're putting the paperclip in the slots.